By now, you've probably seen the clip of a brave NFL referee inserting himself between stud Seahawks wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba and an angry mob of Texans players on Monday night.

But who exactly is this black-and-white-striped hero, who has probably captured the hearts of many a Seattle fan, considering how he protected one of Lumen Field's finest?

Let's investigate.

Who is Nate Jones, the referee who protected Jaxson Smith-Njigba?

Nate Jones, the field judge for Monday night's Seahawks-Texans contest, is actually a former NFL player himself. He was drafted out of Rutgers with the 205th pick of the 2004 draft, and played corner for the Cowboys for four seasons before stints with the Dolphins, Broncos and Patriots.

He finished his career with 232 tackles, six sacks, three forced fumbles, three interceptions and 17 passes defended across 106 games played.

He has been an official in the league since 2019.

So there you have it. While it could've been anyone who stepped in in a moment like this, it makes a lot of sense that it was a former NFL player, who is used to men of a certain stature barreling toward him at full speed and force. Shoutout to him.

For more on Jones's transition from player to official, check out this episode of NFL Players: Seconds Acts, where he discusses the art of officiating and his journey to and from the league.

Fans loved Jones's selfless move

Unsurprisingly, fans also loved that Jones stepped in, and were quick to praise him for what they believed to be a selfless move.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Who Is Nate Jones, the Referee Who Stepped in to Protect Jaxon Smith-Njigba?.

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