SE: Q&A with Jordy Nelson: Football, Public Speaking, Retired Life and Tailgating
Aug 26, 2019 | Football, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Jordy Nelson is looking forward to this Saturday.
For the first time in quite a while, fall means freedom for the former K-State All-American. Not work, in the form of playing football. Now, he can watch it as a fan. He'll be in the stands when K-State opens its season against Nicholls on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Nelson, after 11 seasons in the NFL, announced his retirement in March. He signed a one-day contract to retire a Green Bay Packer and, on August 6, returned to his NFL home for 10 of those years for a formal retirement press conference.
Standing in front of reporters, his professional career flashed before him.
The highlights, from his breakout performance in Green Bay's Super Bowl XLV win to the countless back-shoulder catches from Aaron Rodgers. The seasons, from his franchise-record 1,519 yards receiving in 2014 to his return from an ACL injury in 2016, when he was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
It was a lot to take in.
Still, with three children, including two boys Royal and Brooks, and a girl in Adda Jo, the time was right for Nelson to hang up his cleats. Nelson, his wife, Emily, and their family returned to his roots in Riley County, where he plans to farm and soak up being a football fan again.
That starts with K-State, where Nelson still ranks in the top three of more than 15 different receiving categories. A couple of weeks ago, the 34-year-old even got the opportunity to speak to K-State's team.
Nelson also spoke with K-State Sports Extra about that experience, his retirement and what's next for him in life.
SE: What was it like for you to speak to the team in that way?
JN: A little different. It's weird to be that old to come back and address them. But it was good. It was good to be back in there. I hadn't been in (the Vanier Family Football Complex) for a while, and to finally meet Coach Klieman face to face, I'd talked to him on the phone, but it was nice to get to meet him face to face.
SE: What were your impressions of Coach Klieman and the staff, of those you got to meet?
JN: It was good. We sat down at the end. He was very easy to talk to. It seemed like he's wanting to do some things, I would say, with the new staff and new team, and everyone's trying to gel together. We got a feel for one another and, obviously, he's going through the training camp grind, but it was good. I think he's got a good vision with what he's wanting to do and I'm excited to see what the future holds.
JN: Well, they asked me to talk about my time at K-State, what it meant. So, my main message was (about) making the most of your opportunity. Obviously, coming from Riley County (High School) and walking on to K-State, all I wanted was an opportunity and a chance to play, and I was able to make the most of those opportunities. Especially when they changed my position and moved me to receiver, it was kind of like a new chance and a new opportunity. I took it and ran with it. Through all my years, whether it's been high school, college and the NFL, you hear it all the time about guys complaining that they don't ever get a chance, they don't ever get an opportunity. So, I just wanted to stress to those guys that any chance you have, if it's in a meeting room, walk through or practice, that's your opportunity. Then, it will snowball from there. I just tried to stress that and stress the importance of every aspect of the day that they go through…if it's in meetings and answering questions from coaches, if you're able to do that confidently and quickly, then they know you know what you're doing and then they'll put you in a walk through. Then, once you show it out there, then it goes to the practice field. Then, when the games kick in, if you get one play or 70 plays, you make the most of those and you'll get more and more opportunities.
SE: I also heard you're going to help host a K-State Gameday pregame show in the future. Is public speaking going to be part the next phase of your career?
JN: (laughs) Probably not, probably not. I enjoy talking a little bit, answering people's questions, but I've yet to get into the whole role of motivational speaker by any means.
SE: Shifting to your retirement from football, just how did you come about that decision? What were the factors that led you to it?
JN: A lot of the decision to retire was just based on the time of my career and where we are as a family. Leaving Oakland and having to move around, if it was to go to Seattle, who was very aggressive in the recruiting process during my free agency this last time and the first time, and then not knowing how long that would be, and then if we'd be willing to go somewhere else and then somewhere else. Just with where we are as a family and our oldest going into fourth grade, I just felt like it was time, from that aspect, to move back home. Also, my body and, mentally, I think I've had enough football. My body still feels good, but there were points where it was taking longer to recover from games and practices and doing more and more treatment to get ready to play on Sunday. I think I enjoyed our time. We've gotten in and out and healthy and had a lot of memories and created a lot of friends, so it just seemed like it fit right to be done and be back home.
SE: Have you had a chance to reflect on your football career in its totality, in its whole, and reflect on the success you had?
JN: I don't think about it too much. I think when I went up to Green Bay in the beginning of August and did a little press conference there, some of the questions they asked forced me to. It's just surreal what the opportunity…like I said there, I played 11 years longer than what I ever thought I would. Then, the success we had within those 11 years, I think myself and even my family, definitely my wife, were a little naïve to the success we had and where we were, especially in the prime of my career as one of the top players in this game. Some of my seasons rank as some of the best in history, so we did some fun things. It was a cool experience, but I don't sit around every day looking at my scrapbook of stats and pictures and highlights.
SE: When you were going through that press conference, what were some of those memories that really flashed through your mind?
JN: A lot of them were certain plays or moments with the guys. Everyone preaches it when you're young, 'Enjoy the guys because that's what you'll miss the most,' and that's definitely the truth. I experienced that my last year being in Oakland and not being around the guys in Green Bay that I had been around the last 10 years. So, it was a good transition into retirement because it all didn't happen at once. But, just different experiences in the game. Obviously, winning the Super Bowl, some of the plays that Aaron and I were able to make that obviously stick out to us. But then, just the stories, the inside jokes honestly that you really can't tell because no one's going to get them besides the guys in our receiver room. Those are the things, to this day, that will come up in a text message or forever be part of our time when we get together.
SE: Can you describe what it meant to retire as a Packer?
JN: I think, obviously, after 10 years of being there, it was incredible to be part of that history. Being able to win a Super Bowl and cement our part in the history of that organization, it was humbling and honoring. To be able to go back and kind of finish it where we started with the little retirement thing, it was just fitting. I didn't realize it was that big of a deal until I talked to some random fans when I was up there in Green Bay in May and saw how excited they were, and they were wanting to know if that was going to happen. When I told them yes, they were all so excited, so I think as a player you lose (sight of) how important that is for fans to see their guys come back and finish where it starts and end everything on good terms.
SE: As someone who's been part of both K-State and Green Bay, would you draw any comparisons between the fan bases and organizations of those two?
JN: I would. And I did very early in my career. Not only the fan bases, but the towns — Green Bay not being very big, Manhattan not being very big. But when it's the weekend, it's about football, and you can tell the day after the game if they won or lost by how people's moods are. If it's at church on Sunday after a K-State game or a Monday at work or around town, people ride the rollercoaster, that's for sure, of the ups and downs of a season and a program. It's something we definitely enjoyed, and it was a perfect fit for us to go there and fit right in.
SE: So, what's next for Jordy Nelson? What do you have planned?
JN: For the most part, farming and being a fan. I look forward to coming to K-State games and watching them play. Tailgating is something I've missed for the last 16 years. I grew up going to K-State games and tailgating every Saturday, and I look forward to doing that again and coaching our kids as they get older and into different sports and helping out on the family farm.
SE: Is there a certain part of tailgating you're looking forward to? Is there a certain food you like at a tailgate?
JN: It'll be interesting to see what we end up doing: If we go all out or if we just keep to the snacks. I think it'll be a process to feel out. I know a lot of my friends go to K-State games, so if we all end up going, I don't know if they all will end up coming over and tailgating or what it will be. I think we'll just have to take it week by week and get a feel for it and see what we like best. With kids and everything, if it's easier to go just with snack food and get some stuff inside. It'll also depend on what time of day it is as well, but just hanging out there and being in that atmosphere, I did it when I came back for when I was able to go up in the Ring of Honor and they wanted us to do some stuff and I was, like, 'I really prefer just to tailgate.' And they let us do that. It was just fun to hang out and be in the parking lot and be in that atmosphere.
SE: I also heard you're building a house. Is that correct?
JN: We will be building a house. We are definitely here to stay and getting everyone settled in. We'll start that process this fall and hopefully get it done as soon as possible and get everyone situated and let these kids enjoy the fun years of being a kid and going through elementary school, grade school and high school and making those memories.
SE: How important was it to return to your roots and get back to home?
JN: Extremely important, not only for me but for our kids. I know they don't call this home. Like I said in our press conference, my oldest calls Green Bay home, which makes sense. He was born there and lived eight of his nine years there. But, for me, to get them back here in a rural setting and eventually out on the farm and working and building those characteristics of discipline and hard work and taking pride in what you're doing and responsibility and stuff like that that I think helped me be successful with football or anything else I would've ended up doing, if it wouldn't have been football. To me, it's such a great foundation to have for kids, especially now, in this day and age, with all the different things going on. It kind of keeps everything in perspective.
Jordy Nelson is looking forward to this Saturday.
For the first time in quite a while, fall means freedom for the former K-State All-American. Not work, in the form of playing football. Now, he can watch it as a fan. He'll be in the stands when K-State opens its season against Nicholls on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Nelson, after 11 seasons in the NFL, announced his retirement in March. He signed a one-day contract to retire a Green Bay Packer and, on August 6, returned to his NFL home for 10 of those years for a formal retirement press conference.
Standing in front of reporters, his professional career flashed before him.
The highlights, from his breakout performance in Green Bay's Super Bowl XLV win to the countless back-shoulder catches from Aaron Rodgers. The seasons, from his franchise-record 1,519 yards receiving in 2014 to his return from an ACL injury in 2016, when he was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
It was a lot to take in.
Still, with three children, including two boys Royal and Brooks, and a girl in Adda Jo, the time was right for Nelson to hang up his cleats. Nelson, his wife, Emily, and their family returned to his roots in Riley County, where he plans to farm and soak up being a football fan again.
That starts with K-State, where Nelson still ranks in the top three of more than 15 different receiving categories. A couple of weeks ago, the 34-year-old even got the opportunity to speak to K-State's team.
Nelson also spoke with K-State Sports Extra about that experience, his retirement and what's next for him in life.
SE: What was it like for you to speak to the team in that way?
JN: A little different. It's weird to be that old to come back and address them. But it was good. It was good to be back in there. I hadn't been in (the Vanier Family Football Complex) for a while, and to finally meet Coach Klieman face to face, I'd talked to him on the phone, but it was nice to get to meet him face to face.
SE: What were your impressions of Coach Klieman and the staff, of those you got to meet?
JN: It was good. We sat down at the end. He was very easy to talk to. It seemed like he's wanting to do some things, I would say, with the new staff and new team, and everyone's trying to gel together. We got a feel for one another and, obviously, he's going through the training camp grind, but it was good. I think he's got a good vision with what he's wanting to do and I'm excited to see what the future holds.
SE: What was your message to the team? What did you want them to take away from hearing you speak?Remember it like yesterday #tbt
— K-State Football (@KStateFB) August 15, 2019
Thanks to @JordyRNelson for visiting with the 'Cats last night#KStateFB ? Fall Camp '19 pic.twitter.com/bbtXunm0ip
JN: Well, they asked me to talk about my time at K-State, what it meant. So, my main message was (about) making the most of your opportunity. Obviously, coming from Riley County (High School) and walking on to K-State, all I wanted was an opportunity and a chance to play, and I was able to make the most of those opportunities. Especially when they changed my position and moved me to receiver, it was kind of like a new chance and a new opportunity. I took it and ran with it. Through all my years, whether it's been high school, college and the NFL, you hear it all the time about guys complaining that they don't ever get a chance, they don't ever get an opportunity. So, I just wanted to stress to those guys that any chance you have, if it's in a meeting room, walk through or practice, that's your opportunity. Then, it will snowball from there. I just tried to stress that and stress the importance of every aspect of the day that they go through…if it's in meetings and answering questions from coaches, if you're able to do that confidently and quickly, then they know you know what you're doing and then they'll put you in a walk through. Then, once you show it out there, then it goes to the practice field. Then, when the games kick in, if you get one play or 70 plays, you make the most of those and you'll get more and more opportunities.
SE: I also heard you're going to help host a K-State Gameday pregame show in the future. Is public speaking going to be part the next phase of your career?
JN: (laughs) Probably not, probably not. I enjoy talking a little bit, answering people's questions, but I've yet to get into the whole role of motivational speaker by any means.
SE: Shifting to your retirement from football, just how did you come about that decision? What were the factors that led you to it?
JN: A lot of the decision to retire was just based on the time of my career and where we are as a family. Leaving Oakland and having to move around, if it was to go to Seattle, who was very aggressive in the recruiting process during my free agency this last time and the first time, and then not knowing how long that would be, and then if we'd be willing to go somewhere else and then somewhere else. Just with where we are as a family and our oldest going into fourth grade, I just felt like it was time, from that aspect, to move back home. Also, my body and, mentally, I think I've had enough football. My body still feels good, but there were points where it was taking longer to recover from games and practices and doing more and more treatment to get ready to play on Sunday. I think I enjoyed our time. We've gotten in and out and healthy and had a lot of memories and created a lot of friends, so it just seemed like it fit right to be done and be back home.
SE: Have you had a chance to reflect on your football career in its totality, in its whole, and reflect on the success you had?
JN: I don't think about it too much. I think when I went up to Green Bay in the beginning of August and did a little press conference there, some of the questions they asked forced me to. It's just surreal what the opportunity…like I said there, I played 11 years longer than what I ever thought I would. Then, the success we had within those 11 years, I think myself and even my family, definitely my wife, were a little naïve to the success we had and where we were, especially in the prime of my career as one of the top players in this game. Some of my seasons rank as some of the best in history, so we did some fun things. It was a cool experience, but I don't sit around every day looking at my scrapbook of stats and pictures and highlights.
SE: When you were going through that press conference, what were some of those memories that really flashed through your mind?
JN: A lot of them were certain plays or moments with the guys. Everyone preaches it when you're young, 'Enjoy the guys because that's what you'll miss the most,' and that's definitely the truth. I experienced that my last year being in Oakland and not being around the guys in Green Bay that I had been around the last 10 years. So, it was a good transition into retirement because it all didn't happen at once. But, just different experiences in the game. Obviously, winning the Super Bowl, some of the plays that Aaron and I were able to make that obviously stick out to us. But then, just the stories, the inside jokes honestly that you really can't tell because no one's going to get them besides the guys in our receiver room. Those are the things, to this day, that will come up in a text message or forever be part of our time when we get together.
SE: Can you describe what it meant to retire as a Packer?
JN: I think, obviously, after 10 years of being there, it was incredible to be part of that history. Being able to win a Super Bowl and cement our part in the history of that organization, it was humbling and honoring. To be able to go back and kind of finish it where we started with the little retirement thing, it was just fitting. I didn't realize it was that big of a deal until I talked to some random fans when I was up there in Green Bay in May and saw how excited they were, and they were wanting to know if that was going to happen. When I told them yes, they were all so excited, so I think as a player you lose (sight of) how important that is for fans to see their guys come back and finish where it starts and end everything on good terms.
SE: As someone who's been part of both K-State and Green Bay, would you draw any comparisons between the fan bases and organizations of those two?
JN: I would. And I did very early in my career. Not only the fan bases, but the towns — Green Bay not being very big, Manhattan not being very big. But when it's the weekend, it's about football, and you can tell the day after the game if they won or lost by how people's moods are. If it's at church on Sunday after a K-State game or a Monday at work or around town, people ride the rollercoaster, that's for sure, of the ups and downs of a season and a program. It's something we definitely enjoyed, and it was a perfect fit for us to go there and fit right in.
SE: So, what's next for Jordy Nelson? What do you have planned?
JN: For the most part, farming and being a fan. I look forward to coming to K-State games and watching them play. Tailgating is something I've missed for the last 16 years. I grew up going to K-State games and tailgating every Saturday, and I look forward to doing that again and coaching our kids as they get older and into different sports and helping out on the family farm.
SE: Is there a certain part of tailgating you're looking forward to? Is there a certain food you like at a tailgate?
JN: It'll be interesting to see what we end up doing: If we go all out or if we just keep to the snacks. I think it'll be a process to feel out. I know a lot of my friends go to K-State games, so if we all end up going, I don't know if they all will end up coming over and tailgating or what it will be. I think we'll just have to take it week by week and get a feel for it and see what we like best. With kids and everything, if it's easier to go just with snack food and get some stuff inside. It'll also depend on what time of day it is as well, but just hanging out there and being in that atmosphere, I did it when I came back for when I was able to go up in the Ring of Honor and they wanted us to do some stuff and I was, like, 'I really prefer just to tailgate.' And they let us do that. It was just fun to hang out and be in the parking lot and be in that atmosphere.
SE: I also heard you're building a house. Is that correct?
JN: We will be building a house. We are definitely here to stay and getting everyone settled in. We'll start that process this fall and hopefully get it done as soon as possible and get everyone situated and let these kids enjoy the fun years of being a kid and going through elementary school, grade school and high school and making those memories.
SE: How important was it to return to your roots and get back to home?
JN: Extremely important, not only for me but for our kids. I know they don't call this home. Like I said in our press conference, my oldest calls Green Bay home, which makes sense. He was born there and lived eight of his nine years there. But, for me, to get them back here in a rural setting and eventually out on the farm and working and building those characteristics of discipline and hard work and taking pride in what you're doing and responsibility and stuff like that that I think helped me be successful with football or anything else I would've ended up doing, if it wouldn't have been football. To me, it's such a great foundation to have for kids, especially now, in this day and age, with all the different things going on. It kind of keeps everything in perspective.
K-State FB | Welcome back Collin Klein
Monday, December 08
K-State FB | Head Coach Collin Klein Radio Interview
Friday, December 05
K-State FB | Head Coach Collin Klein Official Introductory Event
Friday, December 05
K-State FB | Thank You Coach Klieman
Wednesday, December 03
