Editing Nate Newton

{{Short description|American football player (born 1961)}}
{{About|the American football player|the metalcore bassist|Nate Newton (musician)}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image         =
| position      = [[Guard (gridiron football)|Guard]]
| number        = 67, 61, 73
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1961|12|20}}
| birth_place   = [[Orlando, Florida]], U.S.
| death_date    = 
| height_ft     = 6
| height_in     = 3
| weight_lbs    = 335
| undraftedyear = 1983
| high_school   = [[Jones High School (Orlando, Florida)|Jones]] (Orlando)
| college       = [[Florida A&M Rattlers football|Florida A&M]] (1979–1982)
| teams         =
* [[Washington Redskins]] ({{NFL Year|1983}})*
* [[Tampa Bay Bandits]] ({{USFL Year|1984}}–{{USFL Year|1985}})
* [[Dallas Cowboys]] ({{NFL Year|1986}}–{{NFL Year|1998}})
* [[Carolina Panthers]] ({{NFL Year|1999}})
| highlights    =
* 3× [[Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XXVII|XXVII]], [[Super Bowl XXVIII|XXVIII]], [[Super Bowl XXX|XXX]])
* 2× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1994 All-Pro Team|1994]], [[1995 All-Pro Team|1995]])
* 6× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1993 Pro Bowl|1992]]–[[1997 Pro Bowl|1996]], [[1999 Pro Bowl|1998]])
* [[United States Football League|USFL]] All-Time Team
* First-team [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|All-MEAC]] (1980)
| statlabel1    = Games played
| statvalue1    = 198
| statlabel2    = Games started
| statvalue2    = 180
| statlabel3    = [[Fumble]] recoveries
| statvalue3    = 5
| pfr           = NewtNa00 
}}

'''Nathaniel Isaac Newton''' (born December 20, 1961) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[Guard (American football)|guard]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Dallas Cowboys]] and [[Carolina Panthers]]. He also was a member of the [[Tampa Bay Bandits]] of the [[United States Football League]] (USFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[Florida A&M Rattlers football|Florida A&M Rattlers]].

==Early life==
Newton attended [[Jones High School (Orlando, Florida)|Jones High School]] where he played [[American football|football]], [[basketball]], [[wrestling]] and [[shot put]]. In [[American football|football]] he played as a [[Fullback (American football)|fullback]] until his junior year, when he outgrew the position and was moved to the [[defensive line]].

Although he had [[Division I (NCAA)|Division I]] colleges recruiting him, he chose to remain close to home and accepted a football scholarship from [[Florida A&M University]]. As a sophomore, he played in both the [[offensive line|offensive]] and [[defensive line]]. As a junior, he was moved to the offense full-time. As a senior, he received [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|All-MEAC]] honors playing at [[right tackle]].

In 1994, he was inducted into the [[Florida A&M University]] Sports Hall of Fame. In 2022, he was inducted into the [[Black College Football Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/news/dallas-nate-newton-inducted-black-college-hall-fame-troy-aikman|title=Nate Newton to Black College Football Hall of Fame; Cowboys Teammate Troy Aikman Shows Support |date=June 20, 2022 |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref>

==Professional career==

===Washington Redskins===
Although he was selected by the [[Tampa Bay Bandits]] in the [[1983 USFL Territorial Draft]], he opted to sign as an [[undrafted free agent]] with the [[Washington Redskins]] in May.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1983/07/18/redskins-gray-area-time-to-dream-big/3f90134e-905f-4b72-bce2-db8e2c9907f1/|title=Redskins' Gray Area: Time to Dream Big|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref> On August 29, 1983, he was waived and was injured in a serious car accident on the same night he was cut.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1983/08/30/redskins-cut-harmon-williams-and-owen/722f1aba-2a1d-4a27-a5a3-6c8d0fc15253/|title=Redskins Cut Harmon, Williams and Owen|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref>

===Tampa Bay Bandits===
In February 1984, he signed with the [[Tampa Bay Bandits]] of the defunct [[United States Football League]], who drafted him in 1983, in what the [[United States Football League|USFL]] called a [[USFL Territorial Draft|Territorial Draft]]. He played there for two years (1984 and 1985) as an [[Tackle (American football)|offensive tackle]], under head coach [[Steve Spurrier]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/famu/2022/06/17/famu-football-nate-newton-joins-black-college-football-hall-fame/7634332001/|title='Happening for the good': FAMU's Nate Newton entering Black College Football Hall of Fame |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref>

===Dallas Cowboys===
In [[1986 NFL season|1986]], Newton signed as a [[free agent]] with the [[Dallas Cowboys]] after the [[United States Football League|USFL]] folded. He started out as a reserve [[offensive line]]man, and was nicknamed "the Kitchen" because he was bigger than [[William Perry (American football)|William "the Refrigerator" Perry]], of [[Chicago Bears]] fame.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=CCDAF82F-CE8D-5D9A-C45660E96CF41D13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614065255/http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=CCDAF82F-CE8D-5D9A-C45660E96CF41D13 |archive-date=June 14, 2012 |title=The 53: Nate Newton Was Always On Guard}}</ref> Even though he became a starter at [[Guard (American football)|left guard]] in [[1987 NFL season|1987]], his struggles to maintain his playing weight almost cost him being waived. [[Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)|Jimmy Johnson]] became the Cowboys coach in [[1989 NFL season|1989]] and eventually moved him to the starting [[Tackle (American football)|right tackle]] position and forced him to get into better shape after Johnson beat him in a running race.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfl.com/videos/a-football-life-nate-newton-provided-an-anchor-for-the-cowboys-279313|title='A Football Life: The Great Wall of Dallas'- Nate the Kitchen|website=[[NFL.com]] |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref>

In [[1992 NFL season|1992]], because of the improved play of [[Erik Williams]], he was moved back to [[Guard (American football)|left guard]], in order for the team to have the best player combination possible in the [[offensive line]]. From [[1992 NFL season|1992]] to [[1995 NFL season|1995]], together with [[Erik Williams]], [[Mark Tuinei]], [[Mark Stepnoski]], [[John Gesek]] and [[Kevin Gogan]], he was part of some of the best [[offensive line]]s to play in [[NFL]] history, known as “The Great Wall of Dallas”.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/cowboys/2013/12/03/great-wall-of-dallas-erik-williams-mark-tuinei-nate-newton-mark-stepnoski/3859515/|title=An O-line remembered: 'The Great Wall of Dallas' among Cowboys' greats|website=[[USA Today]] |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref>

Newton was a six-time [[Pro Bowl]]er, attending the game from [[1992 NFL season|1992]] through [[1996 NFL season|1996]] and once again in [[1998 NFL season|1998]]. Only [[Larry Allen]] (10), [[Zack Martin]] (9), and [[Tyron Smith]] (8) have been to more [[Pro Bowl]]s with the Cowboys on the [[offensive line]]. He is tied with [[Rayfield Wright]] and [[John Niland (American football)|John Niland]] for six appearances each. He was not re-signed by the Cowboys after his contract expired at the end of the 1998 season.

His ability to protect [[quarterback]] [[Troy Aikman]] and to run-block for [[running back]] [[Emmitt Smith]] helped the Cowboys win 3 [[Super Bowl]]s in [[1992 NFL season|1992]], [[1993 NFL season|1993]], and [[1995 NFL season|1995]].

He was one of the best [[Guard (American football)|guards]] in the [[NFL]] for over a decade. He was a very powerful player and was known from some great confrontations against [[Reggie White]] among other great players. Despite playing in the trenches, Newton was one of the more colorful players in Cowboys history.

===Carolina Panthers===
On June 16, [[1999 NFL season|1999]], he signed as a [[free agent]] with the [[Carolina Panthers]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/17/sports/plus-pro-football-carolina-newton-signs-with-panthers.html|title=PLUS: PRO FOOTBALL -- CAROLINA; Newton Signs With Panthers|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 17, 1999 |access-date=August 27, 2022}}</ref> He played in seven games as a backup guard. On December 14, he was placed on the [[injured reserve list]] with a torn right triceps tendon.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19991215&id=LC4jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=088EAAAAIBAJ&pg=4639,6413377|title=Herald-Journal - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|access-date=August 27, 2022}}</ref> He wasn't re-signed after the season.

==Life after football==
On March 21, 1991, he was arrested at an illegal dog fight which he was a major contributor to. He himself owned 14 pit bulls.<ref>{{cite web|first=Richie |last=Whitt |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/03/24/Cowboys-Nate-Newton-arrested-at-dogfight/7795669790800/ |title=Cowboys' Nate Newton arrested at dogfight |date=March 24, 1991 |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref>
On November 4, 2001, police in [[St. Martin Parish]], [[Louisiana]], arrested Newton after he was found to have 213 pounds of [[cannabis (drug)|marijuana]] during a traffic stop of Newton's white van.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-dec-13-sp-14379-story.html |title=Ex-Cowboy Newton Is Arrested |work=Los Angeles Times|date=December 13, 2001 |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref> Five weeks later, on December 12, 2001, Newton was again stopped in Texas and was arrested after a search of his vehicle revealed he possessed 175 pounds of marijuana.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/2002/0814/1418021.html |title=Newton given 2½-year prison sentence |publisher=ESPN |date=August 14, 2002 |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref> He was convicted and sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for drug trafficking. He has since reportedly gone straight, renouncing his past and turning his life around. He later spoke to children involved in athletics about his past.<ref>{{cite web|first=Richie |last=Whitt |url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/pot-bellied-cowboy-6419373 |title=Pot-bellied Cowboy |publisher=Dallas Observer |date=November 17, 2005 |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref>

In April 2010, Newton, who once weighed as much as 411 pounds, underwent "vertical [[gastrectomy]]", a surgical operation, by Dr. David Kim, that removes up to 75 percent of a patient's stomach and staples the remainder. He has lost 175 pounds and as of November 2010, weighed 220 pounds—his lightest weight since high school.<ref>{{cite web|last=Chase |first=Chris |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-chris-chase/former-cowboys-star-nate-newton-lost-175-pounds--nfl.html#:~:text=At%20his%20heaviest%2C%20Nate%20Newton,Kitchen%22%20because%20of%20it). |title=Former Cowboys star Nate Newton has lost 175 pounds |publisher=Yahoo! Sports |date=November 4, 2010 |access-date=September 7, 2022}}</ref>

Newton has done radio broadcast work with [[KVDT|KESN]] in the [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex]] and is a regular contributor to various podcasts broadcast by [[dallascowboys.com]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ben And Skin Part Ways With ESPN Dallas/Fort Worth 103.3 FM|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/115670/ben-and-skin-part-ways-with-espn-dallas-fort-worth|access-date=September 7, 2022|website=All Access|language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Newton is the older brother of [[Tim Newton]], who also played in the [[NFL]] as a [[defensive tackle]] for nine seasons. Tim played for The [[Minnesota Vikings]], [[Kansas City Chiefs]], and [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]].

Newton's son, Nate III (nicknamed Tré), was a running back at [[Carroll Senior High School (Southlake, Texas)|Carroll High School]] in [[Southlake, Texas]], and was a key contributor for the Dragons' two consecutive 5A football state championship teams in 2005 and 2006. Tré would go on to play [[running back]] for the [[University of Texas at Austin|University of Texas]], although his career was cut short due to re-occurring injuries. Nate's second son, King, played for the [[University of Texas at San Antonio]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=King Newton - 2016 - University of Texas at San Antonio|url=https://goutsa.com/sports/football/roster/king-newton/4821|access-date=September 7, 2022|website=goutsa.com|language=en}}</ref>

Newton is a member of the North Dallas Community Bible Church.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=LeRoy|first1=Oscar|last2=MRT.com/Midl|last3=Reporter-Telegram|date=2019-02-07|title=Life lessons made former Cowboy Newton into who he's become|url=https://www.mrt.com/sports/article/Life-lessons-made-former-Cowboy-Newton-into-who-13596289.php|access-date=September 7, 2022|website=Midland Reporter-Telegram|language=en-US}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://vault.si.com/vault/1994/06/20/the-way-he-was-genial-cowboy-nate-newton-used-to-be-a-big-bad-bully The Way He Was]

{{Super Bowl XXVII}}
{{Super Bowl XXVIII}}
{{Super Bowl XXX}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Newton, Nate}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:American football offensive guards]]
[[Category:American football offensive tackles]]
[[Category:Carolina Panthers players]]
[[Category:Dallas Cowboys players]]
[[Category:Florida A&M Rattlers football players]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Orlando, Florida]]
[[Category:Jones High School (Orlando, Florida) alumni]]
[[Category:American drug traffickers]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Bandits players]]
[[Category:Washington Redskins players]]
[[Category:American people convicted of drug offenses]]
[[Category:American sportspeople convicted of crimes]]