Nate Ruffin (We Are Marshall)
Played by Anthony Mackie
By: Shelby Manning
While Denver is pretty loaded for defensive backs, it is not even the talent of Nate Ruffin that could serve this Denver Broncos team so well — it is grit and determination, especially in the face of tremendous loss.
As most know, most of the Marshall University football team perished in a tragic plane accident coming home from a game in 1970. All 75 people on board were killed. Nate Ruffin, left back at campus because of injury, was one of the only surviving players of the team.
Not only did Ruffin (in the film) work to completely rebuild the program at Marshall, he was a vital leader to its now young core. This man’s resiliency would be a huge contribution to the Denver Broncos.