Nathan Peterman

Nathan Michael Peterman (born May 4, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers following a stint with the Tennessee Volunteers and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Peterman struggled early in the NFL, throwing five interceptions during the first half of his starting debut and posting a 0.0 passer rating in the 2018 season opener. Peterman's 12 interceptions between 2017 and 2018 are the most for a quarterback with less than 100 passing attempts. Released by the Bills during the 2018 season, Peterman spent his next six seasons as a backup for the Oakland / Las Vegas Raiders and Chicago Bears before joining the Saints in 2024.

Early life
Peterman attended Bartram Trail High School in St. Johns, Florida. While at Bartram Trail, he played for the Bears football team. As a senior, Peterman passed for 2,392 yards and 36 touchdowns. He was rated as a four-star recruit and committed to the University of Tennessee to play college football under head coach Derek Dooley.

Tennessee
In 2012, Peterman redshirted in first year at Tennessee. After the Vanderbilt game of that season, Dooley was fired as head coach.

After his redshirt freshman year, Peterman's head coach was Butch Jones. Peterman was one of the three backup quarterbacks as Justin Worley won the starting job in the offseason. Peterman made his collegiate debut during a home game at Neyland Stadium against Austin Peay in relief of Worley in a 45–0 shutout victory. Peterman was 4-of-8 passing for 28 yards against the Governors. After the game against #2 Oregon at Autzen Stadium, where Tennessee was defeated by a score of 59–14, Worley was benched in favor of Peterman. Peterman made his first career start against #19 Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. However, Peterman suffered a broken hand in the game and was eventually benched for Worley during the game after completing 4-of-11 passes for only five yards and two interceptions. Overall, Peterman appeared in four games that season, completing 10-of-23 passes for 45 yards and two interceptions.

As a sophomore in 2014, Peterman remained behind Worley on the depth chart. He played in seven games and made one start, which came against #4 Alabama at Neyland Stadium, after Worley was injured in the 34–3 loss to #3 Ole Miss. Despite getting the start, Joshua Dobbs relieved Peterman in the game. Dobbs started the next game against South Carolina and kept the job for the rest of the season. Peterman made one last appearance as a member of the Volunteers against Kentucky. In relief of Dobbs in the 50–16 victory, Peterman finished the game. He completed 10-of-20 passes for 49 yards on the 2014 season.

Pittsburgh
Peterman transferred as a graduate transfer to the University of Pittsburgh in 2015. Under new head coach Pat Narduzzi, Peterman entered the season as the backup to Chad Voytik but replaced him as the starter after two games. In his first start, Peterman completed 20-of-29 passes for 219 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions during a 27–24 loss to Iowa. He kept the starting job for the rest of the year, completing 193-of-314 passes for 2,287 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions as the Panthers finished with an 8–5 record.

Peterman returned as a starter his senior year in Pittsburgh. Peterman had a career day against the eventual National Champion Clemson Tigers on November 12, throwing for 308 yards and five touchdowns in the narrow 43–42 victory. Pittsburgh's victory was Clemson's only loss of the season. He threw for 2,855 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions as the Panthers once again finished with an 8–5 record.

Pre-draft
On November 14, 2016, it was announced that Peterman accepted an invitation to play in the 2017 Senior Bowl. During Senior Bowl practices, he impressed scouts and media in attendance after displaying his decent size, accuracy, mobility, and powerful arm. Peterman met with representatives from the New Orleans Saints during the week and was praised by NFL analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Charles Davis. On January 28, 2017, Peterman played in the Senior Bowl and completed 16-of-23 pass attempts for 153 yards and a touchdown during the North's 16–15 loss to the South. Peterman played for Chicago Bears head coach John Fox's North team during the game. Peterman was one of 15 collegiate quarterbacks who received an invitation to participate at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. He completed the majority of combine drills, but opted to skip the bench press. Peterman finished fifth among quarterbacks in the three-cone drill, seventh in the 40-yard dash and tied for sixth in the vertical jump and short shuttle.

2017 season
The Buffalo Bills selected Peterman in the fifth round (171st overall pick) of the 2017 NFL Draft, as the eighth quarterback selected.

Peterman was brought in to compete for the Bills' backup quarterback position along with T. J. Yates and Cardale Jones. Peterman performed well enough to win the backup quarterback job after Jones was traded to the Los Angeles Chargers. Following the third preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, Peterman became the only healthy quarterback for the Bills as starter Tyrod Taylor and Yates both sustained concussions in the game. This left open the possibility of Peterman starting for the team in Week 1, but Taylor recovered in time to start the season opener against the New York Jets. Had Peterman started the game, he would have been the second-lowest-drafted rookie quarterback to start a season opener since the AFL–NFL merger. During a Week 10 47–10 to the Saints, Peterman made his NFL debut with less than five minutes left in the game. With the Bills trailing 47–3, Peterman led a scoring drive, completing seven of 10 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. His first career touchdown pass was a seven-yard pass to tight end Nick O'Leary.

On November 15, 2017, Peterman was named the Bills' starting quarterback for the team's Week 11 game against the Los Angeles Chargers due to Taylor's struggles. During the game, Peterman completed six of 14 passes for 66 yards and five interceptions in the first half and was relieved by Taylor at the start of the second half. Peterman's five interceptions tied an NFL record for the most thrown in a player's first career start. Two weeks later against the New England Patriots, he relived Taylor after the latter suffered a knee injury and completed six of 15 passes for 50 yards in the 23–3 loss. Due to Taylor's injury, Peterman started in the next game against the Indianapolis Colts. During the game, which was played in a snowstorm, he completed five of 10 passes for 57 yards and a touchdown before leaving the eventual 13–7 overtime victory in the third quarter with a concussion.

On January 7, 2018, Peterman entered the Bills' Wild Card Round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter after Taylor suffered a concussion. Peterman had a 14-yard completion and managed to convert two first downs for the Buffalo offense, including a four-yard scramble to move the chains on fourth down, but threw a critical interception to cornerback Jalen Ramsey, sealing the 10–3 victory for the Jaguars and ending the Bills' season.

2018 season
In the offseason, the Bills traded Taylor to the Cleveland Browns. Peterman competed with rookie first-round draft pick Josh Allen and free-agent signing A. J. McCarron for the starting quarterback position. On September 3, 2018, the Bills named Peterman their opening day starter over Allen after McCarron was traded to the Oakland Raiders.

During the season-opening 47–3 road loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Peterman completed 5-of-18 passes for 24 yards and two interceptions. He did not lead the team to a first down until the third quarter and was benched in favor of Josh Allen after posting a 0.0 passer rating.

On September 12, 2018, the Bills named Allen the starter for Week 2 against the Chargers, relegating Peterman to the bench. On October 9, the Bills signed Derek Anderson to serve as Allen's backup.

During a Week 6 20–13 road loss to the Houston Texans, Peterman entered the game after Allen got injured since Anderson was inactive. Peterman threw a touchdown to Zay Jones to put Buffalo in the lead, but after the Texans tied the game at 13 late in the fourth quarter, he threw two interceptions that cost the Bills the game, including a pick-six to cornerback Johnathan Joseph that proved to be Houston's winning score. Peterman finished the game completing six of 12 passes for 61 yards, the aforementioned touchdown, and the two aforementioned interceptions. On October 17, 2018, Bills head coach Sean McDermott confirmed that Anderson would start Week 7 against the Colts with Allen ruled out. However, Peterman ended up relieving Anderson in the fourth quarter of the Week 8 25–6 loss to the Patriots on Monday Night Football after the latter suffered an arm injury. Peterman finished the game completing both of his pass attempts for 23 yards. Due to Anderson's injury, Peterman was named the starter for the Week 9 matchup against the Bears. In what would become Peterman's final start as a Bill, he rushed for a touchdown, snapping the team's streak of 11 straight quarters and 39 straight possessions without a touchdown, and threw for a career-high 188 yards, but also tossed three interceptions, including a pick six, as the Bills were blown out 41–9. By then, Peterman had become the butt of jokes among NFL fans for his play, which USA Today called "historically bad".

Peterman was benched in favor of another mid-season signing, Matt Barkley, for the Week 10 matchup against the New York Jets. Barkley led the Bills to a 41–10 victory over the Jets. With the Bills entering their bye week and Allen expected to be ready to play by the time of their next game, Peterman was released on the evening of November 12. He finished his Buffalo career with four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing), 12 interceptions and a passer rating of 32.5.

2018 season
After workouts with the Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos, Peterman was signed by the Oakland Raiders as part of their practice squad on December 19, 2018, as head coach Jon Gruden had previously raved about Peterman's play in college. Peterman signed a reserve/future contract with the Raiders on January 1, 2019.

2019 season
Peterman had a strong preseason in 2019 but was placed on injured reserve with an elbow injury on September 2, 2019.

2020 season
On April 16, 2020, the Raiders re-signed Peterman, a restricted free agent, to an original-round tender. He was fined US$15000 by the NFL on October 5, 2020, for attending a maskless charity event hosted by teammate Darren Waller during the COVID-19 pandemic in violation of the NFL's COVID-19 protocols for the 2020 season. Peterman made his first appearance for the Raiders in Week 12 against the Atlanta Falcons in relief of starter Derek Carr. Peterman completed three of five passes for 25 yards and had a nine-yard carry during the 43–6 blowout road loss.

2021 season
On February 4, 2021, Peterman signed a one-year contract extension with the Raiders. During a Week 5 20–9 loss to the Bears, he briefly relieved Derek Carr in the fourth quarter after Carr suffered a head injury. On November 2, 2021, Peterman was released and was re-signed to the practice squad. His contract expired when the team's season ended on January 15, 2022.

2022 season
On May 11, 2022, Peterman signed with the Chicago Bears. He was released on August 30 and signed to the practice squad the next day. The Bears flexed Peterman to the active roster on November 26, after an injury to starter Justin Fields.

During pregame warmups in Week 12 against the New York Jets, primary backup Trevor Siemian, who was slated to start that week, suffered an oblique injury, which led many people to believe that the Bears were going to start Peterman, but Siemian ultimately ended up starting the game.

On December 3, 2022, Peterman was signed to the active roster after Siemian was placed on injured reserve, becoming Fields' primary backup. He made a relief appearance in place of Fields against his former team, the Bills, during the waning moments of a 35–13 loss on Christmas Eve. Peterman completed two passes before spiking the ball at the 50-yard line and attempting a Hail Mary pass that was intercepted by Bills safety Jaquan Johnson, allowing Buffalo to close out the game.

On January 4, 2023, Peterman was named the starter for the regular-season finale against the Minnesota Vikings, replacing Justin Fields who was ruled out for a sore hip. Peterman threw for 114 yards and a touchdown in the 29–13 loss.

2023 season
Peterman was re-signed to a one-year deal on March 31, 2023. He was then released as part of final roster moves on August 29 but was re-signed to the active roster two days later. Peterman was named the second-string option behind starter Justin Fields and ahead of undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent, beating out veteran P. J. Walker for the role. On September 20, Peterman was cut for a second time and was re-signed eight days later. However, he was demoted to third string before Week 4, in favor of an increasingly impressive Bagent. On October 5, Peterman was cut for the third time that season but was signed to the practice squad four days later.

New Orleans Saints
On March 18, 2024, Peterman signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints.

Personal life
The younger son of a pastor, Peterman credits his Christian faith in helping him face adversity. He is married to Morgan Peterman (Shull), his college girlfriend from Tennessee.