Named as one of the Top 50 Greatest Football Players at his alma mater, Alcorn State University, in 2014, retired NFL player, Nathaniel Hughes didn't grasp the scope of his potential to play the game of football until he was a senior in college. But once he got into the NFL, he realized he had a calling for something totally different: to be a doctor.
“I was headed to the offensive coordinator's office one day,” he said, “when two NFL scouts walked out. I asked the coach who those guys were there for. He said, 'They were here for you.'”
"As a child, I had two dreams. I dreamed of becoming a professional athlete and a physician, Nate posts on his Instagram profile. "Now at 34 years of age, I can say my wildest dreams have come true. I have been able to accomplish what a rare few have accomplished. My first dream came true in 2008 when I signed my first @nfl contract. A year later I scored my first TD as a @jaguars. I would finish my NFL career as a @detroitlionsnfl."
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"Playing in the NFL from 2008-2012 was an awesome experience. My other childhood dream came true today. Today, I was officially hooded Dr. Nate Hughes, MD by @olemiss @ummcnews. Thanks and congrats to all who embarked on this great journey with me. The journey continues. Doing a prelim Medicine year at @ummcmedres and an anesthesia residency at Rutgers."
Nate then explains how he did it after playing for a few years and not making as much as many would think.
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“In the NFL we say the NFL stands for Not For Long. I used my off seasons not only for training but volunteering and working as a nurse. I continued to work as a nurse after retiring from the NFL.”
“I was able to save money to help fund school. Some people think all NFL players make millions, but that’s not the case. Most undrafted players sign for the league minimum, which is still great money, just not the millions people think,” he said.
Sports and medicine actually have way more similarities than people think, especially in the eyes of Hughes. “These similarities include a competitive environment, long work hours, attention to details, lots of studying, and...
... pushing your body beyond what you thought was imaginable,” he added.
Since he graduated, Hughes is slated to begin an anesthesia residency in July and expects to complete his dream of becoming an anesthesiologist by 2023.
As for Nate's dad, he's “really glad” his son is in medical school now, he said. “I believe it will be really good for him - and for his patients, too, because he's always studying, always trying to figure things out, and he's such a good guy.”
