Nate Palmer

Nate Palmer joined the Lobo family in January of 2025 and he serves as an assistant linebackers coach for UNM.  New Mexico is his first full-time coaching position after spending 2024 as a graduate assistant.

PREVIOUS COACHING STOPS

NORTHERN ILLINOIS (2024): Palmer was a graduate assistant with Northern Illinois, coaching as an assistant linebackers coach.  The Huskies in 2024 picked up a historic win over Notre Dame and defeated Fresno State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

NIU’s defense was one of the top defenses in the FBS, averaging just 18.5 points per game allowed (14^th in the FBS) and totaling 36 sacks.  Northern Illinois ranked No. 4 in the NCAA allowing just 284.6 yards per game.

Palmer came to Northern Illinois after a successful High School coaching career.

PLAYING CAREER – NORTHERN ILLINOIS (2008-11); SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (NFL, 2012); INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (NFL, 2012-13); MIAMI DOLPHINS (NFL, 2013); DENVER BRONCOS (NFL, 2013-14); NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (NFL, 2015); CHICAGO BEARS (NFL, 2015); OAKLAND RAIDERS (NFL, 2016): Played four seasons at Northern Illinois helping the Huskies to back-to-back 11-3 campaigns.  He was named the MVP of the 2011 MAC Championship Game, and it capped a career in which he caught 93 passes for 1,575 yards and 16 touchdowns.  He averaged 18.3 yards per catch in 2010 to lead the conference as he played in four bowl games in his four seasons.

He went undrafted out of Northern Illinois and ended up playing seven teams over five seasons in the NFL, seeing action in five games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2012.

After his NFL career, he has launched a successful music career singing R&B as “NaPalm”