Who Is Nate Burleson's Wife? All About Atoya Burleson and Her Relationship with the NFLAnalyst (Including Their Surprising 'Love Language'!)

Mar. 15, 2025

Atoya Burleson and Nate Burleson attend the 44th Annual Sports Emmy Awards at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 22, 2023 in New York City.Photo:Arturo Holmes/Getty

Arturo Holmes/Getty

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. He’s since won two Sports Emmy Awards for his work on programs likeGood Morning FootballandThe NFL Today,the latter of which he’s served as a studio analyst for since 2017.

Atoya supported Nate through his NFL career and his transition to television, and Nate has been equally supportive of Atoya’s professional endeavors. The couple frequently shareglimpses into their life togetheron social media, and Atoya has made several appearances onCBS This MorningsinceNate joined as co-host in 2021.

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

She was a college athlete

Bennett Raglin/Getty

As it turns out, Nate isn’t the only star athlete in the relationship. Atoya competed on the University of Nevada’s 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 championship in 2000.

She helped Nevada win its first women’s track and field conference championship that season, and to this day, 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’s Athletic Hall of Fame, and her husband got to present her with the honor.

“She’s the fast one in the family, so when you see any of my kids run they got it from her,” Nate later said onCBS This Morning. “I’m super proud of her and when people ask about me about my relationship, I am the lucky one. She is the catch. I am just the one that sits next to the superstar.”

She’s an entrepreneur

Atoya Burleson and Nate Burleson attend the 2023 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at Washington Hilton on April 29, 2023 in Washington, DC.Paul Morigi/Getty

Paul Morigi/Getty

While at Nevada, Atoya earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in education. According to herwebsite, she now uses her degrees and expertise to “uplift and empower others seeking to advance their careers in sports, business and beyond."

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

Atoya expanded her brand in May 2024 with the launch ofLadies Playbook, a website that provides resources for the families of professional athletes to support their individual careers, per herInstagram.

That November, Atoya took the platform to the next level with the release of the Ladies Playbook app. To celebrate the launch, she posted avideoof herself reflecting on the empire she’s built. “When I think about the 11 years we spent in the NFL, I met some amazing women,” she recalled. “I’m talking women that were doctors, lawyers, they had their own businesses.”

She added: “I said to myself, ‘These men are great, but the women — they need to be amplified.' ”

She and Nate met in 1999

Nate Burleson and Atoya Burleson attends Marquee Takeover at Verso on February 4, 2016 in San Francisco, California.Noel Vasquez/Getty

Noel Vasquez/Getty

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 toher blog.

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

Atoya was initially hesitant about Nate due to their age difference and her post-grad plans, but she quickly fell for him. “We were just two kids having fun together and loving life and I got to know him on a more personal note because he didn’t play football his first year in college,” she recalled. “Instead, he got to see me compete in the hurdles, sprints, and relays and I loved having him there to support me.”

Nate shared a similar sentiment during aNovember 2024 appearanceonSherri Shepherd’s talk show. “When I met her, I was a freshman, I wasn’t even on the football field. She was running track, a superstar, and she was graduating on her way to get her master’s,” he said, adding: “So she didn’t trap me, I trapped her.”

Atoya was ultimately able to stay at Nevada for her master’s, thanks to a scholarship offer she received from the university. “I call that divine intervention!” she wrote on her blog.

They got married in 2003

Michael Hickey/Getty

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

“Happy anniversary to my best friend, my cuddle partner, and my boo Nate Burleson! I’d choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you,” she concluded the post.

Atoya and Nate share three children together

Nate Burleson celebrating Mother’s Day with his wife and three kids in May 2021.Nate Burleson/Instagram

Both of their sons have followed in their footsteps and become 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 bond over fashion

Atoya Burleson and Nate Burleson at the TSX Screen Series Premiere Watch Party for ‘Superfan’ on August 9, 2023.Mary Kouw/CBS via Getty

Mary Kouw/CBS via Getty

Both Nate and Atoya have incredible taste in fashion. In fact, the CBS anchor considers it one of their main “love languages.”

“Not in a vain sense, more like, when we get ready for date night we show up for each other like we show up for a red carpet," Nate explained during his appearance onSherri.

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

source: people.com