When the Los Angeles Rams signed linebacker Nate Landman to a one-year, $1.1 million deal in March, expectations were modest. At best, Landman looked like a depth piece, maybe even a roster bubble candidate. What few imagined was that just one game into the season, he would be recognized as one of the NFL’s elite defensive performers.
Landman was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after his standout showing in the Rams’ gritty 14-9 victory over the Houston Texans. The 26-year-old registered 10 tackles, including six solo, and delivered the game’s defining play when he stripped Texans running back Dare Ogunbowale late in the fourth quarter. Rookie Braden Fiske recovered the fumble, sealing the first win of the season.
Rams Week 1 Hero Gets NFC Defensive Player of the Week
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“I just wanted to make a play for my team,” Landman said postgame. “When you’re in that moment, you trust your training and go for it. Thankfully, it paid off.”
Landman played 62 of the Rams’ 63 defensive snaps and even contributed on special teams, displaying the kind of durability and reliability coaches covet. His performance also drew praise from advanced metrics. According to Sumer Sports, Landman ranked ninth among all defenders in Total EPA at -5.71, a mark that reflects how consistently he disrupted Houston’s offensive drives.
It’s a remarkable rise for a player who entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado in 2022 with the Atlanta Falcons. In three seasons there, Landman was mostly a reserve. Now, in Los Angeles, he’s been handed a starting role—and immediately turned it into recognition from the league.
With a strong debut behind him, Landman’s journey from longshot to centerpiece has already reshaped expectations for the Rams’ defense in 2025.
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