Colorado University Athletics
Solder Earns Super Bowl Ring With Patriots
GLENDALE, Ariz.GÇöFormer All-American and first-round NFL draft pick Nate Solder became the latest former Buff to earn a Super Bowl ring, doing so in the New England Patriots 28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks here in Super Bowl XLIX Sunday.
Solder played for the Buffaloes from 2006-10, coming to Boulder as a tight end recruit from Buena Vista, Colo. After a redshirt season in 2006, he played in all 13 games as a tight end in 2007, starting four games. He caught three passes for 50 yards, all against Miami-Ohio.
In 2008, he made the move to offensive tackle and started all 36 games the next three seasons and missing only two plays (2,540 of 2,542) in those three seasons, earning first-team All-Big Eight honors as a junior in 2009 and then becoming a consensus All-American as a senior in 2010 when he was one of three finalists for the Outland Trophy.
He was the No. 17 overall pick in the first round by the Patriots in the 2011 NFL Draft and has started 60 of 63 regular season games in his four years in the league.
He made his most notable play in the NFL in the AFC Championship game against Indianapolis when, on a tackle eligible play, he caught his first NFL reception and rumbled 15 yards for the touchdown in the third quarter.
Said Solder of his touchdown, GÇ£It was amazing to be a part of a game like that, and have a cool play like that. WeGÇÖve been practicing it for years. It was the right moment, the stars were aligned.GÇ¥
In all, he becomes the 35th former CU player to win a Super Bowl ring and those Buffs have now won 49 rings. This is the first since classmate Jimmy Smith won a ring with Baltimore as a rookie in 2012. Smith was also a first round NFL pick along with Solder in 2011.
Ironically, the Patriots have not only had at least on Buff on each of their four Super Bowl wins in the Bill Belicheck/Tom Brady era, but theyGÇÖve had an offensive tackle on the roster each time, as Tom Ashworth was on the team for wins in 2001, 2003 and 2004.
Ashworth and LB Ted Johnson were on each of those three Super Bowl winning teams for the Patriots, while TEGÇÖs Christian Fauria and Daniel Graham were on both the 2003 and GÇÖ04 teams. Charles E. Johnson and Ben Kelly were also on the 2001 team.
Solder becomes the third former offensive linemen to win a ring alongside Matt Lepsis, who won two rings for the Denver Broncos in 1997 and GÇÖ98.