:Mike Nelms
{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1955)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image = Mike Nelms with fan Jun 14 2015 - Copy.jpg
| number = 21
| position = Defensive back / Kick returner / Punt returner
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|4|8}}
| birth_place = Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| weight_lb = 188
| height_in = 1
| high_school = Fort Worth (TX) Wyatt
| college = Baylor
| draftyear = 1977
| draftround = 7
| draftpick = 170
(By the Buffalo Bills)
| teams =
- Hamilton Tiger-Cats ({{CFL Year|1977}})
- Ottawa Rough Riders (1977–{{CFL Year|1979}})
- Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|1980|1984}})
| highlights =
- Super Bowl champion (XVII)
- First-team All-Pro (1983)
- 3× Second-team All-Pro (1980–1982)
- 3× Pro Bowl (1980–1982)
- CFL All-Star (1979)
- NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
- 70 Greatest Redskins
| statlabel1 = Kickoff return yards
| statvalue1 = 4,128
| statlabel2 = Punt return yards
| statvalue2 = 1,948
| statlabel3 = Touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 2
| pfr = N/NelmMi00
}}
Michael Craig Nelms (born April 8, 1955) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back and kick returner in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons with the Washington Redskins from 1980 to 1984. Before his NFL career, Nelms played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Baylor Bears.
College career
Nelms began his college career at Sam Houston State in 1973.{{cite web|url=http://www.fanbase.com/Mike-Nelms |title=Mike Nelms athletic career, photos, articles, and videos | Fanbase |access-date=2011-08-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141004202253/http://www.fanbase.com/Mike-Nelms |archive-date=2014-10-04 }} He then transferred to Baylor University, where he played for the Bears under head coach Grant Taeff. Nelms played defensive back in college and also returned kicks on occasion. During his college career at Baylor, he only returned a handful of kicks, but he did have one interception {{cite web| url = https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/mike-nelms-1.html| title = Mike Nelms College Stats {{!}} College Football at Sports-Reference.com}}
Professional career
Nelms began his professional career after being drafted by the Buffalo Bills. He was the last cut in training camp.{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/?noadc=1|title=FindArticles.com - CBSi|website=Findarticles.com|access-date=14 February 2019}} He then signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL in 1977.{{cite web|url=http://www.htcaa.ca/history-rosters.asp?roster%3DHAM |title=Hamilton Tiger-Cats Alumni Association |access-date=2011-01-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151010011339/http://www.htcaa.ca/history-rosters.asp?roster=HAM |archive-date=2015-10-10 }} Later that year, he was optioned to the Ottawa Rough Riders.{{cite web|url=http://capitalregionfootball.info/Rider_Player_DB.php |title=Rough Riders Player Database |access-date=2011-08-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006002125/http://capitalregionfootball.info/Rider_Player_DB.php |archive-date=2011-10-06 }}
Nelms was a three-time Pro Bowler in 1980, 1981 and 1982. He led the NFL in yards per kickoff return twice (1981, 1982) and was the Redskins starting punt returner in Super Bowl XVII. In Super Bowl XVII, he returned six punts for 52 yards, both Super Bowl records, along with two kickoff returns for 44 yards.
Nelms finished his five seasons with 175 kickoff returns for 4,128 yards, 212 punt returns for 1,948 yards and two touchdowns, and one interception in 68 games. Nelms earned his interception in a 30–17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and the expense of 49ers quarterback Joe Montana.{{cite web| url = https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198110040was.htm| title = San Francisco 49ers at Washington Redskins - October 4th, 1981 {{!}} Pro-Football-Reference.com| website = Pro-Football-Reference.com}}
After football
Mike formerly owned Champion Chevrolet Toyota in Culpeper, Virginia.{{cite web|url=https://www.merchantcircle.com/mike-nelms-champion-toyota-culpeper-va|title=Mike Nelms Champion Toyota|website=Merchantcircle.com|access-date=14 February 2019}} His son, Kirkland, received a scholarship to play at University of Massachusetts Amherst.{{Cite web |url=http://www.hailmagazine.com/archives/1063 |title=Where Are They Now – Mike Nelms |access-date=2011-08-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331120940/http://www.hailmagazine.com/archives/1063 |archive-date=2012-03-31 |url-status=dead }} Nelms also has three daughters, who each went on to play collegiate athletics, including Kurstin Nelms, who ran track for Columbia University.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=20040325&id=Y_EyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rAgGAAAAIBAJ&pg=2832,6330394|title=The Free Lance-Star - Google News Archive Search|website=News.google.com|access-date=14 February 2019}}
In 2017, Mike Nelms was inducted into the D.C. Sports Hall of Fame. He joined Redskins legends Mark Moseley, Art Monk, Chris Hanburger, Ken Houston, Darrell Green, and Russ Grimm. Other members of the hall include Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky, Tony Kornheiser, and former Capitals play-by-play announcer Ron Weber.{{cite web | url=https://www.redskins.com/news/mike-nelms-will-be-inducted-into-d-c-sports-hall-of-fame-18718435 | title=Mike Nelms Will be Inducted into D.C. Sports Hall of Fame }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NelmMi00.htm|title=Mike Nelms Stats|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=14 February 2019}}
- {{cite web|url=http://www.fanbase.com/Mike-Nelms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141004202253/http://www.fanbase.com/Mike-Nelms|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 October 2014|title=Mike Nelms athletic career, photos, articles, and videos - Fanbase|date=4 October 2014|access-date=14 February 2019}}
{{Bills1977DraftPicks}}
{{Super Bowl XVII}}
{{NFL1980s}}
{{Washington Commanders greatest players}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelms, Mike}}
Category:American football safeties
Category:American football return specialists
Category:Washington Redskins players
Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players
Category:Hamilton Tiger-Cats players
Category:Ottawa Rough Riders players
Category:Canadian football defensive backs