Bob Nelson Season 1974

Honors & Awards

• 11-Year NFL Career (Bills, Raiders, 49ers 1975-85)
• Second Round NFL Draft Pick (Buffalo Bills, 1975)
• Second-Team All-Big Eight (1974)
• Senior Bowl Participant (1975)
• College All-Star Game Participant (1975)

Career Summary
A three-year letterman as a linebacker for Nebraska in 1972, 1973 and 1974, Bob Nelson went on to an 11-year professional career in the NFL from 1975 to 1985. A second-round selection of the Buffalo Bills in the 1975 NFL Draft, Nelson spent his first three pro seasons with the Bills from 1975 through 1977, before playing for the Oakland Raiders in 1978. After spending the 1979 season with the San Francisco 49ers, he closed his career with six more seasons with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders from 1980 through 1985.

Nelson was a starting linebacker for the Raiders in Super Bowl XV and Super Bowl XVIII. In Super Bowl XV, the 1980 AFC champion Raiders became the first wild-card team to ever win a Super Bowl, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10, in New Orleans. Nelson added a second Super Bowl ring following the 1983 season, as the AFC champion Raiders rolled to a 38-9 win over the Washington Redskins in Tampa, Fla.

He played in 72 games in seven different NFL seasons during his career. He had 4.5 sacks in his career, along with one interception, one opponent fumble recovery and one kickoff return for 10 yards.

Before joining the NFL ranks, Nelson finished his three-year career at Nebraska with 189 total tackles, including 73 solos and 116 assists. He recorded six tackles for a total of 17 yards lost, while producing two fumble recoveries and one interception. He also had three career pass breakups from his weakside linebacking spot.

Senior (1974)
The 6-4, 232-pound Nelson amassed 75 total tackles as a senior, including 32 solo stops and 43 assists, from his weakside linebacking spot. He added four tackles, including solos, in NU's 13-10 win over Florida in the Sugar Bowl. Nelson joined fellow Minnesota native and roommate, Tom Ruud, in the NU linebacking corps, which also included John Starkebaum. Nelson and Ruud were also both chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the NFL Draft.

Nelson added three tackles for three yards lost as a senior, while recovering the second fumble of his career.

Junior (1973)
Nelson notched 79 tackles as a junior in 1973, including 21 solos and 58 assists. He had two tackles for 13 yards lost, while recovering one fumble and hauling in one interception. He also had two pass breakups. His interception came against Kansas and set up the game-winning field goal in the 10-9 victory over the Jayhawks.

He added a huge game in the Cotton Bowl to lead the Huskers to a 19-3 win over Texas. Nelson led the Blackshirts with nine total tackles, including six solo stops, as the Huskers held the Longhorns to just 196 yards of total offense.

Sophomore (1972)
Nelson saw his first action on the NU varsity and finished the season with 35 total tackles, including 17 solos and 18 assists. He also recorded the first tackle for loss of his career, which went for one yard, while also notching his first career pass breakup.

Freshman (1971)
Nelson competed for the unbeaten Husker freshman team in 1971.

Stillwater (Minn.) High School
Nelson was an All-Minnesota and all-conference player at Stillwater High School for Coach Carver Fouks. He also lettered in basketball, baseball and track and field.

Personal
The son of Wade and Diane Nelson, Robert Lee Nelson was born June 30, 1953 in Stillwater, Minn. Nelson majored in business education at Nebraska.

Nelson's Career Statistics

Year	Games	UT	AT	TT	TFL	Rec.	BK	PBU	PI
1971 (Freshman Team)
1972	11	17	18	35	1-1	0	0	1	0
1973	11	21	58	79	2-13	1	0	2	1
1974	11	32	43	75	3-3	1	0	0	0
Total	33	70	119	189	6-7	2	0	3	1

Bowl Games
1973 Orange Bowl - Tackles, none
1974 Cotton Bowl - Tackles, 6 UT, 3 AT, 9 TT
1974 Sugar Bowl - Tackles, 3 UT, 1 AT, 4 TT