Nate Newton
Nate Newton, an offensive lineman for the Cowboys for 13 seasons, made six Pro Bowls during the 1990s. Born in Orlando, he played at Florida A&M but was undrafted out of college and played for two seasons with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL, until that league folded. He signed with the Cowboys, where Newton was nicknamed “The Kitchen” by a Cowboys employee due to the fact that he was bigger than the Bears’ William “The Refrigerator” Perry. Listed at 6-foot-3, 318 pounds, Newton – a funny, highly-quotable player who slept less than three hours a night – was a mainstay on the Cowboys’ three Super Bowl-winning teams. After his career, Newton became involved in drug trafficking (“It was easy money,” he said), for which he served over two years in jail. While in federal prison, Newton turned spiritual and apologetic, at one point falling to his knees. “You protect me in here,” he told God, “and when I come out, I’ll do everything I can to make it right.” As a free man, he eventually lost over 175 pounds and became a radio host and motivational speaker.