Rooted in O'Dea: Nate Burleson's Rise and Passion to Give Back

SEATTLE- Waking up at 4 a.m. and getting ready for the day, Nate Burleson had a smile that enveloped his face. This day was different. After his regular CBS morning broadcast, he was to fly to Seattle and give a speech while being inducted to the Wall of Honor at his former high school, O'Dea.

Even when he boarded the plane, he still boasted that smile and had developed a sense of excitement, ready to give back to the place that shaped him and made him who he was today. 

Burleson, O'Dea class of ’99, used to be tearing up the field and the track for the Irish. He competed in track and field, where he won the 300-meter hurdles at state, and football, where he was a star wide receiver for Coach Monte Kohler, the winningest coach in Washington state history.

Being a versatile athlete helped him excel in his football career and allowed him to get drafted in the third round by the Minnesota Vikings in 2003.

Burleson said that versatility, "…..allows yourself to see different things and push yourself past your comfort level." 

Burleson did not like running track, but he credits his NFL career success to it. Sometimes you have to push past that "comfort level," and that is what he did by running track. He used the speed training and race starts to get faster and have a better release on the football field. That getting-out-of-your-comfort-zone feeling all started at O’Dea. 

It wasn’t just track and field and the teachers that contributed to his success later in life—it was also the bonds, friendships, and support he felt at O’Dea.

"I’ve met some cool people throughout my life, but the longest-lasting relationships I had are from high school."

O’Dea is not just a school, it’s a community—and it shows, as he still has friends he met 25+ years ago. The bonds he built at O’Dea followed him into life beyond sports, not only helping with his career but also his "sense of responsibility to others." 

One of O’Dea’s mottos is to give back to the community, and Burleson does not fall short—even after being a successful sports star.

Burleson said, "Once you hit a certain level of success, it’s not about how much you earned. It’s about how much you can give away."

Even after being a star player, his goal has been to give his time and money back to the community. He has been a philanthropist for years and has supported many causes, such as sending shoes to Africa for kids in need, and has been part of many other life-changing organizations just like that one. 

Now he works for CBS as a commentator and has won two Emmys for Outstanding Sports Analyst, alongside many notable names like Terry Bradshaw and Kirk Herbstreit.

But Burleson’s success all started in high school.

"I didn’t feel like a boy when I graduated; I felt like a young man ready to tackle the world."

He came in inexperienced and clueless about what to do in life, but he left as a confident young man, ready for all the obstacles life throws at you. O’Dea played a big part in who he is as a person today, shaping him and teaching him how to be the ideal young man—and it shows in all that he has accomplished and done with his life. 

As he stepped off the plane in Seattle, smile still on his face, he couldn't wait to go back to the halls that helped shape him and to give back to the young men at 802 Terry Avenue, just as many had done for him.