Nelson accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Urban Meyer's Florida Gators football team from 2005 to 2009. The Gators coaching staff elected to redshirt Nelson as a true freshman in 2005. During his time as a Gator, the team won two SEC Championship Games and two BCS National Championship Games. The highlight of his 2009 senior season was a four-reception day for fifty-three yards against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2009 SEC Championship Game. During his four-season college career, Nelson played in forty-four games, started fourteen, and made forty-six receptions for 630 yards and seven touchdowns. Nelson was the recipient of quarterback Tim Tebow's "jump pass" in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game which cemented the Gators' 24–14 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners. Nelson graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in sociology in 2009.
The Buffalo Bills signed Nelson as undrafted free agent, and he made his professional debut in the Bills' October 3, 2010 game against the New York Jets. Nelson had two consecutive touchdowns catches in the 2010 season from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in games against Cleveland and Miami, in weeks 14 and 15. In 2011, Nelson finished the season with 658 yards and 5 touchdowns, finishing second on the team behind only Stevie Johnson. Following the 2012 season, which was cut short after he tore his ACL in week 1, the Bills did not tender a new contract, and Nelson became an unrestricted free agent.
Nelson was signed by the Cleveland Browns on April 8, 2013. He was cut by the Browns on August 31, 2013.
New York Jets
Nelson was signed by the New York Jets on October 2, 2013. He had 36 receptions for 423 yards and a pair of touchdowns during the 2013 season. Nelson was released on October 18, 2014 after the Jets had traded for Percy Harvin.
Pittsburgh Steelers
On August 12, 2015, Nelson was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 1-year, $745,000 deal. At his first practice with the Steelers, Nelson suffered a shoulder injury. On August 25, 2015, the Steelers announced that after receiving an MRI on his shoulder, Nelson had been added to the injured/reserved list.
NFL statistics
Receiving Stats
Year
Team
Games
Receptions
Targets
Receiving Yards
Average Yards
Longest
Receiving TDs
1st Downs
2010
BUF
15
31
48
353
11.4
37
3
19
2011
BUF
16
61
98
658
10.8
35
5
32
2012
BUF
1
2
5
31
15.5
21
0
2
2013
NYJ
12
36
60
423
11.8
31
2
20
Total
Total
44
130
211
1,465
11.3
37
10
73
Personal life
Nelson made national headlines in 2011 as a member of the Bills when they played the Dallas Cowboys, as his girlfriend at the time, Kelsi Reich, was a cheerleader for the Cowboys. He promised to do "something special" for her if he scored a touchdown in the game. After catching a touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick, Nelson jogged along the sidelines as cameras paid attention until he found Reich. They embraced and he gave her the scoring ball. Nelson married Madison Sadri of Charlotte, North Carolina on June 9, 2017. They have 2 children, Easton John, born April 2018, and Noah Ally, born October 2019. Nelson and his brothers have started a non-profit organization, I'mME, that focuses on ending the orphan cycle. They were inspired by a trip to Haiti in 2012.
