We had the good fortune of connecting with Nate Paxton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nate, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
My name is Nate Paxton and I’m from Scottdale, Georgia. I grew up in a very tough neighborhood where all the odds are stacked against young black males. I grew up not having as much as the next, and homeless for a good amount of my life but that never stopped me from wanting more out of life it just made me hungrier. Being that I never had much it made me appreciate things a lot more than most people. I’ve been blessed to have two amazing parents who teach me on the daily how to make the most out of everything and turn negative situations into positive Ones. I think the man that I am today is solely due to the humble beginnings I’ve had.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a professional football player who started off as just a little boy in a bad situation with a major dream. I went to small school in high school that wasn’t known for producing college football players but I worked my tail off to be the first Division 1 football player in over the last 20 years. Throughout the period my family was struggling with poverty and homelessness. Eventually I got a walk on opportunity at Georgia State University in the spring of 2012 with Hall of Fame coach Bill Curry who was the head coach at GSU at the time. After two years of sitting out waiting and praying for an opportunity GOD blessed me with one. While I wasn’t in school those two years I was helping my family with anything I could and working out at playgrounds and in our moldy, old hotel room because I couldn’t afford a gym membership anywhere. Coach Curry told me to come to the walk-on tryout in February and we’ll see what I was capable. Out of a couple 100 people I was the only D-Lineman who got picked up. Once I made the team it took me 3 years to obtain a full scholarship. After that I became a team captain and earned playing time. After I graduated from GSU I was blessed to receive opportunities to go workout with the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks. That didn’t go as planned but I still pursued football. So in 2017 I was able to go win a gold medal out in Shenzhen, China playing football. And recently I’ve just signed with the Bismarck Bucks in the IFL the highest level of arena football so I’ve had some great success in football to say the least. The challenges I’ve had to overcome has always been being the underdog and not being the guy people expected much from. I’ve been overlooked alost my entire life and told no, but to me no always meant Next Opportunity so I continue to grind praying that I can put on a NFL jersey with Paxton on the back and play in an actual game. Faith and hard work will take you further than anything in this world.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
I would definitely start the day off with a workout at any local gym then I would take them to breakfast at Milk and Honey or the Atlanta Breakfast Club. Next we would have to go somewhere fun like iFly or a Main Event to go be a big kid. Then for lunch we gotta go get a Firehouse Sub with some chips. After that we could go walk either Stone Mountain Park or Piedmont Park to enjoy nature. Then go catch dinner and a movie at Studio Movie Grill.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
God definitely gets all the glory and credit. When it comes to the people in my life I have to give credit to my amazing parents Hnede Paxton and Nate Paxton Sr. first for teaching me how to be a praying man through any and all adversity. I wanna also shout Mr. Mike and Mrs. Marilyn Davis for always being there for my family as well as Ms. Mehrvarz my counselor for all my years of school. Also every single coach I’ve ever had since I started playing football have molded me into a great guy on and off the field. It’s way too many to name, but I can’t thank you all enough. It truly does take a village.

Website: https://www.ajc.com/sports/college/paxton-the-epitome-georgia-state-man/O2TWL0vf2yVus0aiUMorlJ/
Instagram: @npaxton98
Linkedin: Nate Paxton
Twitter: @Godsgift_Nate
Facebook: Nate Paxton
Youtube: https://youtu.be/pBvoJgtlT3U
Other: https://wgxa.tv/sports/pro-sports/attack-the-day-georgia-doom-player-finds-home-purpose-through-journey-of-football https://robinson.gsu.edu/2015/11/nate-paxton/

Image Credits
Georgia Doom Georgia State University Athletics Bismarck Bucks