Check out our series highlighting new 2021 player signings for the Houston Texans.
Get to know linebacker Hardy Nickerson, signed as an unrestricted free agent on March 22, 2021.
Name: Hardy Nickerson
Position: Linebacker
Height, Weight: 6-0, 235
Hometown: Oakland, California
School: Illinois
Get to know Hardy:
- In 2021, Nickerson will be reunited with Texans Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Lovie Smith. Nickerson played for Smith when he was the Head Coach at Illinois.
- Nickerson played one season (2016) at Illinois after transferring from the University of California – Berkeley where he played three years (2013-15). He earned an All-Big Ten Honorable mention selection after starting all 12 games and leading the team with 107 tackles (38 solo).
- His dad is four-time All-Pro NFL linebacker Hardy Nickerson Sr. who also played for Lovie Smith when he was his position coach at Tampa Bay. Nickerson Sr. also coached under Smith when he was the Linebackers Coach for the Chicago Bears and was the Defensive Coordinator at Illinois.
- Nickerson played his first football game at the age of eight at Lambeau Field as a member of a Green Bay Pop Warner team.
- Nickerson played three seasons in Cincinnati (2017-2019) before signing with the Minnesota Vikings as a free agent in 2020. In his four NFL seasons, Nickerson has tallied 80 tackles (56 solo), one tackle for loss, one interception, three passes defensed, one forced fumble on defense and two forced fumbles on special teams through 51 games with 11 starts.
- On Christmas Day last year, Nickerson recorded his first career interception when he picked off Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Then in Week 17 at Detroit, he forced his second fumble of the season on special teams.
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The Houston Texans roster in photos. (Updated 4/8/2021)
TE, Jordan Akins, #88
DL, Auzoyah Alufohai, #98
DB, Cornell Armstrong, #30
OL, Beau Benzschawel, #62
DL, Ross Blacklock, #90
OL, Justin Britt
DB, Terrence Brooks
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
OL, Cohl Cabral, #72
OL, Marcus Cannon
WR, Randall Cobb, #18
DL, Maliek Collins
WR, Chris Conley
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
WR, Isaiah Coulter, #82
WR, Keke Coutee, #16
DB, Keion Crossen, #35
LB, Zach Cunningham, #41
LB, Tae Davis
DL, Brandon Dunn, #92
LB, Duke Ejiofor, #53
WR, Alex Erickson
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
QB, Ryan Finley
OL, Hjalte Froholdt, #77
LB, Jonathan Greenard, #52
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill
LB, Nate Hall, #48
DB, Vernon Hargreaves III, #26
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
RB, Dontrell Hilliard, #27
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
RB, Buddy Howell, #38
RB, Mark Ingram
TE, Ryan Izzo
LB, Jordan Jenkins
RB, David Johnson, #31
DL, Jaleel Johnson
DB, Lonnie Johnson Jr., #32
P, Cameron Johnston
DB, Desmond King
LB, Christian Kirksey
DL, Shaq Lawson
RB, Phillip Lindsay
LB, Jacob Martin, #54
OL, Justin McCray
LB, Whitney Mercilus, #59
WR, Steven Mitchell Jr., #11
DB, Terrance Mitchell
WR, Donte Moncrief
DB, A.J. Moore Jr., #33
WR, Chris Moore
DB, Eric Murray, #23
LB, Hardy Nickerson
DL, Charles Omenihu, #94
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
LB, Kevin Pierre-Louis
RB, Scottie Phillips, #40
TE, Paul Quessenberry
DB, John Reid, #34
DB, Justin Reid, #20
DL, Derek Rivers
WR, Andre Roberts
DB, Bradley Roby, #21
OL, Max Scharping, #74
DB, Tremon Smith
OL, Jordan Steckler
QB, Tyrod Taylor
DL, Vincent Taylor
LB, Joe Thomas
DB, Tavierre Thomas
OL, Cole Toner
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
TE, Kahale Warring, #81
QB, Deshaun Watson, #4
LS, Jon Weeks #46
