Kent Nix

NFL player


Name=Kent Nix
DateOfBirth=birth date and age|1944|03|12
Birthplace= Corpus Christi, Texas
DateofDeath=
Position=Quarterback
College=Texas Christian
DraftedYear=1966
DraftedRound=
Stats=Y
DatabaseFootball=NIXKEN01
PFR=NixxKe00
years=1967-1969
1970-1971
1972
teams=Pittsburgh Steelers
Chicago Bears
Houston Oilers
ProBowls=

Kent Nix (born March 12, 1944 in Corpus Christi, Texas) is a former professional American football quarterback in the NFL. Nix played football collegiately at Texas Christian University (TCU). He is the son of Emery Nix, New York Giants quarterback who played for the Giants in 1943 and 1946. ["Lombardi Confirms Starr's Injury", New York Times, October 6, 1967, Page 46.]

Texas Christian quarterback

Nix helped TCU to an upset of Baylor University in October 1964. He passed 4 yards to Joe Ball for the first score in a 17-14 win at Fort Worth, Texas. ["Baylor Bows, 17-14 To Texas Christian", New York Times, November 1, 1964, Page S5.] He led the Horned Frogs on four long scoring drives as a senior quarterback to defeat Baylor in Waco, Texas, the following October. Nix hit on five consecutive passes during a 79 yard drive for a touchdown, in the second quarter. TCU won on a field goal by Bruce Alford in the third period. ["Baylor Is Upset By T.C.U., 10-7", New York Times, October 31, 1965, Page S3.] Nix tied a Southwest Conference record with 4 touchdown passes of 31, 24, 12, and 15 yards, versus Rice University, in November 1965. He also scored on a one yard plunge to give Texas Christian a 42-14 halftime lead. His first two touchdown passes came in the first ninety-three seconds following Rice fumbles. Nix was bothered for much of his collegiate career by a knee injury. ["Texas Christian Routs Rice, 42-14", New York Times, November 21, 1965, Page S6.]

Green Bay Packers (1966)

Nix was cut by the Green Bay Packers on August 2, 1966. ["Football Roster Trims", New York Times, August 3, 1966, Page 33.] He passed through waivers but was retained on the Packers' taxi squad for the remainder of the 1966 season. ["3 Regulars Back For Pittsburgh", New York Times, October 15, 1967, Page 208.] After clearing waivers Nix became a free agent."Giants Dire Need: A Back-Up Passer Who Knows Score", New York Times, November 7, 1966, Page 67.]

Pittsburgh Steelers (1967 "-" 1969)

He got his first chance to play in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers in September 1967. The Steelers regular quarterback, Bill Nelsen, had an injury to his right knee. Nix was the only other quarterback on the roster. ["Lombardi Still Thinks Packers Are Great", New York Times, September 26, 1967, Page 59.] He made his debut against the Philadelphia Eagles. ["Snell Faces Surgery Today", New York Times, September 29, 1967, Page 58.] Nix connected on an 18-yard pass to J.R. Wilburn to tie the score, 24-24, midway through the fourth quarter. The Steelers lost in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 34-24. ["Eagles Down Steelers, 34-24", October 2, 1967, Page 66.] Nix completed 23 of 34 passes against the Cleveland Browns for 218 yards and one touchdown, in October 1967. Split end Dick Compton caught ten of his passes. ["Larson of Giants Is Vindicated Of Elbowing Charge by Films", New York Times, October 10, 1967, Page 61.] Nix hit rookie Steelers' running back, Don Shy, for a 27 yard touchdown in a loss to the Giants at Pittsburgh, on October 15. ["Double Reverse-and-Pass Clicks For Winning Score", New York Times, October 16, 1967, Page 62.]

Tom Landry called Nix the best rookie quarterback he had seen inten years. ["Ryan, Quarterback of Browns, Just Passes Off His Injuries", October 27, 1967, Page 57.] Nix guided the Steelers to a 24-14 triumph against the Detroit Lions on December 3. He handed off to Shy for two one yard touchdowns to cap drives of 80 and 64 yards in the first and second quarters. He fooled the Lions' defense by passing often on first and second down. Most significantly Nix found swift J.R. Wilburn for a 67 yard touchdown with 1:49 remaining in the second quarter. ["Nix Baffles Lions, Steelers Win, 24-14", New York Times, December 4, 1967, Page 86.] Heled the Steelers on a 78 yard drive, completed by a Nix to John Hilton 3 yard touchdown pass, which gave Pittsburgh a temporary 10-9 lead against the Washington Redskins. During the drive at Pittsburgh on December 10, Wilburn caught four passes for fifty-five yards. ["Redskins Beat Steelers, 15-10", New York Times, December 11, 1967, Page 71.]

The Steelers waived Nix in the summer of 1970. He was given a brief trial with the Minnesota Vikings, prior to being released by them."Winning Strategy: Nix in Last Minute", Los Angeles Times, October 2, 1971, Page C2.]

Chicago Bears (1970 "-" 1971)

Nix signed with the Bears and spent the 1970 season on the taxi squad. He rallied the Bears in the fourth quarter for a second straight week, coming from behind to upset the Vikings, 20-17, in September 1971. He threw touchdown passes of 36 and 26 yards to Dick Gordon in Minneapolis. The latter pass found Gordon in the end zone with 1:42 remaining in the game. Bears starting quarterback, Jack Concannon, was knocked out of the game on a hit by Carl Eller. ["Bears Stun Vikings With 20-17 Victory", Los Angeles Times, September 27, 1971, Page D1.]

Nix started his first game since 1968 in a 35-14 beating of the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Field. He threw touchdown passes of 25 and 35 yards to Bob Wallace and Gordon. Overall he completed 14 of 24 passes for 242 yards. ["Nix Gets Chance, Leads Bears to 35-14 Victory", Los Angeles Times, October 11, 1971,Page D6.]

The Bears waived Nix on September 13, 1972. ["Football Transactions", New York Times, September 14, 1972, Page 63.] In March 1974 Nix filed suit against the Bears, charging they had misdiagnosed a November 1971 hand injury as a "sprained wrist". He asked for more than $10,000. Nix had continued playing following the preliminary diagnosis. In his lawsuit he claimed that the injury was aggravated. A later diagnosis stated that the injurywas "a rupture of both tendons of the index finger of the right hand." ["People in Sports", New York Times, March 22, 1974, Page 46.]

Houston Oilers (1972)

The Houston Oilers signed him to their taxi squad on September 21. ["Football Transactions", New York Times, September 22, 1972, Page 53.] Houston traded Nix along with Ron Billingsley to the New Orleans Saints for Dave Parks, Tom Stincic, and Edd Hargett. ["Football Transactions", New York Times, March 23, 1973, Page 80]

References