Nick Hardwick (American football)

Nick Hardwick

Hardwick during a game in November, 2012.
No. 61
Position:	Center
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1981-09-02) September 2, 1981 (age 35)
Place of birth:	Franklin, Indiana
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	305 lb (138 kg)
Career information
High school:	Indianapolis (IN) Lawrence North
College:	Purdue
NFL Draft:	2004 / Round: 3 / Pick: 66
Career history
San Diego Chargers (2004–2014)
Career highlights and awards
Pro Bowl (2006) San Diego Chargers 50th Anniversary Team
Career NFL statistics
Games started: 136 Games played: 136 Player stats at NFL.com

Nicholas Adam "Nick" Hardwick (born September 2, 1981) is retired American football center who played for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Chargers in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft, and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2006. He played college football for Purdue. As of 2016, Hardwick serves as the color analyst on Chargers radio broadcasts.

Hardwick attended at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. Unlike most of his peers, he did not play high school football, having "ditched" the sport in the ninth grade. He was a three-year varsity letterman in wrestling and won a state championship.

Hardwick was a sophomore economics major at Purdue University when his future San Diego Chargers teammate Drew Brees led the Boilermakers to the 2001 Rose Bowl. Inspired, he joined the football team as a walk-on, initially playing as a defensive tackle. The next year, he became the team’s starting center and earned all-Big Ten honors. During his senior year, his starting quarterback was Kyle Orton, who was drafted the following year.