NFL Update: Patriots Nate Ebner is Jewish

Nate Ebner PhotoFile image.
Photo courtesy of eBay.

Nate Ebner, the New England Patriots defensive back, has confirmed to JewishSportsCollectibles.com via Twitter that he is Jewish.

 

A comment I received in response to the JewishSportsCollectibles.com 2012-2013 Football Preview indicated that Nate's late father, Jeff Ebner, was Jewish. That started me digging.

I learned that Jeff Ebner, was beaten to death in 2008 during a robbery at the scrap metal dealership he owned in Springfield, Ohio, according to WDTN-TV in Dayton.

Jeff Ebner was, according to his obituary in the Springfield News-Sun, a "former member of Temple Shalom where he was the former Sunday School principal." 

So, while Nate Ebner's father was Jewish, which alone is enough for me to include him here (let the arguments begin!), I didn't know for certain if Nate was raised Jewish, practices, or self-identifies as Jewish.

Ebner was never included in the list of Jewish collegiate football players published in Jewish Sports Review, for example.

Asking Ebner seemed to be a good way to solve the problem, so I reached out to him on Twitter.

Nate Ebner Twitter exchange.
Photo courtesy of JewishSportsCollectibles.com.

140 characters is certainly limiting, so my introduction and question to Ebner were short.

"I publish a blog about Jewish athletes and sports memorabilia. Safe to include you? Thanks!"

Ebner's response, was equally short, but informative, to a degree.

"Go for it!"

While Ebner's tweet doesn't fully answer all of my questions, his response certainly indicates that he publicly self-identifies as Jewish.

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As a late round draft pick and a rookie with fewer than a half-dozen games under his belt, as of this posting, Ebner's collectibles are limited.

Beckett.com lists no cards, yet, for the former Ohio State Buckeyes walk-on football player and internationally acclaimed rugby player.

Nate Ebner signed photo.
Photo courtesy of eBay.

OSUphotos is selling a photo of the Buckeyes taking the field, autographed by Ebner and inscribed "Go Bucks!" for $8.95 on eBay.

A 2012 OSU team signed helmet, which includes Ebner's autograph, is available on eBay

There are also several PhotoFile images, including the one at the top of this posting, of Ebner playing for the Pats up for bid.

Ebner had been scheduled to do a public signing a a Columbus card show in February, according to BuckeyeSignings.com, but it was cancelled.

Nate Ebner at OSU.
Photo by Jim Davidson,
courtesy of the-Ozone.net.

No past signings with Ebner are listed on SigningsHotline.com, and I found no Ebner memorabilia for sale at Cardboard Heroes, an Ohio memorabilia shop that offers autograph signings regularly with OSU athletes.

The OSU Memorabilia Store and the Ohio State Athletics Official Online Auctions site offers no Ebner collectibles, as of this posting.

Jewish football collectors can, however, find numerous photos of Ebner available for purchase on the Columbus Dispatch's OSU Photo Store. These images are suitable for autographs and getting framed. Prices vary by photo and size. 

Neither the Patriots online shop or PatriotsMemorabilia.com offer any Ebner memorabilia, as of this posting, but both are logical places to look for his items in the future. 

Nate Ebner, Rugby Magazine. Photo courtesy of OSUrugby.com. 

The Ohio State Rugby web site boasts a photo of Ebner on the cover of Rugby Magazine's Spring 2011 issue.

I could find no copies of it available for sale on eBay or Amazon.com, and RugbyMag.com doesn't appear to sell back issues.

Certainly other rugby memorabilia associated with Ebner -- a two-time IRB Junior World Championship MVP -- must exist. I could find none on USARugby.com, however. 

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Do you know of any additional Nate Ebners collectibles? Any rugby memorabilia? Do you have any Ebner memorabilia in your Jewish football collection?

Let JewishSportsCollectibles.com readers know by commenting below.