Nat Terry
{{Short description|American football player (born 1956)}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Nat Terry
| number = 41, 30
| position = Return specialist / Defensive back
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|7|20}}
| birth_place = Tampa, Florida, U.S.
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lb = 167
| high_school = Robinson (Tampa)
| college = Florida State
| draftyear = 1978
| draftround = 11
| draftpick = 279
| pastteams =
- Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|1978}})
- Detroit Lions (1978)
| highlights =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 10
| statlabel2 = Punt returns/ yards
| statvalue2 = 7/ 80
| statlabel3 = Kick returns/ yards
| statvalue3 = 7/ 145
| pfr = TerrNa20
}}
Nathaniel Terry (born July 20, 1956) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back and return specialist for one season in the National Football League (NFL) with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.
Early life
Terry was born in Tampa, Florida, and attended Robinson High School then Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, where twice lettered in football. He was an honorable mention All-American selection in his senior season.{{cite web|title=Nat Terry (bio)|url=http://nolefan.org/football/terry_nat.html|publisher=nolefan.org|accessdate=December 20, 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628014553/http://nolefan.org/football/terry_nat.html|archivedate=June 28, 2011|url-status=live}}
Professional career
Terry was selected in the eleventh round of the 1978 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although he was considered undersized to play cornerback in the NFL he made up for it with his speed (he was timed at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash).{{cite news|last=Emert|first=Rich|title=Small Package, Big Gift|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=b_gjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fNsFAAAAIBAJ&dq=nat-terry&pg=2930%2C2120530|accessdate=December 20, 2011|newspaper=The Beaver County Times|date=August 8, 1978|page=D1}} After making the Steelers' roster and playing the first six games of the season (primarily on special teams), he was cut to make room for another player.{{cite news|last=Stellino|first=Vito|title=Reutershan Shifts in Numbers Game|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DQMOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NG0DAAAAIBAJ&dq=nat-terry&pg=4920%2C1864447|accessdate=December 20, 2011|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=October 13, 1978|page=11}}
The Detroit Lions claimed Terry off waivers the next day.{{cite news|title=Lions Claim Nat Terry|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TvVdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=n18NAAAAIBAJ&dq=nat-terry&pg=5480%2C2216055|accessdate=December 20, 2011|newspaper=Observer-Reporter|date=October 14, 1978|agency=AP|page=C-2}} On the opening kickoff of his fourth game with the Lions he suffered a chipped vertebrae in his neck and was placed on the injured reserve list, ending his season and eventually his playing career.{{cite news|title=Lions Lose Terry, Oilers Eye Maxson|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mEUuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MlkEAAAAIBAJ&dq=nat-terry%20lions&pg=4091%2C207547|accessdate=December 20, 2011|newspaper=Pittsburgh Press|date=November 16, 1978|agency=UPI|page=C-8}}
References
{{reflist|40em}}
{{Steelers1978DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Terry, Nat}}
Category:American football defensive backs
Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players
Category:Detroit Lions players