The name Landman has had a huge impact on the sports world over the years.
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Rams linebacker Nate Landman leads the praise, emerging as one of the NFL’s toughest tacklers after signing with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2022. Now with Los Angeles, Landman continues to earn praise one hard-hitting hit at a time.
He’s far from the only member of his family making waves. Landman’s father played professional rugby in Zimbabwe, while his brother played tight end at Arizona State. And then there’s her sister, whose name, Ocean Trail, apparently presaged a dazzling career in the pool. Ocean Trail was a swimming phenom in his athletic prime, giving his name a legacy longer than most former non-Olympic Division I swimmers.
Here’s what you need to know about Ocean Trail.
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Who is Ocean Trail?
Ocean Trail is Landman’s sister. Like her younger brother, she was also born in Harare, Zimbabwe. The Landman family lived in the capital of Zimbabwe until 2002, when they moved to California. They settled in Danville, and Ocean attended Monte Vista High, the same school Nate would star at years later.
Raised in an athletic family (Nate and Ocean’s father, Shaun, played professional rugby in Zimbabwe), the Landman children were off the old block. While Nate and his older brother Brendan gravitated toward the grill, Ocean preferred the pool. She was recognized for her freestyle skills, and was named a high school All-American for her performances in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
Ocean was rewarded with an offer from Oregon State. He instantly became one of the most familiar names on his team, owing at least part of that popularity to his appropriate name.
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ESPN analyst Troy Aikman took notice during the Rams’ win over the Falcons in Week 18, shouting out Ocean (and his appropriately ironic name) while praising Nate’s performance and the Paramount+ show that shares his last name with Ocean’s.
“He likes to be called Landman. Great showman, great linebacker, great name. I mean, it all fits,” Aikman said. “The interesting thing: Guess what her sister’s name is? Ocean Landman, and she was a swimmer at Oregon State. So there you have it.”
Ocean, who has since transitioned into the fitness field in the years since graduation, was quick to respond to Aikman’s thanks on his Instagram page, which has 13,900 followers.
“When @troyaikman greets you on Monday night football,” he wrote on his Instagram Story.
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Where is Nate Landman from?
Landman and his two brothers come from Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. He is one of two active NFL players to share that distinction. The other is Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba.
Despite living alone in Harare until he was four, Landman has a special relationship with his home country. His tattoos pay homage to his heritage, with his arms featuring images of an elephant and a lion and his chest covered with an outline of Africa. He traveled to Zimbabwe in 2023 and plans to visit more as his career progresses.
“It felt like home,” Landman told The Athletic in 2026.