EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Giants and safety/special teamer Nate Ebner have agreed to terms on a one-year contract, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
The agreement is contingent on Ebner passing his physical, which will take place on a date yet to be determined.
Ebner is a 6-foot, 215-pounder who played in New England from 2012-19, the same eight years Giants coach Joe Judge was either a Patriots special teams assistant or coordinator.
The 31-year-old Ebner has played in 127 regular-season and postseason games without every starting one. He made his biggest impact on special teams, where he totaled 98 tackles. Ebner had more than 10 special teams tackles in six of his eight seasons, with a high of 19 stops in 2016, the only season in which he played all 16 games. He added seven postseason tackles.
View photos of safety/special teamer Nate Ebner.
In 2019, Ebner had eight special teams tackles in 14 games.
The Patriots won all three Super Bowls in which Ebner played (he was sidelined for New England's loss to Philadelphia in Super Bowl LII after tearing his ACL while running for 14 yards and a first down on a fake punt vs. Miami on Nov. 26). He had a team-high eight special teams tackles when he was hurt.
Ebner played infrequently on defense, where he totaled five tackles – four of them in 2014.
Ebner joined the Patriots as a sixth-round draft choice (No. 197 overall) in the 2012 NFL Draft, from Ohio State. He quickly distinguished himself as a rookie, when he totaled 17 special teams tackles in 15 games, plus an additional stop in the postseason.
Ebner arrived at Ohio State as a walk-on in 2009 and finished his career at Ohio State on scholarship. Voted by his teammates as the team's most inspirational player and presented with the Bo-Rein Award at the end of the 2011 season. Also voted best special teams player for the 2011 season.
A world class rugby player, Ebner did not play football in high school. He was a standout on the United States U19 and U20 national teams from 2006-08 and was MVP of the Rugby World Cup in 2008 as a member of the U20 team.
Ebner was selected to the 2016 U.S. Olympic rugby squad, becoming the seventh player in NFL history and first since James Trapp, to participate in the Olympics and also win a pro football championship. Trapp played on the Baltimore Ravens team that defeated the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV. Ebner is the only player to participate in the Olympics and win an NFL championship in the same year.
Giants App
Download the Giants' official app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices