Fred Nesser

{{Short description|American football player (1887–1967)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox gridiron football person

| name = Fred Nesser

| image =

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| caption =

| birth_date = September 10, 1887

| birth_place = Columbus, Ohio, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1967|07|02|1897|09|10}}

| death_place = Columbus, Ohio, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 5

| weight_lbs = 250

| position1 = End, Fullback, Tackle

| college = None

| PFR = NessFr21

| DatabaseFootball = NESSEFRE01

| playing_years1 = 1909–1921

| playing_team1 = Columbus Panhandles

| CFHOF =

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Frederick William Nesser (September 10, 1887 – July 2, 1967){{cite book|last=Willis|first=Chris|title=The Columbus Panhandles: A Complete History of Pro Football's Toughest Team, 1900–1922|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ldLYAQAAQBAJ|chapter=Fred Nesser|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ldLYAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA230|publisher=The Scarecrow Press|year=2007|isbn=978-0-8108-5893-0|pages=230–232}} was a professional American football player in the "Ohio League" and the early National Football League (NFL) for the Columbus Panhandles. He was also a member of the Nesser Brothers, a group consisting of seven brothers who made-up the most famous football family in the United States from 1907 until the mid-1920s. He was the tallest and biggest of the football-playing brothers at six feet five inches and 250 pounds. He played mostly tackle or end, but sometimes he lined up in the backfield, to provide blocking.

Fred also was a professional boxer and a legitimate contender for the heavyweight title, held by Jess Willard. However, in 1915, a broken wrist ended his boxing career.

Around 1987 Fred's daughter, Vera, tried to get the city of Columbus to name a street for the Nesser Brothers. Her request was turned down.