Kriti Mehrotra
As a documentary movie living up to its title in every way imaginable, Netflix’s ‘Untold: Johnny Football’ can only be described as equal parts bewildering, dramatic, intriguing, and scandalous. That’s because it incorporates not just archival footage but also exclusive interviews to really shine a light upon the incredible rise yet impulsive fall of none other than Johnathan “Johnny” Manziel. Amongst those to feature here was actually one of this athlete’s once closest friends, Nathan “Uncle Nate” Fitch — so now, if you simply wish to learn more about him, we’ve got you covered.
Who is Nate Fitch?
It was back in the mid-2000s when Nate came across Johnny for the first time while attending the same middle school in his hometown of Kerrville, Texas, only to quickly develop a deep bond. “We both loved video games,” the former candidly asserted in the aforementioned original. “We both loved football, and we both loved girls, so we had all the most important things in common.” He then added, “The Johnny I knew [growing up] wanted to be the best football player you could possibly be and after that, go drink some beers out on a ranch, drive a 20-year-old truck over to do it.”
This determination is why Nate had never hesitated to stick by his fellow country friend through thick and thin, just to eventually affectionately become known as “Uncle Nate” – the right-hand man. In fact, once Johnny found his way to Texas A&M University, he was right there helping him have some fun before essentially evolving into his agent or manager upon seeing a business opportunity. After all, with Johnny’s meteoric rise in the public world, he needed some actual resources to guide him along the way, but there was only just his best friend, and so everything went through him.
Nate’s phone hence never stopped ringing, especially since freshman athletes themselves weren’t allowed to speak to the media under the school coach’s guidelines, and Johnny was in unbelievable demand. Then came a chance encounter that showed they could make thousands signing autographs — something the NCAA didn’t allow; they had a rule that players couldn’t earn off their brand as students. “Constructing the business was really logic,” Nate said prior to revealing the duo traveled someplace once a month, had him sign loads of memorabilia, and then they walked away with hard cash.
The “manager” continued: “You have to understand, we weren’t just signi ng autographs… [We were] all over the place. Throw a dart on a map,” meaning they took the money, partied, and enjoyed every possible luxury you could imagine while bumping shoulders with the biggest celebrities. “I’m going in my head ’cause I’m 20 years old, ‘I’m so badass’… [Johnny] is in my ear the whole time telling me we’re the baddest thing that ever existed and ‘Let’s Roll! This is what life is like forever.'” But then the NCAA caught on, only for Nate to come up with arguably the most flawless defense conceivable.
“We talked, and I devised a plan that was brilliant,” Nate admitted in the production. “I started with, ‘How does [Johnny] get caught?’ He gets caught because somebody takes a picture during a paid autograph session. You can sign autographs all you want. The part you have to conceal is money [so make it white by putting it into your bank account]… The next step is how you are going to explain why you are wearing Rolexes, driving new cars, and flying in private jets… The biggest spin that still exists today, I invented a narrative that his family was vastly wealthy [from generational oil money].”
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Nate willingly took on the fall guy role too, which is why his best friend split everything with him 80-20, resulting in them walking away almost scott-free since they didn’t do anything criminal. In the end, Johnny was suspended for merely half a game for nothing but failure to prevent the commercialization of his name, whereas the former had nothing on the line, well, except the friendship. We specify this because once the athlete decided to turn pro in 2013-14, he was advised to cut ties with his oldest companion as he could be “risky” owing to everything he knew despite the proven loyalty.
Nate Fitch is a Proud Family Man and a Real Estate Agent
Unfortunately, Nate and Johnny gradually drifted so far apart they haven’t properly talked since, yet they do continue to wish one another the best in life without the tiniest hint of bad blood. In fact, in 2016, while the latter was on an admitted extreme “self-sabotage” bender, his once friend came forward to urge him to seek some professional help; then, he told Forbes, “People grow apart and people change. I wish nothing bad for [Johnny]. I wish him all the best. I know he feels the same for me.” He virtually indicated that no matter what, he’ll always be there for his friend, even if they aren’t on speaking terms.
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Coming to Nate’s current standing, from what we can tell, it appears as if following a few business endeavors with friends (in Dallas) as well as family, he has settled down in his hometown for good. It’s hence seemingly in Kerrville that he proudly serves as a son, a husband, a father, a friend, and a real estate agent-investor with specialization in short-term rentals — he shares a beautiful 2-year-old baby boy named Nathan John Fitch with his wife, Anne.
Read More: Where Are Johnny Manziel’s Parents Now?
