Nathan Vasher

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Nathan Vasher
Date of birth	November 17, 1981
Place of birth	Wichita Falls, Texas
Position(s)	Cornerback
College	Texas
NFL Draft	2004 / Round 4/ Pick 110
Pro Bowls	2006
Records	NFL Longest Play (108yds) Vasher shares the record with Devin Hester
Statistics	Pro Football Reference NFL.com DatabaseFootball
Team(s)
2004 -Present	Chicago Bears

Nathanial DeWayne Vasher (born November 17, 1981 in Wichita Falls, Texas) is an American football cornerback, who plays for the Chicago Bears.

[edit] Early life

An 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. He started at strong safety for the Longhorns in 2001 and at cornerback in 2002 and 2003. He intercepted 17 passes in his college career, tying the school record. He also returned punts and earned All-America honors as a punt returner in 2001.

[edit] Professional career

The Bears selected Vasher in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He immediately made an impact in the NFL, leading the team with five interceptions as a rookie. He returned a Ken Dorsey pass 71 yards for a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers.

Despite his defensive prowess, Vasher might be best known for the longest play in NFL history on November 13, 2005 against the 49ers. The Bears were hosting San Francisco during an extremely windy day in which passing and kicking was made difficult. On the final play of the first half, San Francisco kicker Joe Nedney attempted a 52-yard field goal. The wind blew the football short and wide, and Vasher caught it eight yards deep in his own end zone. He ran left about 20 yards, then cut back to the right behind a convoy of blockers and took it up the sideline 108 yards for a touchdown.

At the end of the 2005 season, Vasher was chosen to represent the NFC in the Pro Bowl after intercepting eight passes and returning one for a touchdown.

On November 12, 2006, almost a year to the day after Vasher's record-setting return, his Chicago Bears teammate Devin Hester tied the record, returning a missed field goal by New York Giants kicker Jay Feely 108 yards for a touchdown.