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New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd has unique football journey

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New Orleans Saints announced that they have agreed to terms with free-agent defensive end
Nathan Shepherd on Friday, March 17, 2023. Check out Nathan in action with the New York
Jets during his NFL career.

John DeShazier | Senior Writer - NewOrleansSaints.com

Let's just say that Nathan Shepherd didn't take the traditional route.

The New Orleans Saints defensive tackle, an unrestricted free agent signee, grew up in Ajax, Ontario, and played youth football with the Ajax/Pickering Dolphins Football Club. He began his collegiate career at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.

After a couple of years there, unable to pay tuition, he left and spent time working in a plant nursery, electrical construction, and a cardboard box factory. Then, he got an offer from Fort Hays State University, a Division II school in Hays, Kansas, and paid his first semester of tuition before being put on an athletic scholarship.

From there, he worked his way into becoming the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl in 2018.

The experience taught Shepherd, a 6-foot-4, 315-pounder who was a third-round pick (No. 72 overall) in 2018 and spent his first five NFL seasons with the New York Jets, that fulfillment may not be instantaneous.

"My biggest thing was just perseverance," Shepherd said. "Perseverance and delayed gratification. Those were two things that I knew, with my path, I would have to come to terms with on a daily basis.

Full Story - NewOrleansSaints.com

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  • News source: lukeloffredo
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 23
As the news hit that the Dallas Cowboys would not be bringing back head coach Mike McCarthy, many news outlets expected the New Orleans Saints to have immediate interest in the Super Bowl-winner. While the team is expected to meet with McCarthy early next week, NFL insider Josina Anderson reports the Saints are not expected to rush their process nor “elevate” him over their current options.

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  • News source: Darrion Gray
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 20
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  • News source: Luke Hubbard
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 36
As we all know, the New Orleans Saints are in the midst of their head coach search, and one name who has recently become available is former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Mike McCarthy.

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  • News source: Tina Howell
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 25
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  • News source: Tina Howell
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 42
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  • News source: mattmiguez
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  • Views: 18
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  • News source: Tina Howell
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 27
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  • News source: Ben Solak
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  • Views: 54
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  • News source: BY LUKE JOHNSON | Staff writer
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 47
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NFL Divisional playoffs preview & capsules

  • News source: Press Release
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 61
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SB Nation Reacts Survey: Who would you like to see the Saints hire as their next head coach?

  • News source: Tina Howell
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 69
The New Orleans Saints search for a new head coach is full steam ahead and the latest name tied to the team is former Dallas Cowboys head coach, Mike McCarthy. According to reports, McCarthy is expected to meet with the team sometime early next week. Meanwhile, the team is continuing their process with interviews set up with Washington Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, Philadelphia Eagles OC Kellen Moore and Buffalo Bills OC Joe Brady this Friday and Saturday. Detroit Lions DC Aaron Glenn and New York Giants OC Mike Kafka have already completed their virtual interviews last week.

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  • News source: New Orleans Saints - WWL TV
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 69
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  • News source: Darrion Gray
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 47
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