Hardy Nickerson

Last updated

Hardy Nickerson
No. 54, 56
Position: Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1965-09-01) September 1, 1965 (age 58)
Compton, California, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:233 lb (106 kg)
Career information
High school: Verbum Dei (Los Angeles, California)
College: California
NFL draft: 1987  / Round: 5 / Pick: 122
Career history
As player:

As coach:

Career highlights and awards
NFL record
  • Most combined tackles in a season: 214 (1993)
Career NFL statistics
Tackles:1,586
Sacks:21
Forced fumbles:19
Fumble recoveries:14
Interceptions:12
Player stats at PFR

Hardy Otto Nickerson Sr. (born September 1, 1965) is an American former football player and coach. He played professionally as a linebacker for four teams over 16 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) from 1987 to 2002,. He played college football for the California Golden Bears. He was a fifth round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1987 NFL draft. [1] Nickerson spent the prime of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The hiring of head coaches Sam Wyche and Tony Dungy allowed Nickerson to play in the middle in a 4–3 defense for both coaches; Nickerson played in a 3–4 defense with the Steelers. While playing in the 4–3, Nickerson went to five Pro Bowls, [2] and was selected for the National Football League 1990s All-Decade Team.

Contents

Early life

Nickerson attended Verbum Dei High School, a Catholic school located in Watts, Los Angeles. He earned a BA degree in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1989.

Broadcasting and coaching

In 2006, Nickerson became the color analyst for the Buccaneer Radio Network, teaming him with the longtime veteran play-by-play man Gene Deckerhoff.

On February 23, 2007, Nickerson was named linebackers coach of the Chicago Bears, where he coached for his former Tampa Bay position coach, Lovie Smith. On January 8, 2008, he resigned from the Bears due to health issues within his family.

On April 15, 2010, Nickerson was hired as the head football coach at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, California, a traditional powerhouse that has produced future NFL players such as Tarik Glenn, Langston Walker, Kirk Morrison, and Eric Bjornson. [3] During Nickerson's tenure, he led the Dragons to back to back league titles and was also responsible for producing nearly 20 scholarship athletes in a period of three years. Nickerson stepped down from the head coaching position on November 18, 2013.

Nickerson was named the linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under Lovie Smith on January 7, 2014. [4] On January 23, 2016, Nickerson was hired by the San Francisco 49ers as linebackers coach under new head coach Chip Kelly. [5] On March 10, 2016, Nickerson was hired by the University of Illinois as defensive coordinator under new head coach Lovie Smith. [6] [7] On October 30, 2018, Nickerson announced his resignation as defensive coordinator citing health reasons.

NFL career statistics

Legend
Led the league
BoldCareer high

Regular season

YearTeamGamesTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
GPGSCmbSoloAstTFLSckIntYdsTDPDFFFR
1987 PIT 12017–––0.0–––––1
1988 PIT 151099–––3.5100–11
1989 PIT 10835–––1.0––––00
1990 PIT 161467–––2.0––––20
1991 PIT 161494–––1.0––––20
1992 PIT 1515114–––2.0––––02
1993 TB 1616214–––1.0160–11
1994 TB 14141228636–1.0290–10
1995 TB 16161438954–1.5––––33
1996 TB 16161207644–3.02240–22
1997 TB 161614710542–1.0––––22
1998 TB 1010704525–1.0––––11
1999 TB 1616110664460.52180530
2000 JAX 663127421.01100700
2001 JAX 1514117892840.0340911
2002 GB 161586493741.5–––300
Career 2252001,5866323141621.012710241914

Personal life

His son Hardy Nickerson Jr. is a linebacker who has played in the National Football League for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Minnesota Vikings.

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References

  1. ↑ "1987 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  2. ↑ Hardy Nickerson NFL Football Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com
  3. ↑ "Bishop O'Dowd High hires ex-NFL star Hardy Nickerson as its new football coach – Inside Bay Area". Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  4. ↑ Hardy Nickerson to join Buccaneers as assistant coaching linebackers – Bucs Nation
  5. ↑ 49ers hire Hardy Nickerson as linebackers coach
  6. ↑ NICKERSON JOINS ILLINOIS STAFF AS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
  7. ↑ "Hardy Nickerson Joins Illini Football as Defensive Coordinator – The Illini Room". The Illini Room. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
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