| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born: | 12 February 2004 |
| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Weight: | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Mana College (Porirua, New Zealand) |
| Position: | Tight end |
| Other | |
| Basketball career | |
| Career information | |
| Playing career | 2022–present |
| Position | Forward |
| Career history | |
| 2022 | Manawatu Jets |
| 2023 | Wellington Saints |
| 2024 | North Gold Coast Seahawks |
Nathaniel Salmon (born 12 February 2004) is a New Zealand American football tight end and basketball player. He played in the National Basketball League (NBL) for the Manawatu Jets and Wellington Saints. He is a participant in the National Football League's International Player Pathway (IPP) program.
Salmon was born on 12 February 2004. [1] He grew up in Takapūwāhia, Porirua, New Zealand. [2] Each of his four siblings played basketball, and Salmon is also related to National Basketball League (NBL) players Jordan Ngatai, Francis Mulvihill, and Randall Bishop. [2] [3] As a youth, he played for the junior national team, the Tall Blacks. [2] He attended Mana College in Porirua. [4]
After Salmon graduated from high school, he decided to turn professional at the age of 17, signing with the NBL's Manawatu Jets in February 2022. [3] [4] He appeared in 15 games during the 2021–22 season and averaged 5.3 points and 1.9 rebounds. [5] Towards the end of the year, he played for a 3×3 team affiliated with the Wellington Saints, and in March 2023 he signed with the Saints. [6] He appeared in two games during the 2022–23 season. [5] In 2024, he moved to Australia and began playing for the second-tier North Gold Coast Seahawks, where he averaged 15.7 points and 5.1 rebounds while appearing in 15 games. [7]
Salmon had little interest in American football growing up, occasionally watching portions of the Super Bowl in some years. [7] By mid-2024, he had never touched a football. [3] However, that year, he was noticed and invited to the National Football League (NFL) academy in Gold Coast, where he impressed. [7] Later in December, he was selected as one of 14 players for the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) program. [7] [8] He began training at the position of tight end and was invited to train in the U.S. at IMG Academy for 10 weeks in early 2025. [9] [10]