Nate Burleson Wife:
Introduction
Nate Burleson wife is Atoya Shaw Burleson, an American former college track star, lifestyle content creator and entrepreneur who, according to most online profiles, was born on May 31, 1978. She is best known as the wife of Nate Burleson, the former NFL wide receiver who now co-hosts CBS Mornings.
Nate Burleson spent more than a decade in the NFL, playing for the Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns before retiring in 2014. He then built a second career in sports broadcasting and television, including hosting Nickelodeon’s NFL Slimetime specials.
Today, Nate is a familiar face on morning television. He co-hosts CBS Mornings, and he has also hosted the Kids’ Choice Awards alongside Charli D’Amelio. At nearly all of his public events, Atoya and their children turn out to support him.
But Atoya is far more than a famous spouse. She was a standout hurdler at the University of Nevada, Reno, and was inducted into the Wolf Pack Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024. In this article, you will learn about her background, her career, how she and Nate met in college, their wedding, their three children, and where to find her online.
Who Is Atoya Burleson, Nate Burleson’s Wife?
Atoya Shaw Burleson is an American athlete, blogger and entrepreneur. Shaw is her maiden name, and it still appears in her University of Nevada records. Most biography sites list her birthday as May 31, 1978, though a few sites give different dates, so treat the exact date with some caution. Atoya has not made her birth details a public topic.
Not much is publicly known about her childhood and parents. She keeps her family history fairly private. We do know that her brother, Joey Shaw, also played basketball for the Nevada Wolf Pack, so sports clearly run in the family.
Her education is better documented. Atoya earned an athletic scholarship to run track and field at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she competed from 1995 to 2000. Reports say she studied psychology and educational psychology as an undergraduate. After finishing her degree, she stayed at the same university to earn a master’s degree in education.
That decision was a big one. She had been offered a scholarship to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Texas, but Nevada made her a similar offer with a graduate assistantship. She chose to stay in Reno, which, as you will see below, changed her life.
Atoya Burleson’s Career & Professional Life
Atoya’s first career was athletics, and it was a successful one. She was a hurdler and sprinter for the Wolf Pack. In 2000, she won the 100-meter hurdles at the Big West outdoor championships, helping Nevada win the first women’s track and field conference title in school history. Her winning time of 13.95 seconds ranks second on Nevada’s all-time list.
Her 55-meter hurdles personal record of 8.23 seconds, set in 1999, still sits among the five fastest times in Nevada history. Those numbers show just how elite she was in her sport long before the cameras found her husband.
By the time she left Nevada, she held three school records and had three performances in the program’s all-time top five. In 2024, the university recognized her with a place in the Nevada Athletics Hall of Fame. That honor makes the Burlesons one of only two husband-and-wife pairs in the Wolf Pack Hall of Fame.
Today, Atoya works as a lifestyle creator and entrepreneur. Her personal website, atoyaburleson.com, covers beauty, health and wellness, fashion and parenting. Some profiles also describe her as a podcast host and list a company called the Atoya Burleson Brand, though the details of those ventures are not widely documented.
Net worth: There is no confirmed figure. Several biography sites estimate Atoya’s net worth at around $200,000, but those numbers come from unverified sources, so treat them as rough guesses. For comparison, Nate’s net worth is often reported at about $18 million, although estimates vary from site to site.
How Did Nate Burleson and Atoya Burleson Meet?
The Burlesons are college sweethearts. They met in 1999 at the University of Nevada, Reno. Nate was a freshman on the football team, and Atoya was a senior and one of the best-known track athletes on campus.
Nate has told the story of seeing her at a party just off campus, across the street from Nye Hall. He told a friend that night that she would be his girlfriend. His friend laughed and pointed out that she was a senior. Nate walked over, introduced himself and kissed her hand to make her smile.
It did not work right away. Nate has joked that it was “a chase,” and Atoya has said it took time for her to take him seriously. She was planning to leave for graduate school in Texas, so she was not looking for a serious relationship. She also made a point of noting that Nate was redshirting that year and was not playing in games. That gave the two of them time to talk and bump into each other without the pressure of game days.
Looking back, Atoya has said the delay worked in their favor. Because Nate was not playing football that first year, he got to come watch her compete in the hurdles, sprints and relays. She got to know the real Nate instead of the athlete everyone else saw. That friendship, built over months of small conversations, became the foundation of their relationship.
Atoya has written that after some friendly chats, Nate asked her to the movies, and she said yes. They spent hours talking and laughing. Once she decided to stay at Nevada for her master’s degree, the relationship had room to grow. Nate was later drafted into the NFL in 2003, and the couple stayed together through his years of moving between teams.
Nate Burleson and Atoya’s Marriage & Wedding Details
Nate and Atoya got married in 2003, according to multiple reports, including a March 2003 date given by several profiles. They marked their 20th wedding anniversary in March 2023, which fits with that timeline.
The couple has not shared many public details about the ceremony itself, such as the venue, guest list or what the bride wore. Unlike some celebrity couples, they have kept most of their wedding story private, so you will find a lot of conflicting claims on low-quality websites. Some of those sites give the wrong year, so it is wise to stick to reliable sources.
What the Burlesons do share is how they support each other. Atoya has been seen at many of Nate’s major events, including the 2023 Sports Emmy Awards in New York. Nate has also spoken warmly about her in interviews.
One special moment came in 2024 when Atoya joined Nate in the Wolf Pack Hall of Fame. Nate was inducted in 2012, and Atoya followed in the class of 2024. Few couples get to say they both earned that honor at the same school, and it brought their love story full circle back to Reno.
Atoya Burleson’s Children & Family Life
Nate and Atoya have three children: two sons, Nathaniel Burleson II and Nehemiah Burleson, and a daughter, Mia Pearl Burleson.
Sports remain a family tradition. As of early 2025, both sons were playing football for the University of Nevada, the same school where their parents met. Nathaniel II had completed his second season with the Wolf Pack, and Nehemiah had redshirted as a true freshman.
Because of Nate’s broadcasting career, the family now lives in New York City. The Burlesons are generally private about their home life, but they do share glimpses. Mia has joined her parents at public events, including the 2022 NFL Slimetime broadcast and the 2023 Rookie USA fashion show.
Football is not the only connection to Nevada. Atoya’s brother, Joey Shaw, and Nate’s brother, Lyndale Burleson, both played basketball for the Wolf Pack. In other words, the Burleson and Shaw families have been tied to the same campus for more than two decades.
Balancing a very public career with a private family is not easy. Judging by what they share, Atoya and Nate keep their children’s lives low-key and focus on education, athletics and time together.
Atoya Burleson on Social Media
Atoya is active on Instagram under the handle @atoyaburleson. Older profiles reported her following at roughly 12,000 to 14,000 people, but follower counts change often, so check her profile for the current number.
Her content mixes family moments, wellness, beauty and lifestyle tips, along with photos from events where she and Nate appear together. She also publishes longer posts on her website, where she has written about her relationship with Nate and her views on motherhood and health. Her tone is warm and personal rather than polished or promotional. If you want to follow the couple’s day-to-day life, her Instagram and website are the best places to start, since she writes them herself.
Atoya Burleson Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Atoya Shaw Burleson |
| Date of Birth | May 31, 1978 (as most commonly reported; some sites differ) |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Lifestyle creator, entrepreneur, former college hurdler |
| Married to | Nate Burleson |
| Marriage Year | 2003 |
| Children | 3 (Nathaniel II, Nehemiah, Mia Pearl) |
| Net Worth | Not confirmed; about $200,000 per unverified estimates |
Nate Burleson’s Wife: Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Nate Burleson’s wife’s name? A: Nate Burleson’s wife is Atoya Shaw Burleson. They met at the University of Nevada, Reno, and have been married since 2003.
Q: How old is Atoya Burleson? A: Most sources say she was born on May 31, 1978, which would make her 48 in late 2026. A few sites list other dates, and she has not publicly confirmed it.
Q: What does Atoya Burleson do for a living? A: She is a lifestyle creator and entrepreneur who runs a personal website about beauty, wellness and parenting. She was also a record-setting college hurdler.
Q: When did Nate Burleson and Atoya Burleson get married? A: They married in 2003, with several profiles giving March of that year. They celebrated their 20th anniversary in March 2023.
Q: How many kids do Nate Burleson and Atoya have? A: They have three children: sons Nathaniel II and Nehemiah, and daughter Mia Pearl. Both sons play football at the University of Nevada.
Conclusion
Atoya Burleson is a Hall of Fame hurdler, a graduate of the University of Nevada, a lifestyle creator and the mother of three. When people search for Nate Burleson wife, they find a woman with a strong career and story of her own, one that started with a college party, a kissed hand and a decision to stay in Reno.
More than 20 years after they married, Nate and Atoya still show up for each other at big events and family milestones. With their sons now carrying the family’s football tradition at Nevada, the Burlesons remain a warm, grounded couple worth rooting for.
