Hardy Nickerson

Infobox NFLretired


|caption=
position=Linebacker
number=54, 56
birthdate=birth date and age|1965|9|1
Compton, California
debutyear=1987
finalyear=2002
draftyear=1987
draftround=5
draftpick=122
college=California
teams=As Player
* Pittsburgh Steelers (1987-1992)
* Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993-1999)
* Jacksonville Jaguars (2000-2001)
* Green Bay Packers (2002)As Coach
* Chicago Bears (2007)
stat1label=Tackles
stat1value=1,586
stat2label=Sacks
stat2value=21
stat3label=Interceptions
stat3value=12
nfl=NIC658720
highlights=
* 5x Pro Bowl selection (1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999)
* NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
HOF=
CollegeHOF=

Hardy Otto Nickerson (born September 1, 1965 in Compton, California) is a former American football linebacker who played 16 seasons for four teams from 1987 to 2002 in the National Football League. He attended Verbum Dei High School, a Catholic school located in Watts, California. He earned a BA degree in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1989. Nickerson spent the prime of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tony Dungy moved Nickerson to the middle in his 4-3 defensive alignment, sending Nickerson to five Pro Bowls [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NickHa00.htm] and joining the NFL's 1990s All-Decade Team.

In 2006 Nickerson became the color analyst for the Buccaneer Radio Network, teaming him with the long time veteran play-by-play man Gene Deckerhoff.

He is known by many people as Hardy "The Dragon" Nickerson. On February 23, 2007 he was named linebackers coach of the Chicago Bears, where he coached for his former position coach, Lovie Smith. On January 8, 2008 he resigned from the Bears due to health issues within his family. [http://www.chicagobears.com/news/ChalkTalkStory.asp?story_id=4268] [http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=4265]