Professional career

Nelson was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the 1st round (7th overall) in 1982 NFL Draft after graduating from Stanford University. He spent eight seasons with the Vikings; 1982-1989, before going to the San Diego Chargers. Nelson would spend the final nine games of the 1989 season and the entire 1990 season with the Chargers. Following his year and a half away from the Vikings, Nelson returned to the team in 1991 and stayed there for the final two years of his career, 1991-1992.

Nelson was actually traded from the Vikings to the Cowboys as part of the infamous Herschel Walker Trade in 1989. However, after refusing to report to Dallas, he was subsequently traded to the San Diego Chargers for a fifth round draft choice.

As a running back, Nelson was a threat as both a runner and as receiver out of the backfield, though he is perhaps best known for dropping the game-tying touchdown on 4th down in the closing moments of the 1987 NFC Championship Game. For his career, Nelson rushed for 4,442 yards, caught 286 passes for 2,559 yards and scored 23 touchdowns (18 rushing and 5 receiving) in 152 games. Nelson worked as a Senior Associate Athletic Director - External Relations/Development for his alma mater, Stanford University. He now works in a similar capacity at UC Irvine. He attended Pius X High School, Downey, California. Nelson was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014. Nelson was the first running back in college football history to rush for 1,000 yards and catch 50 passes in the same season; he accomplished this feat three times in his college career.

Career stats

NCAA Collegiate Career Statistics
Stanford Cardinal
Season	Rushing					Receiving
	Att	Yards	AVG	TD	Long	Catches	Yards	YPC Avg.	TDs
1977	183	1,069	5.8	3	0	50	524	10.6	3
1978	167	1,061	6.4	6	0	50	446	8.9	4
1979	Did Not Play - Injured
1980	161	889	5.5	4	40	47	552	11.7	4
1981	192	1,014	5.3	11	0	67	846	12.6	5
NCAA Career Totals	703	4,033	5.7	24	40	214	2,368	11.1	16

NFL Career Statistics
Minnesota Vikings
Season	Rushing						Receiving
	Games	Att	Rush Yds	AVG	TD	Long	Catches	Rcvg YDS	YPC	TD	Long
1982	7	44	136	3.1	0	18	9	100	11.1	0	22
1983	15	154	642	4.2	1	56T	51	618	12.1	0	68
1984	15	80	406	5.1	3	39	27	162	6.0	0	17
1985	16	200	893	4.5	5	37	43	301	7.0	1	25T
1986	16	191	793	4.2	4	42	53	593	11.2	1	34
1987	10	131	642	4.9	2	72	26	129	5.0	3	13
1988	13	112	380	3.4	1	27	16	105	6.6	0	27
1989	5	31	124	4.0	0	0	24	52	7.4	0	7
San Diego Chargers
1989	9	36	197	5.5	0	28	31	328	10.6	0	49
1990	14	3	14	4.7	0	5	4	29	7.3	0	10
Minnesota Vikings
1991	16	28	210	7.5	2	29	19	142	7.5	0	13
1992	16	10	5	0.5	--	9	--	--	--	--	--
NFL Career Totals	152	1,020	4,442	4.4	18	72	286	2,559	8.9	5	68

Life After Football

In 2011, Nelson became the Senior Associate Athletic Director for the University of California.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]