Nate Wiggins, a 20-year-old cornerback for the Baltimore Ravens, has his mother to thank for his position today. Raised by a single mom in Atlanta, Georgia, Wiggins has become one of the most promising prodigies in American Football. The football player has shown his tribute to his mother in interviews and post-match conferences.
Nate did not have a dream childhood with his dad out of the picture; however, he got everything from his family to be at the top of the NFL.
The Georgia-born played collegiate football for the Clemson Tigers and was drafted by the Ravens in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. Named in First-team All-ACC in 2023, he received attention from all the big teams in the NFL.
After signing for one of the biggest football teams, fans around the country have been interested in his background, specifically his parents and family.
Key Takeaways:
- The Baltimore Ravens drafted Nate Wiggins in 2024.
- Wiggins was raised by a single mom, Tamika, after his dad left.
- The 20-year-old has two sisters named Tanisha and Jonae.
- Nate’s mother, Tamika, used to play basketball at high school.
- Jonae also played basketball in college, and Tanisha was more into cheerleading.
Nate Wiggins’ Mother, Tamika, Raised Him As A Single Mom
Wiggins, who is 20, had a complicated childhood as he did not have a dad growing up. However, his mother, Tamika Wiggins, would not let Nate feel the absence of a father figure.
He was born in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., on August 28, 2003. The basketball player attended Grady High School in Atlanta and moved to Fulton County when he joined Westlake High School for his senior season.
The 20-year-old has not yet talked about his biological father, which suggests that he might have left the family before Nate was born.
Nate’s mom brought up the three kids and ensured they felt supported.
Despite working many jobs, Tamika’s kids don’t remember her ever missing any of Nate’s sports, Jonae’s basketball games, or Tanesha’s cheerleading performances. Her children grew older and began to understand what a superhero their mother was.
Moreover, she shares photos and videos of her son’s game on her social media profile. She is active on Instagram under the handle @tamika_0316.
Tamika walked an extra mile for her kids. She recalls giving her son’s teams transport and snacks because they had no such facility.
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Nate’s Mom, Tamika, Re-Married And Lives With Her Partner In Baltimore
Tamika, who celebrated her 50th birthday on March 20, 2024, married her second husband, Mr. Baker after her relationship with Nate’s biological father broke down. The player’s stepfather seemed very supportive of his son and even joined Tamika and Coach Brown to check the Ravens’ facilities after they drafted Nate.
The couple tied the knot on September 26, 2021. In September 2022, on their first wedding anniversary, Wiggins’ mother made an IG post that stated that the two had been together for 13 years (i.e., since 2009). They got engaged in November 2020.
The mother of three celebrated Valentine’s Day with an Instagram post dedicated to her love, with the caption, “Happy Valentine’s Day, my love. There’s no one who can speak our LOVE LANGUAGE!!! A perfect marriage is just two imperfect people; that makes our marriage PERFECT!”
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Nate’s Mother Tamika Gave Up Her Basketball Scholarship In College
Wiggins’ story began in Atlanta in 1993, when Tamika was forced to forfeit her basketball scholarship after giving birth to her oldest child, Tanesha Lucas.
Tamika put her head down and went to work to support her child, even though her parents did their best to help. Tamika’s middle kid, Jonae Wiggins, was born Nate Wiggins three years later. In addition to working many jobs concurrently, Tamika was an all-around “super mum,” Jonae explained.
After this, the mother of three started to train her 4-year-old son.
When Nate Wiggins turned four, Tamika decided to introduce him to sports, particularly football, and took him to Pittman Park, a green area that some would refer to as the “ghetto,” according to his sisters, and that was financed more by compassion than cash. Wiggins and football are not a story of love at first sight.
“He did not like it,” Tanesha said in an interview with the Baltimore Ravens. “He used to tell my mum that he didn’t like it and cry all the time.”
However, Tamika’s resilience will pay off, as Nate will play in the NFL in the 2024 season.
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Nate’s Sisters, Tanisha And Jonae, Are Sports Enthusiasts Too
Nate has two sisters: Tanisha and Jonae Wiggins. Tanisha, 30, is a mother of two children. Jonae, on the other hand, has a catering company in the interim.
Nate’s eldest sister, Tanisha, played basketball in college, and his second sister, Jonae, was a cheerleader for college sports teams. Sports seem to run in the Wiggins family’s blood.
They are now the biggest fans of the emerging NFL cornerback after their mother. The sister-duo was present during his draft and supported him throughout college football until his breakthrough in Clemson.
Nate Wiggins also has a history of showing affection to his beloved family. He originally intended to attend LSU but enrolled at Clemson instead to be near home and his family.
The sister prepared Nate’s dress, an Amiri bandana-jacquard denim baseball shirt, and pants for his draft, and boy, did he look good. They claim that Nate had broken the “Generational Curse” by being drafted into the NFL and rescuing his struggling family.
Jonae and Tanesha are eager to visit Baltimore since it will be their first trip there. Jonae says she is keen to participate in a game day’s celebrations.
The Wiggins Family Started The Wiggs Worldwide Foundation To Help the Needy
Nate and his family are very grateful to Pittman Park, where his footballing story began. Tamika remembers Nate saying, “Mom, you know if I ever make it, I want to give back to Pittman Park.”
When he made it, the player ensured he did as promised. In 2023, they formally established the Wiggs Worldwide Foundation to end the “generational curse” among their family and society.
Although none of them receive a salary, his mother and sisters are members of the foundation’s committee; it’s an act of love for them. They prepared dinners, distributed school supplies, and hosted meet-and-greets and a spring party at Pittman Park, where they distributed gifts to single mothers, all with the help of Wiggins’ sponsorship funds.
Jonae says, “In the communities where we grew up around, where we come from, a lot of people are not making it out.”
She adds, “And many people may be making it out, but not giving back or just tending to where they started from. We were raised to give back. … I feel like everything’s happening how it was destined.”
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Bidhya Sagar Shrestha is an experienced content writer with a solid content creation and digital marketing background. His majors in entrepreneurship and marketing give him a deep understanding of business environments and marketing strategies.
Over his two-year career, Bidhya has worked with many clients, from startups to established businesses, producing over 700 blog posts and news articles. His passion for writing has driven his professional path and personal aspirations.
