Nate Burleson’s wife, Atoya Burleson, has been by his side at every stage of his career.

The couple met in 1999 when they were both attending the University of Nevada – where Burleson was a star wide receiver on the football team – and have been together ever since. They married in 2003 (the same year Nate was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings) and then welcomed three children together: Nathaniel II, Nehemiah and Mia.

After stints with the Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions, Nate retired from the NFL in 2014 and became an analyst for the NFL Network. Since then, he has won two Sports Emmy Awards for his work on programs such as Good morning football And The NFL today, He has been working as a studio analyst for the latter since 2017.

Atoya supported Nate throughout his NFL career and his transition to television, and Nate has been equally supportive of Atoya’s professional endeavors. The couple often shares glimpses of their life together on social media, and Atoya has made several appearances there CBS This Morning since Nate joined as co-host in 2021.

So who is Nate Burleson’s wife? Here’s everything you need to know about Atoya Burleson and her relationship with the TV host.

She was a college athlete

As it turns out, Nate isn’t the only star athlete in the relationship. Atoya competed on the University of Nevada track and field team as a hurdler and sprinter, setting three school records and winning gold in the 100-meter hurdles at the Big West Outdoor Championships in 2000.

She helped Nevada win its first women’s track and field conference championship that season, and to date her team is Nevada’s only women’s track and field team to win an outdoor conference title.

In October 2024, Atoya was inducted into the University of Nevada Athletic Hall of Fame and her husband was able to present her with the honor.

“She’s the fastest in the family, and if you see my kids running, they inherited it from her,” Nate later said CBS This Morning. “I’m super proud of her and when people ask about my relationship, I’m the lucky one. She’s the catch. I’m just the one sitting next to the superstar.”

She is an entrepreneur

While in Nevada, Atoya earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in education. According to her website, she now uses her degrees and expertise to “encourage and empower others who want to advance their careers in sports, business and beyond.”

In 2019, Atoya launched the podcast InsideLINES, which celebrates women through honest and vulnerable conversations and features several high-profile guests. She co-hosted the first five seasons with fellow NFL star Tia Avril, who stepped down in 2024, leaving Atoya as sole host.

According to her Instagram, Atoya expanded her brand in May 2024 with the launch of Ladies Playbook, a website that provides the families of professional athletes with resources to support their individual careers.

In November this year, Atoya took the platform to the next level with the release of the Ladies Playbook app. To celebrate the launch, she released a video reflecting on the empire she built. “When I think about the 11 years we spent in the NFL, I met some great women,” she remembers. “I’m talking about women who were doctors, lawyers, who had their own businesses.”

She added: “I said to myself, ‘These men are great, but the women – they need to be empowered.’ ”

She and Nate met in 1999

The couple met in 1999 when Nate was a freshman and Atoya was a senior. At the time, Atoya was preparing to graduate from Nevada and had already been accepted into a master’s program at the University of Texas at Austin, according to her blog.

“Then this newbie came along. Yes, an 18-year-old newbie who had a smile and dimples that could light up a room!” Atoya wrote about their first interaction. “I was waiting for the elevator and when it opened, he was there. He introduced himself and kissed my hand. I told him my name and he said, “Nice to meet you.”

Atoya was initially hesitant towards Nate due to their age difference and post-graduate plans, but she quickly fell in love with him. “We were just two kids having fun together and loving life, and I got to know him on a more personal level because he didn’t play football his freshman year of college,” she remembers. “Instead, he was able to see me compete in the hurdles, sprints and relays, and I enjoyed having him there to support me.”

Nate expressed a similar opinion during an appearance on Sherri Shepherd’s talk show in November 2024. “When I met her, I was a rookie, I hadn’t even been on the football field yet. She was a track and field athlete, a superstar, and she was graduating on the way to getting her master’s degree,” he said, adding, “So she didn’t lead me into the trap, I led her into the trap.”

Thanks to a scholarship offer from the university, Atoya was ultimately able to stay in Nevada for her master’s degree. “I call this divine intervention!” she wrote on her blog.

They married in 2003

After dating for three years, Nate and Atoya tied the knot on March 26, 2003. On their 19th wedding anniversary, Atoya shared on her blog some of the habits and practices they follow to keep their relationship strong. Tips included regular appointments, prioritizing open communication, forgiving each other, and seeking professional help from a therapist when needed.

“Happy birthday to my best friend, my cuddle partner, and my sweetheart, Nate Burleson! I would choose you; In a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in every version of reality, I would find you and choose you,” she concluded the post.

Atoya and Nate share three children

Nate and Atoya had their first child, son Nathaniel Burleson (who is named Nate), in May 2004. In April 2006, they had another son, Nehemiah Burleson, followed by their only daughter, Mia Pearl Burleson, in July 2010.

Her two sons followed in her footsteps and became members of the Wolf Pack at the University of Nevada. Nate, a wide receiver, signed a letter of intent to play football for his parents’ alma mater in December 2022, and Nehemiah, an edge player, continued the family tradition in 2024.

They connect over fashion

Both Nate and Atoya have incredible fashion sense. In fact, the CBS host considers it one of her top “love languages.”

“Not for nothing, more like this: When we’re getting ready for date night, we show up for each other like we show up for a red carpet,” Nate explained during his appearance Sherri.

The couple even walked the runway together in February 2023 for a charity fashion show hosted by Off the Field, the official organization of the NFL Wives Association. Nate shared a video from the show on his Instagram, in which the couple kiss and Atoya sweetly wipes her lipstick off him as they strut down the runway arm in arm.

He later told Shepherd that it was his “favorite video” he had ever posted.