Jack Nelson

Jack "Jocko" Nelson (July 12, 1927 – November 19, 1978) was an American football coach. He coached football at Utah State University (1955–1957), the University of Colorado, the University of Michigan (1959–1965), Gustavus Adolphus College (1966–1970), and for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (1971–1978).

Early years Nelson was born in Minnesota in 1927. He grew up in Hibbing, Minnesota. He competed for Hibbing High School in basketball, football, track and baseball.

In April 1966, Nelson was named as the head football coach at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. He also held the title of associate professor of physical education at Gustavus Adophus. He remained as the head coach at Gustavus Adophus for five years from 1966 to 1970. In 1967 and 1968, his teams won Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships. He remained with the Vikings' coaching staff for eight years. From 1971 to 1978, he served as a special teams and linebackers coach for the Vikings. He helped lead the Vikings' Purple People Eaters defense to three Super Bowls in four years from 1974 to 1977.

In addition to his career as a football coach, Nelson also owned and operated Jocko's Clearwater Lodge & Canoe Outfitters starting in 1964. He died during the first quarter of the Vikings' game against the San Diego Chargers, and head coach Bud Grant learned of Nelson's death shortly before halftime. The team wore black armbands for the last four games in 1978 in memory of Nelson. Nelson and his wife, Lee, had four children.

Head coaching record