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Zimbabwe isn’t renowned for producing top NFL athletes, so Nate Landman’s story is a remarkable one. Born in Harare, he is flying a lone flag for his home nation as his Atlanta Falcons team aims to go deep into the competition.

Landman comes from a proud sporting family, but how did he get from Zimbabwe, a country that has no connection to American Football, to the top league in the sport?

Fledgling Falcon

Nate Landman is the only Zimbabwean player in the NFL, and he has been with the Atlanta Falcons since 2022. At College level, the linebacker represented the Colorado Buffaloes where he won some top awards.

 

The Zimbabwean was included in the college team of the year for two consecutive seasons. His exploits at this level also saw him listed by ESPN as the fifth-best linebacker in the whole of California. Considering the size of the state and the sheer number of players in contention, that’s a high ranking.

 

Despite a promising college career, Nate Landman had to wait for his opportunity to shine in the NFL. He was undrafted but signed with the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent in 2022, and he’s been making progress at professional level ever since.

Falcons Flying

Current Super Bowl odds are focused on the last remaining teams in the postseason. Each is aiming for the final game of the campaign and a chance to lift the prestigious Vince Lombardi Trophy.

 

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons are looking to regroup after finishing outside of the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Over in the NFC South, the team finished in third place with a 7-10 record. It was a disappointing result for Head Coach Arthur Smith and the rest of the team, but Atlanta wasn’t too far adrift. Some shrewd drafts and trades should help the Falcons make the postseason next time around.

Landman’s Contribution

In two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Nate Landman has returned some solid statistics. There is room for improvement, but it’s an impressive start, and one that suggests he will be a fixture in the league for some time yet.

 

In the Falcons’ regular season, Landman featured in 15 of their games. Across those fixtures, he completed 110 tackles to leave him with a respectable average. He also completed two crucial sacks in consecutive matches against the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings.

 

The figures give the player a platform to build on in 2024, and the Zimbabwean will be pivotal as his Atlanta team aim to make it through to the playoffs. The most recent season was a sound one for both parties, but there is some hard work ahead.

Sport in the Blood

While his father Shaun was playing top level rugby in Zimbabwe, Nate Landman was born in Harare in November 1988. He spent his early years in the country, but the family would eventually move to the United States where they settled in California.

 

Opportunities to play rugby in the US are limited, so the younger Landman was drawn towards American football. He progressed as a youth player and a successful college career always seemed likely.

 

From the Colorado Buffaloes, Nate Landman eventually made it to the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and he’s now aiming for team and individual honors.

A Proud Zimbabwean

Despite having left Zimbabwe in 2002 at the age of four, Nate Landman still considers himself to be African. The Zimbabwe flag sits proudly alongside the United States flag on the back of his Atlanta Falcons helmet.

 

In April 2023, Landman returned to the country of his birth for the first time since his family left in 2002. His wider family, including his parents Shaun and Mandy, still consider Zimbabwe to be their home so his return was an emotional one.

 

After a fascinating experience back home, Nate Landman has stated that he wants to come back to Zimbabwe every two years at least. It’s great for sport lovers in the country to see that he hasn’t turned his back on his homeland and that he wears that Zimbabwean flag on his helmet with obvious pride.

 

At the age of 25, Nate Landman should have plenty more to offer the NFL. For lovers of sport in Zimbabwe, Landman may be seen as a curiosity while supporters focus on traditional events such as soccer, rugby and cricket, but they should be rightly proud of their countryman.

 

Landman is in the NFL on merit and he’s finding his way with the Atlanta Falcons. The next few years will be crucial in terms of consolidating his position in the league, while looking to improve his team’s standings in the competition. It will be fascinating to see how this fine Zimbabwean athlete strives to meet those goals.