Jordy R. Nelson is a retired American footballer. The athlete played American football at Kansas State University (KSU). He was a second-round pick of Green Bay in the 2008 NFL Draft, gaining All-American honors. During his time with the Green Bay Packers (GBP), he and his team went on to triumph in Super Bowl XLV vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2010 season. J. Nelson revealed his retirement after one season with the Oakland Raiders and ten seasons with the GBP. Read more at i-manhattan.
Let’s find out more about how the son of four generations of farmers became a sports star inducted into the GBP Hall of Fame in 2023. You’ll also learn about Nelson’s personal life and his numerous injuries.
Childhood and early life of a future athlete
J. Nelson was born on May 31, 1985, in Manhattan, Kansas. He spent his childhood in a farm family. His great-great-grandfather, who emigrated from Sweden, founded the family’s agricultural business. The farm has belonged to the Nelson family for four generations. Kim and Alan Nelson, his parents, were seasoned KSU football fans.
Although J. Nelson himself saw his future in agriculture rather than American football, you will never see this remarkable individual driving a tractor in the field or tending to a flock of sheep. He will now forever be known as one of the all-time greats in NFL history. He will also be credited with helping the GBP triumph in Super Bowl XLV.
Jordy Nelson went to high school in Riley County, Kansas. He also played football for the Atlanta Falcons. Already in high school, Nelson achieved unprecedented results in the game. He performed 62% of passes for 1,029 yd and eight TD. The Manhattan Mercury honored the footballer as the Flint Hills Player of the Year.
[Photo source: social media.]
In 2003, he was involved in the Kansas Shrine Bowl. Nelson was also active in basketball, averaging 17.2 points/game in high school. He can be considered as an accomplished track and field athlete as well. He triumphed in the AAU national championship in the 400 m at the age of 10.
As a young man, Nelson demonstrated incredible athletic prowess. In 2003, he took the Class 3A state title in the 100 m with a time of 10.63 s as a senior at Riley County High School (RCHS). He ran the 400-m dash in 48.79 s, the 200-m dash in 21.64 s and the long jump in 7.00 m.
Nelson was the third RCHS player to make it to the NFL, jointly with H. Hanson and J. McGraw.
College and career advancement
Upon graduation from high school, Nelson pursued his studies at KSU. He was with the Wildcats football team from 2003-2005, coached by Bill Snyder. Nelson kicked off his career at KSU. The man spent his first redshirt season as a member of the 2003 Big 12 Wildcats championship team.
In 2004, the team’s coach put the footballer in the wide receiver position. But this did not affect his stats in the Wildcats’ 4-7 season in 2004.
His freshman year, as well as the first half of his sophomore year, turned out to be a forgotten story until J. Nelson began to influence the team’s play with a number of brilliant stats.
[Photo source: social media.]
As a senior, the player emerged as one of the top receivers in the country. By the end of that season, he had 122 catches for 1,606 yd and 11 TD. Later, he was acknowledged as a finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award (presented annually by the TQC Foundation to the most prominent receiver in America) and got All-American honors.
In the 2008 NFL Draft, J. Nelson was a pick of GBP in the second round, 36th overall, and the rest went down in history.
History and injuries of the athlete
Nelson got his first injury in college. It was a posterior cruciate ligament injury in 2006. After entering the NFL in 2008, he developed a strain in his medial collateral ligament that forced him to miss three games. He recovered quickly and was able to put the injury behind him for four years of rehabilitation until he developed knee joint and knee problems.
On October 24, 2012, the footballer was injured with a sprained hip. A few weeks later, on November 4, 2012, he sprained his right ankle. Then, on December 2, 2012, he suffered another hip sprain. A series of serious injuries resulted in the athlete missing four games and most of the two games in which he sustained these injuries.
[Jordy Nelson (pictured left) with a fan. Photo source: social media.]
In August 2013, J. Nelson underwent arthroscopic surgery for an unspecified knee injury. He went on to miss the preseason but recovered fully to participate in Week 1. A year later, in August 2014, the footballer suffered another hip injury, causing him to miss the preseason again. In the 2015 offseason, he underwent surgery for his left hip injury and recovered, making it possible to return to training camp. However, luck was not on his side when he tore his right anterior cruciate ligament in the team’s second preseason game. This led to him missing the whole season, including the following 2016 preseason.
After a long pause in sports competitions, his next injuries were a chest fracture on January 8, 2017 and a left shoulder injury on December 23, 2017.
Personal life of the athlete
J. Nelson is married to his longtime sweetheart, Emily Nelson (née Rothlisberger), a former college basketball star who, after retiring from sports, changed her career path and works as a kindergarten teacher at Green Bay’s Fort Howard Elementary School.
The couple married in 2007 after a long period of courtship and dating. According to Nelson, he and his wife have known each other all their lives, having grown up in the same town in Kansas and attended the same schools since kindergarten. The first time the young lovers started dating, the couple was in their first year of high school. But there was no happy ending to the story, as they broke up a year later. However, a few years later, in his first year of high school, Nelson saw his future wife for the second time, and the rest is history.
[Photo source: social media.]
During the years of happy family life, the couple were blessed with sons (Brooks and Royal). They also have a foster child named Adda Joe.
Facts about the athlete
- The birth name is Jordy Ray Nelson.
- Born on May 31, 1985 in Manhattan, KS.
- Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m).
- Weight: 217 lb (98 kg).
- Education: RCHS, KSU.
- He became a frequent target of star quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
- After a banner 2011 season, he extended his contract with the GBP for $13 million.
- He was tabbed the AP Comeback Player of the Year for the 2016-2017 season.
- He garnered All-American honors in his senior season at KSU.
- After 11 seasons, he declared his retirement on March 27, 2019.
- On August 4, 2019, he signed a 1-day release agreement with the GBP.