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Total tackles:	1,586
Sacks:	21.0
Forced fumbles:	19
Fumble recoveries:	14
Interceptions:	12
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Hardy Nickerson
No. 54, 56
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	September 1, 1965 (age 59); 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 (1983–1986)
NFL draft:	1987 / round: 5 / pick: 122
Career history
	As player: Pittsburgh Steelers (1987–1992); Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993–1999); Jacksonville Jaguars (2000–2001); Green Bay Packers (2002); As coach: Chicago Bears (2007) (LB); Bishop O'Dowd HS (CA) (2010–2013) (HC); Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2014–2015) (LB); San Francisco 49ers (2016) (LB); Illinois (2017–2018) (DC/LB); Bishop O'Dowd HS (CA) (2022–present) (HC);
Career highlights and awards
	"Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year (1997); 2× First-team All-Pro (1993, 1997); 2× Second-team All-Pro (1996, 1999); 5× Pro Bowl (1993, 1996–1999); NFL combined tackles leader (1993); NFL 1990s All-Decade Team; First-team All-Pac-10 (1985); 2× Second-team All-Pac-10 (1984, 1986); NFL record Most combined tackles in a season: 214 (1993);
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:
Total tackles:	1,586
Sacks:	21.0
Forced fumbles:	19
Fumble recoveries:	14
Interceptions:	12
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Hardy Otto Nickerson Sr. (born September 1, 1965) is an American former professional football player and coach. He played 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 selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of 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 him 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, he went to five Pro Bowls,^[2] and was selected for the National Football League 1990s All-Decade Team.

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.

On April 7, 2022, Nickerson returned as the head football coach at Bishop O'Dowd High School.^[8]

NFL career statistics

Legend
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Tackles					Interceptions				Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Cmb	Solo	Ast	TFL	Sck	Int	Yds	TD	PD	FF	FR
1987	PIT	12	0	17	–	–	–	0.0	–	–	–	–	–	1
1988	PIT	15	10	99	–	–	–	3.5	1	0	0	–	1	1
1989	PIT	10	8	35	–	–	–	1.0	–	–	–	–	0	0
1990	PIT	16	14	67	–	–	–	2.0	–	–	–	–	2	0
1991	PIT	16	14	94	–	–	–	1.0	–	–	–	–	2	0
1992	PIT	15	15	114	–	–	–	2.0	–	–	–	–	0	2
1993	TB	16	16	214	–	–	–	1.0	1	6	0	–	1	1
1994	TB	14	14	122	86	36	–	1.0	2	9	0	–	1	0
1995	TB	16	16	143	89	54	–	1.5	–	–	–	–	3	3
1996	TB	16	16	120	76	44	–	3.0	2	24	0	–	2	2
1997	TB	16	16	147	105	42	–	1.0	–	–	–	–	2	2
1998	TB	10	10	70	45	25	–	1.0	–	–	–	–	1	1
1999	TB	16	16	110	66	44	6	0.5	2	18	0	5	3	0
2000	JAX	6	6	31	27	4	2	1.0	1	10	0	7	0	0
2001	JAX	15	14	117	89	28	4	0.0	3	4	0	9	1	1
2002	GB	16	15	86	49	37	4	1.5	–	–	–	3	0	0
Career		225	200	1,586	632	314	16	21.0	12	71	0	24	19	14