| Date of birth: | October 25, 1954 |
| Place of birth: | Provo, Utah |
| Career information | |
|---|---|
| Position(s): | Quarterback |
| College: | Brigham Young |
| NFL Draft: | 1978 / Round: 3 / Pick 73 |
| Organizations | |
| As player: | |
| 1978-1983 | Houston Oilers |
| Playing stats at NFL.com | |
| College Football Hall of Fame | |
Gifford Nielsen (born Stanley Gifford Nielsen) is a former NFL quarterback who played for the Houston Oilers. He announced his retirement as the sports director of KHOU-TV in Houston, TX, on March 30, 2009. His last newscast was Tuesday, March 31, 2009.[1]
Contents |
Gifford grew up in Provo, Utah and attended Provo High School, playing as the schools quarterback before graduating and going across the street to BYU.
Gifford was an All-American quarterback at Brigham Young University (BYU) under head coach LaVell Edwards.
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
Nielsen was selected in the third round of the 1978 NFL draft by the Houston Oilers, the team with which he spent his entire NFL career. Nielsen played six seasons as a part-time quarterback. He served as backup to Dan Pastorini in 1978-79 and to Ken Stabler in 1980-81. He played the most games in his last two seasons, 1982-83, when he shared quarterbacking duties with Archie Manning and Oliver Luck. From 1984-87, he served as a color commentator on Oilers radio broadcasts.
Gifford Nielsen served as President of the Houston Texas South Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He held that calling since 2009, but was recently called as an Area Seventy.
Giff Nielsen was the master of ceremonies at the "100 years of scouting" celebration at Minute Maid Park in Texas.
|
|
|||||
|
|||||