Nate Borden

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Nate Borden
Date of birth:	September 22, 1932
Place of birth:	Detroit, MI
Date of death:	September 30, 1992 (age 60)
Place of death:	Las Vegas, NV
Career information
Position(s):	Defensive end
College:	Indiana
NFL Draft:	1955 / Round: 25 / Pick 293
Organizations
As player:
1955-1959 1960-1961 1962	Green Bay Packers Dallas Cowboys Buffalo Bills (AFL)
Stats at DatabaseFootball.com

Nathaniel Borden (September 22, 1932 - September 30, 1992) was a professional American football player in the NFL and the American Football League.

He moved to Jersey City, New Jersey where he played football and gained renown as a defensive tackle at Lincoln High School.

Nate got a scholarship to play college football at Indiana University. He played defensive end and became an All-American.

He was drafted in the 1955 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers under Coach Lisle Blackbourn. He played with the Packers from 1955-1959. During this early period, Nate was the only black player on the Packers. When he could not find housing within the city limits, he had to room at a rundown motel just outside of Green Bay. A number of Packers were also staying at the motel. They told the manager he would lose their business if Nate could not room there. QB Bart Starr befriended Nate and frequently had him and his family at Starr's home for dinner. Joining the team a few years later, Emlen Tunnell described the Borden residence as "a place where you wouldn't keep your dog." When Vince Lombardi became the Packers coach, he helped Borden find a decent place to live. Due to a knee injury, he was put on waivers by the Packers and was picked by the NFL expansion team the Dallas Cowboys. Nate played with the Cowboys until 1962. After the Cowboys, he played one year with the AFL's Buffalo Bills in 1963.

After he retired from playing football, Nate scouted with the Atlanta Falcons for the next twelve years.

After his scouting with the Falcons, he became the assistant to the mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey. Jim Sutcliffe was the mayor at that time. After Sutcliffe lost a bid for re-election, Nate moved to Las Vegas, where he was assistant to the mayor, Russ Dorn. Nate was the Officer of Urban Development in the city of Las Vegas.

Nate Borden died of cancer in Las Vegas on September 30, 1992. He left behind 2 sons and a daughter. Both of his sons played college football, Stephen Borden for the University of Iowa and Robert Borden for Western Kentucky University. He had four grandchildren, Martina Beckum, Dawn Thomas, Dana Thomas, and Jonathan Borden who played linebacker for the University of Michigan. He left behind a legacy of football.