The Falcons picked up linebacker Nate Stupar on waivers at the outset of the season in September.
Stupar, who’s played extensively on special teams, has bounced around the NFL since he was drafted in the seventh round (230th overall) of the 2012 draft by the Oakland Raiders, out of Penn State.
Stupar, at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds, spent his first season on the practice squads in Oakland and Philadelphia.
We talked to Stupar about playing on special teams, his hobbies and what he wants to do when he’s finished playing football (edited for clarity).
Q: What’s it like being apart of the special-teams units?
A: It's been awesome. (Special teams) coach Keith Armstrong really gets you to work hard, do your assignments and work as a unit. It's been a blessing.
Q: Do your teammates know about your famous uncle?
A: My uncle Jeff Hostetler played in the league for a while. He won a Super Bowl with the Giants. He played with the Raiders and Redskins. He was a great quarterback and a great uncle.
Q: What about your Penn State bloodlines?
A: I had three schools that I was thinking about. Virginia, West Virginia and Penn State, but no one was really forcing me or making me go to Penn State. I had my options. But what I really wanted was to study film and video and get my education.
Q: Why?
A: That's something that I love. I started my own business. Steven Nathan Productions, LLC. I trying to build that for whenever football is over, when that day comes, I can easily transition into my business. I just excited about that.
Q: What do you produce?
A: Videos from weddings and other free-lance work.
Q: Will you make films eventually?
A: I don't know. Hollywood films. I might just stick with my independent company. My sister is a wedding photographer. That's something that I'd like to partner up with for weddings.
Q: How did you achieve All-Big Ten all-academic team?
A: College for any student-athlete is rough because you're giving your all to the college for sports. You are trying to make it to the next level, but at the same time you're trying to do well in school. For me, it came natural. I was always good at doing school and football at the same time. I never had any difficulty in trying to balance one against the other.
Q: Is it a little bizarre that (the Falcons) can still make the playoffs?
A: It is bizarre that we're still in first place. We've been working hard. We won the games that we needed to. We need to continue to get better each and every day. We have to compete. It's in our hands to take and we need to take it.
