Nate Behar
{{short description|Canadian gridiron football player (born 1994)}}
{{Infobox Canadian Football League biography
| name = Nate Behar
| image = 2022, 80, Nate Behar.jpg
| image_upright = 1
| caption = Behar with the Redblacks in 2022
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|09|29}}
| birth_place = London, Ontario, Canada
| death_date =
| death_place =
| team =
| number =
| status = Active
| import = no
| position1 = Wide receiver
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lb = 204
| CIS = Carleton
| CFLDraftedYear = 2017
| CFLDraftedRound = 1
| CFLDraftedPick = 5
| CFLDraftedTeam = Edmonton Eskimos
| playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|2017|2018}}
| playing_team1 = Edmonton Eskimos
| playing_years2 = {{CFL Year|2019}}
| playing_team2 = Ottawa Redblacks
| playing_years3 = {{CFL Year|2021|2023}}
| playing_team3 = Ottawa Redblacks
| playing_years4 = {{CFL Year|2024}}
| playing_team4 = Montreal Alouettes
| career_highlights =
| CFL = nathaniel-behar/163148/
}}
Nathaniel Behar (born September 29, 1994) is a Canadian former professional football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played for two years with the Edmonton Eskimos prior to signing with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2019. He played U Sports football for the Carleton Ravens from 2013 to 2016.
University career
= Carleton Ravens =
On November 16, 2012, it was announced that Behar had signed a letter of intent to play for the Carleton Ravens' re-established program which began in 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://goravens.ca/news/football/2012/11/ravens-football-lock-in-nate-behar/|title=Ravens Football lock in Nate Behar|date=November 16, 2012|website=goravens.ca|language=en|access-date=February 19, 2019}} He had been ranked as the number one high school wide receiver prospect in the country. He enjoyed a productive four-year career with the Ravens; totaling 178 receptions for 2,577 yards, and 21 touchdowns.{{Cite web|url=https://charlatan.ca/2018/04/former-raven-nate-behar-hoping-to-improve-in-cfl/|title=Former Raven Nate Behar hoping to improve in the CFL|date=April 6, 2018|website=charlatan.ca|language=en|access-date=February 19, 2019}} His most famous touchdown, arguably, was on a last-play Hail Mary pass to win the 2014 Panda Game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2017/09/29/game-welcome-panda/|title=More than a game: Welcome to Panda|date=September 29, 2017|website=cfl.ca|language=en|access-date=February 19, 2019}} At the end of his four-years, he was ranked as the ninth best player available in the 2017 CFL Draft.{{citation |url=https://www.cfl.ca/2017/04/13/senior-tops-final-cfl-scouting-bureau-ranking/|title=Senior tops final CFL Scouting Bureau Ranking |publisher=Canadian Football League |date=April 13, 2017 |access-date=February 19, 2019}}
Professional career
= Edmonton Eskimos =
Behar was drafted fifth overall by the Edmonton Eskimos in the 2017 CFL Draft, but held off signing with the team as he and his agent entered a contract dispute with the club.{{Cite web|url=https://edmontonsun.com/2017/06/21/first-round-pick-nate-behar-will-have-to-play-catchup-with-eskimos/wcm/1df51f7c-3258-4095-bf15-42f08520f3f2|title=First round pick Nate Behar will have to play catchup with Eskimos|date=June 21, 2017|website=edmontonsun.com|language=en|access-date=February 19, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/3546649/edmonton-eskimos-sign-2017-first-round-pick-nate-behar-ending-contract-dispute/|title=Edmonton Eskimos sign 2017 first round pick Nate Behar ending contract dispute|date=June 21, 2017|website=globalnews.ca|language=en|access-date=February 19, 2019}} He missed the team's rookie camp and training camp and was reportedly dissatisfied with the negotiation process as his contract offer became worse the longer he held out.{{Cite web|url=https://3downnation.com/2017/06/19/slave-nate-behar-doesnt-sound-happy-esks-offer/|title='I am a slave': Nate Behar doesn't sound happy with Esks offer|date=June 19, 2017|website=3downnation.com|language=en|access-date=February 19, 2019}} Behar signed with the Eskimos on June 21, 2017, three days before the team's season opening game, to a two-year contract. He played in 12 regular season games that year, primarily on special teams as he recorded four special teams tackles. In 2018, he played in all 18 regular season games and started eight, recording 27 catches for 257 receiving yards. He scored his first touchdown on August 9, 2018 against the BC Lions. He played in 30 regular season games with the Eskimos and became a free agent upon the expiry of his contract on February 12, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/fa19/|title=CFL Free Agent Tracker 2019|publisher=cfl.ca|access-date=August 2, 2022}} Behar announced his retirement from professional football on March 19, 2025.
= Ottawa Redblacks =
On February 15, 2019, Behar signed with the Ottawa Redblacks to, reportedly, a one-year contract.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2019/02/15/redblacks-sign-hometown-receiver-behar/|title=Redblacks sign hometown receiver Behar|date=February 15, 2019|website=cfl.ca|language=en|access-date=February 19, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://3downnation.com/2019/02/15/canadian-receiver-nate-behar-to-join-redblacks/|title=Canadian receiver Nate Behar joins Redblacks|date=February 15, 2019|website=3downnation.com|language=en|access-date=February 19, 2019}} In his first season in Ottawa, he caught 16 passes for 169 yards. He became a free agent upon the expiry of his contract on February 11, 2020, and did not sign with any team in 2020, where the league cancelled the 2020 CFL season.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/transactions/2020/ |title=Transactions – Football player trades and signings |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=August 2, 2022}}
After not playing football in 2020, Behar re-signed with the Redblacks on June 28, 2021.{{cite news |title=Redblacks re-signed Canadian receiver Nate Behar |url=https://www.ottawaredblacks.com/2021/06/28/redblacks-re-signed-canadian-receiver-nate-behar/ |website=OttawaRedblacks.com |date=June 28, 2021 |access-date=June 28, 2021}} During the 2021 season, he played in all 14 regular season games, catching 34 passes for 439 yards, both career highs. He was also the team's emergency quarterback and was pressed into duty on September 22, 2021, when both Dominique Davis and Matt Nichols succumbed to injuries. In that game, he played in two series where he had two carries for three yards and one completed pass for three yards.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/games/6162/hamilton-tiger-cats-vs-ottawa-redblacks/#playbyplay |title=Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs Ottawa Redblacks |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=August 2, 2022}} On January 20, 2022, Behar signed a one-year extension to remain with the Redblacks.{{Cite web|date=2022-01-20|title=REDBLACKS extend WR Nate Behar|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2022/01/20/redblacks-extend-wr-nate-behar/|access-date=2022-01-24|website=CFL.ca|language=en}} Behar continued his strong play into the 2022 season posting new career highs in receptions (59), receiving yards (727), and touchdowns (2), despite missing five games due to injury.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/players/nate-behar/163148/ |title=Nate Behar |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=February 5, 2024}}
On December 16, 2022, Behar and the Redblacks agreed to a two-year contract extension.{{Cite web |author=3Down Staff |date=2022-12-16 |title=Capital gains: Redblacks re-sign Canadian receiver Nate Behar |url=https://3downnation.com/2022/12/16/capital-gains-redblacks-re-sign-canadian-receiver-nate-behar/ |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=3DownNation |language=en-US}} He played in 12 regular season games in 2023 where he had 39 receptions for 334 yards and one touchdown. In the following off-season, he was released on February 5, 2024, while still being owed $30,000 on his partially guaranteed contract for 2024.{{cite web|url=https://3downnation.com/2024/02/04/ottawa-redblacks-release-canadian-rec-nate-behar-despite-partially-guaranteed-salary/ |title=Ottawa Redblacks release Canadian REC Nate Behar despite partially guaranteed salary |publisher=3DownNation |date=February 4, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ottawaredblacks.com/2024/02/05/redblacks-release-national-receiver-nate-behar/ |title=Redblacks release National receiver Nate Behar |publisher=Ottawa Redblacks |date=February 5, 2024}}
= Montreal Alouettes =
On July 20, 2024, it was announced that Behar had signed with the Montreal Alouettes.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2024/07/20/als-sign-wr-nate-behar-lb-bryce-notree/ |title=Als sign WR Nate Behar, LB Bryce Notree |publisher=Canadian Football League |date=July 20, 2024}} He played in 12 games where he had nine catches for 89 yards. He became a free agent upon the expiry of his contract on February 11, 2025.{{Cite news |url=https://www.cfl.ca/transactions/2025/ |title=Transactions – Football Player Trades and Signings |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=February 20, 2025}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.cfl.ca/fa25/ |title=Official 2025 Free Agent Tracker |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=February 20, 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons}}
- [https://en.montrealalouettes.com/players/nate-behar/163148/ Montreal Alouettes bio]
- [https://goravens.ca/rosters/behar-nathaniel/ Carleton Ravens profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Behar, Nate}}
Category:Canadian football wide receivers
Category:Canadian football people from London, Ontario
Category:Players of Canadian football from Ontario
Category:Carleton Ravens football players
Category:Edmonton Elks players