Ted Lasso Season 3 Brings Nate’s Story Full-Circle

The second season of Ted Lasso ended in a bit of heartbreak, as fans saw beloved kit man-turned-assistant coach Nate Shelley turn his back on Ted, Beard, Roy, and the rest of Richmond. Feeling neglected by Ted, Nate left the club and took a job managing West Ham United, working for the despicable Rupert. Over the course of Season 3, it has been clear that Nate isn’t exactly the villain he might have thought himself last season, resulting in him quitting his cushy West Ham job. Now, in the season’s penultimate episode, Nate’s story has come full-circle. 

WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for the latest episode of Ted Lasso! Continue reading at your own risk…

Early on in this week’s new episode of Ted Lasso, Nate is seen working at A Taste of Athens, the restaurant where his girlfriend Jade works. He’s approached there by a couple of Richmond players asking him to come back, saying the team unanimously voted to ask him to return. Ted, they said, wasn’t part of the plan, and that clearly made Nate decide to turn them down.

Ted did have a hand in that plan, however, as Higgins informs him later in the episode that Nate didn’t seem interested. Among all of the coaches and players, Beard set himself apart as the only holdout, still angry with Nate over how he left. Near the end of the episode, after a talk with Ted, Beard has a change of heart. He personally invites Nate back to Richmond to finish out the season with the club.

Of course, Nate still needed a nudge to be willing to accept the job at Richmond. Jade convinced their restaurant’s manager to fire Nate so he would be willing to return to coaching.

At the start of Ted Lasso‘s first season, Nate was nothing more than a kit man for Richmond, surprised when Ted even remembered his name. Over the course of the series, he became a beloved member of the club, eventually being appointed as one of the assistant coaches.

In the Season 3 finale of Ted Lasso, Nate will finally come home.

What did you think of the latest episode of Ted Lasso? Let us know in the comments!