Ted Lasso: How Did Nate Become Such A PoS

You know an actor does well when you love their character at one point, and hate them at another. It’s a sign of not only good acting, but good writing as well. That’s how well Nick Mohammed does as Nate on Ted Lasso. *Note: If you’re not caught up on season 2, this will be discussed all the way up to and through the season 2 finale. Feel free to catch up and come back. And of course, this article refers to the character, not the actor who portrays him.

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Nate starts off the series as the underdog. He goes from the shy, awkward, kitman who loves the soccer club and you could tell grew up fascinated with the game. His knowledge comes in handy to Ted. Where Ted’s experience lacked, Nate stepped up and you really had high hopes for him. We see him step up in the biggest ways and he ends up getting promoted to a full-time coach. We see Nate as the background character to the rest of the team and despite his success, it seems like no one gives him the credit he deserves.

But that’s where Ted Lasso hammers home just how poorly Nate is treated. No matter how successful he becomes, he still is in the background. No one takes his contributions seriously and that’s where he snaps. When it comes to Nate, his backstory shows just how much he craves recognition and it all stems from his father’s lack of respect. The fact Nate will never be good enough for his old man puts this huge chip on his shoulder. It sets him on a downward spiral that makes him feel like he’s never good enough.

Then comes his success and he feels on top of the world. However, despite his success and the team accepting him as one of their own, everyone on the outside still sees him as the inexperienced kitman. That’s where being trapped in his own head sends him down the path of revenge. When Nate starts to get his recognition, that’s where his father comes back into play to send him crashing back down to the earth. When he fails to get the recognition he deserves from his father he sees it as his wake-up call.

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That seed of doubt creeps back. As the responsibilities pile up for Ted, Nate starts to see his worth slipping away. We see him miss out on the free coffee maker Keeley gets for the team. He becomes the butt of a joke after his misstep in a public interview. He has to be coached on how to talk to the hostess to get a seat at his father’s favorite restaurant. it seems everything he’s worked hard to build and he sees the high of success teetering back towards not being good enough.

By the season finale of Ted Lasso, Nate turns his back on the team that built him up. He feels hurt, betrayed, and like he’s not good enough despite what he brought to the team. By the end of the season, you can’t help but hate Nate, but there’s also a part of your that should feel sorry for him. All he ever wanted was to prove his worth to his family and the team. A few quick seasons of having worth, won’t change a lifetime of not feeling good enough.