Fansided

Seattle Seahawks sign former Green Beret Nate Boyer

By Will Osgood

Oct 11, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Devin Huffines (37) and long snapper Nate Boyer (37) run on the field with American flags before the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma beat Texas 31-26. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 11, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Devin Huffines (37) and long snapper Nate Boyer (37) run on the field with American flags before the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma beat Texas 31-26. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Seattle Seahawks signed former Green Beret, 34-year-old Nate Boyer as an undrafted free agent on Saturday

In what has to be the most heartwarming story coming from the NFL draft, the Seattle Seahawks signed undrafted free agent Nate Boyer to a contract on Saturday following the draft.

Boyer is a 34-year-old long snapper who played four seasons at the University of Texas for Mack Brown and Charlie Strong. Those four years came after he walked onto the Texas squad upon enrolling at the university in 2009.

He enrolled there after serving as a Green Beret in Afghanistan and Iraq with the United States Military.

Boyer was a bit of a changeup from Seattle’s usual way of operating, taking bulky, quick football players. But the move is also a nice one fitting in line with Pete Carroll’s humanitarian ways. But this is also not a handout or charity signing, nor an honorary doctorate-type of move.

The Seahawks are genuinely bringing him in to compete with incumbent long snapper Clint Gresham. Though the two will be competing for the same job in mini camp and possibly beyond, Gresham went out of his way to welcome the military veteran to the Seahawks organization.

A Seahawks fan had what may have been the best thought on the matter though, and Gresham naturally responded in the first-class manner.

Truthfully we were all thinking it, @AlbaSeahawks just said it. How did this Tweet only get one retweet? It should have won the internet. Oh yeah, the sports world was pretty busy on Saturday.

That probably explains it.

Back to Boyer, though. Speaking to NFL Network after signing with the ‘Hawks he said, “I’ve done things that are more difficult. You can’t really compare the two, but this is a huge challenge in itself. This is the best athletes in the world…And I’m playing for a great team in a great city. I couldn’t be anymore thrilled. Just for the chance, that’s all you can ask for.”

Rarely, if ever, would we get so excited about an NFL franchise signing a long snapper after the draft. Even a competition among long snappers will be ignored (does that ever actually happen?). But a Green Beret will most certainly crank our gears.

And it probably should. The question is going to be whether the 34-year-old can match the athleticism of Gresham–approximately six years his junior.

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