The New England Patriots will be represented in the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro.
The USA Rugby Men's Sevens team announced Monday that safety Nate Ebner was one of 12 athletes to make the Olympic squad.
Ebner becomes the only active NFL player to make a U.S. Olympic squad. Ex-Detroit Lions running back Jahvid Best will represent St. Lucia in track. Buffalo Bills receiver Marques Goodwin failed to qualify in the long jump. And ex-San Francisco 49ers running back Jarryd Hayne did not make Fiji's rugby sevens team.
With Bill Belichick's blessing, Ebner took a leave of absence from the team in March -- after the special teams stud signed a new contract. He will rejoin the Pats at training camp after the Olympic rugby competition, which runs Aug. 6-11.
Ebner, 27, was an All-American rugby player at Ohio State, before being drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2012 draft.