Date of birth | 1956 |
---|---|
Place of birth | Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany |
Career information | |
Position(s) | Defensive back |
College | Richmond |
NFL draft | 1979 / Round: 4 / Pick: 87 |
Career history | |
As player | |
1979–1984 | Buffalo Bills |
Career stats | |
|
Jeffrey Allen Nixon (born October 13, 1956) is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He played college football at the University of Richmond, and was recognized as an All-American. He played professionally for the NFL's Buffalo Bills.
Nixon was born in Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany. He attended Gar-Field Senior High School in Prince William County, Virginia.
Nixon attended the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia, where he played for the Richmond Spiders football team from 1975 to 1978. As a senior in 1978, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American. Nixon recorded twenty-three interceptions and remains seventh in career interceptions in NCAA Division I-A history.
The Buffalo Bills chose Nixon in the fourth round (eighty-seventh pick overall) of the 1979 NFL Draft, and he played for the Bills from 1979 to 1984. He led the team with six interceptions in his rookie year. In 1980, he was the Sports Illustrated Defensive Player of the Month for September. He set a club record with four takeaways in one game (three interceptions, one fumble recovery) versus the Miami Dolphins in 1980 to help the Bills snap a 20-game losing streak against Miami. Nixon suffered a career-ending knee injury in 1984.
Nixon appeared on the 1984 College Football All-America Team with Bob Hope