Ken Nielsen

Ken Nielsen
Date of birth (1942-05-10) May 10, 1942 (age 82)
Place of birthHanna, Alberta
Career information
CFL statusNational
Position(s)WR
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight180 lb (82 kg)
Canada universityAlberta
Career history
As player
1965Hamilton Tiger-Cats
19651970Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star1968, 1969
CFL West All-Star1967, 1968, 1969

Ken Nielsen (born May 10, 1942 in Hanna, Alberta) is a former wide receiver for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1965 to 1970. Nielsen won the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 1968.

College Football

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Ken Nielsen played Canadian university football at the University of Alberta.

Winnipeg

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Though drafted by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Ken Nielsen was traded that same year to Winnipeg. Ken Nielsen became a standout wide receiver for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1965 to 1970. In the 1965 Western conference playoffs, Nielsen caught a 109-yard touchdown pass from Ken Ploen which beat the Calgary Stampeders and helped send Winnipeg to the 53rd Grey Cup game. But the Blue Bombers lost that game to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the so-called "Wind Bowl", when weather conditions were terrible for passing, punting, and place kicking.

During training camp in 1970, after only five seasons, Nielsen suffered a serious neck injury which cut short his career. He caught 280 passes for 4,340 yards.

After football

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Nielsen is a retired dentist now living in Kelowna, BC. He has four children and thirteen grandchildren.

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