Nate Burleson On Co-Hosting 'CBS Mornings': 'The One Thing I Do Very Well Is Tell A Story'

(CBS Local)-- Nate Burleson has been entertaining people for years as an NFL wide receiver, a sports & entertainment host and a businessman. On Tuesday, the 40-year-old will get the opportunity to reach an even bigger audience as one of the co-hosts of the newly rebranded "CBS Mornings." Burleson joins Gayle King and Tony Dokoupil every weekday from 7am-9am EST and the new crew will be broadcasting from a brand new studio in Times Square.

CBS Local's Katie Johnston recently caught up with Burleson to talk with about his journey from the NFL to CBS News, the advice he has received thus far from King and Dokoupil and what excites him the most about the opportunity to work on one of the biggest shows in television.

"When I was playing, I was always involved in media," said Burleson. "Then I went to the Broadcast Bootcamp a little past the midway point of my career and it was an eye-opener for me. I left that bootcamp with pats on the back and individuals in the business saying that I had an opportunity to do this when I got done playing, but I didn't really hear that though. I walked away realizing how much I didn't know about the art of being on TV. There was so much more to the art and craft of being a media personality."

The Emmy-Award winner Burleson retired from the NFL in 2014 and says he is looking forward to using the platform of "CBS Mornings" to tell all different types of stories about the financial world, race in America and the culture of food.

"This is a blessing that I'm here sitting in this seat and working on CBS Mornings because this is prime real estate in this business," said Burleson. "I have worked up to this point to earn this spot, so I'm excited to show people different layers of Nate Burleson they're not familiar with once the show actually kicks off. The one thing I know I do very well is tell a story. Whether it's my life or somebody else's, or something that is completely relevant to what we are dealing with nowadays."

While Burleson has a lot to look forward to in his new job, one of his favorite things already is being able to share the set with seasoned veterans like King and Dokoupil. The new co-host of "CBS Mornings" loves how Gayle & Tony embraced him from the start and he has learned a lot from them already.

"Gayle has been incredible. Everything that you have heard and you have seen about Gayle, she is that and then some. She is extremely passionate and she puts the work in. She cares so much about this job. Then there is the journalistic approach she takes and Tony is the same way. We vibed right out the gate. We graduated the same year in high school. A lot of the world we see, we look at it through the same eyes. When I walked in, the first thing they said was they were excited to have me and we look forward to working with you."

Watch "CBS Mornings," starting Tuesday, September 7 from 7am-9am EST on CBS.