Hardy Nickerson facts for kids
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | September 1, 1965 Compton, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 233 lb (106 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Verbum Dei (Los Angeles, California) | ||||||||||
| College: | California (1983–1986) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1987 / Round: 5 / Pick: 122 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
As player:
As coach:
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Hardy Otto Nickerson Sr. (born September 1, 1965) is a former American football player and coach. He was a fantastic linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played for 16 seasons, from 1987 to 2002. Hardy played college football for the California Golden Bears. He was picked by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1987 NFL draft.
Hardy Nickerson spent most of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was known for being a strong player in the middle of the defense. He was chosen for five Pro Bowls. He was also named to the National Football League 1990s All-Decade Team. This means he was one of the best players of the 1990s!
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Hardy Nickerson's Early Life and Education
Hardy Nickerson went to Verbum Dei High School. This is a Catholic school in Watts, Los Angeles. He later earned a degree in sociology. He studied at the University of California, Berkeley.
Hardy Nickerson's Coaching Career
After playing, Hardy Nickerson became a football coach. He also worked as a radio announcer.
Broadcasting Work
In 2006, Hardy became a radio announcer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He helped describe the games for fans.
Coaching in the NFL
In 2007, Hardy Nickerson became the linebackers coach for the Chicago Bears. He worked with his former coach, Lovie Smith. He later coached linebackers for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers again. This was from 2014 to 2015. In 2016, he coached linebackers for the San Francisco 49ers.
Coaching High School and College Teams
Hardy Nickerson also coached high school football. From 2010 to 2013, he was the head coach at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, California. His teams won league titles. Many of his players earned college scholarships.
In 2016, he became the defensive coordinator for the University of Illinois. He worked with Lovie Smith again. In 2022, he returned to Bishop O'Dowd High School as head coach.
Hardy Nickerson's Personal Life
Hardy Nickerson has a son named Hardy Nickerson Jr.. His son also played as a linebacker in the NFL. He played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Minnesota Vikings.
