Nathan Vasher
No. 31, 30 | |||||
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Position: | Cornerback | ||||
Personal information | |||||
Born: | Wichita Falls, Texas, U.S. | November 17, 1981||||
Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||
Weight: | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||
Career information | |||||
High school: | Texas (Texarkana, Texas) | ||||
College: | Texas | ||||
NFL draft: | 2004 / Round: 4 / Pick: 110 | ||||
Career history | |||||
As a player: | |||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||
As a coach: | |||||
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Career highlights and awards | |||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||
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Player stats at NFL.com · PFR |
Nathaniel DeWayne Vasher (born November 17, 1981) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was an All-American for the Texas Longhorns where he played college football for four seasons. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL draft and with them became a Pro Bowler and played in Super Bowl XLI. He was also a member of the San Diego Chargers and Detroit Lions.
Early years
A first team all-state selection at both cornerback and wide receiver at Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas, Vasher was recruited by the University of Texas at Austin.
College career
He started at
He set several records. In his senior year he set the single-season school record for pass break-ups with 26 and the career record with 64, which was also a Big 12 record. He also tied the school's career interceptions record with 17. He set the school record for punt return yards with 1,314 career yards. In his sophomore year, he tied then-UT season record with seven interceptions in a season. He tied the then school career record with 2 punt returns for a TD.[1]
In 2017, he was inducted into the Longhorns Hall of Honor.[1]
Professional career
Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
177 lb (80 kg) |
30+5⁄8 in (0.78 m) |
8+1⁄2 in (0.22 m) | |||||||||
All values from NFL Combine[2] |
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears selected Vasher in the fourth round of 2004 NFL draft.[3] He began his career with the team as a back-up cornerback, but became a starter by the fourth week of the season. Vasher became the Bears’ top cornerback after Charles Tillman was sidelined with an injury. In one of his best games of the season, Vasher intercepted one of Ken Dorsey’s passes and returned it for a 71-yard touchdown.[4]
Vasher had the best season of his career in
Vasher missed portions of the
During the subsequent off-season, the Bears re-signed Vasher and Tillman to long-term contracts.
On March 17, 2010, Vasher was released from the Bears.[14]
San Diego Chargers
Vasher signed a two-year contract with the San Diego Chargers on March 29, 2010, but was released in September before playing in a game with the team.[15]
Detroit Lions
On September 13, 2010, Vasher signed with the Detroit Lions.[16] He was re-signed to a one-year deal on March 4, 2011. On September 3, 2011 Vasher was cut by the Lions.[17]
NFL career statistics
Legend | |
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Bold | Career high |
Regular season
Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
2004 | CHI | 16 | 7 | 37 | 34 | 3 | 0.0 | 1 | 5 | 177 | 1 | 71 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
2005 | CHI | 16 | 15 | 47 | 40 | 7 | 0.0 | 0 | 8 | 145 | 1 | 46 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2006 | CHI | 14 | 13 | 45 | 33 | 12 | 0.0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2007 | CHI | 4 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 34 | 0 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2008 | CHI | 8 | 7 | 22 | 21 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2009 | CHI | 15 | 2 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2010 | DET | 14 | 5 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
87 | 51 | 193 | 160 | 33 | 1.0 | 4 | 20 | 368 | 2 | 71 | 49 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
Playoffs
Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
2005 | CHI | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2006 | CHI | 3 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 0 |
4 | 4 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 0 |
Personal life
Vasher was nicknamed "ESPN3" in college, and "The Interceptor" by Bears fans due to his many interceptions.[18]
His nephew, T. J. Vasher, is currently a wide receiver for the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League.
He returned to UT after his NFL career, worked as a student assistant coach and earned his bachelor's degree in applied learning and development in the spring of 2014. In 2016 he received a Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship and spent the year as an intern coach with the Bears.[19] In 2017 he went to work on the coaching staff at Trinity International University, working with cornerbacks.[1][20]
In 2018, Vasher and former Bears teammate Johnny Knox became assistant coaches at Carmel High School under ex-Bear Blake Annen.[21] he left in 2020 to be an volunteer assistant coach at Texas.[22]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Nathan Vasher". Texassports.com. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "2004 Draft Scout Nathan Vasher, Texas NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
- ^ "2004 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
- ^ Associated Press, Bears 23, 49ers 13 (November 15, 2004), Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved on March 21, 2008.
- ^ Associated Press, Vasher's 108-yard return lifts Bears over 49ers (November 13, 2005), ESPN. Retrieved on March 21, 2008.
- ^ Associated Press, Bears 38, Giants 20 (November 13, 2006), Yahoo! Sports, Retrieved on March 21, 2008.
- ^ Youngmisuk, Ohm, Ellis Hobbs' 108-yard kickoff return sets record (September 10, 2007), Daily News. Retrieved on March 21, 2008.
- ^ Associated Press, cornerback's return longest play in NFL history (November 4, 2007), ESPN. Retrieved on March 21, 2008.
- ^ "Nathan Vasher Stats". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ Wilner, Barry, Bears 39, Saints 14 (January 22, 2007), Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved on March 21, 2008.
- ^ Mayer, Larry, Dynamic cornerback duo picks off three passes (August 7, 2007), chicagobears.com. Retrieved on March 21, 2008.
- ^ Mayer, Larry (2007-12-17). "Vasher returns with a vengeance after 10-game hiatus". chicagobears.com. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
- ^ Dickerson, Jeff (2010-03-17). "Vasher never recovered from groin injury". ESPN. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
- ^ Mayer, Larry, Bears release veteran cornerback Vasher (March 17, 2007), chicagobears.com. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.
- ^ "The San Diego Union-Tribune - San Diego, California & National News".
- ^ CB Nathan Vasher signs with Lions Detroit Free Press September 13, 2010
- ^ "Lions bring back CB Nathan Vasher on one year deal". National Football Post. 4 March 2011.
- ^ "How well do you know the Bears? Take our trivia quiz - Chicago Bears". www.chicagobears.com. Archived from the original on 2008-03-23.
- ^ "Vasher on the staff as coaching intern". Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ "Nathan Vasher". Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ Hammond, Sean (July 22, 2019). "3 ex-Bears coach at Carmel Catholic". Northwest Herald. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
- ^ Hammand, Sean. "Former Bears fullback Jason McKie ready to 'set a standard' as head coach at Carmel". Retrieved 9 February 2024.