Phil Nesser

Phillip Gregory Nesser (December 10, 1880 – May 9, 1959) was a German-American professional American football player in the Ohio League and the early National Football League (NFL) for the Columbus Panhandles. He was also a member of the Nesser Brothers, a group consisting of seven brothers who made up the most famous football family in the United States from 1907 until the mid-1920s. He is distinguished as being the first German to play in the NFL.

Phil Nesser

Profile
Position	Guard, Tackle, Wingback
Personal information
Born	December 10, 1880 Trier, Rhine Province, German Empire
Died	May 9, 1959(1959-05-09) (aged 78) Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
College	None
Career history
1909–1921	Columbus Panhandles
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Phil was primarily a tackle, although he often carried the ball on several plays.

Outside of football, Phil was considered a math genius although he never attended school past the fourth grade. According to his daughter, Phil later taught at Central High School in Columbus until the school's administrators found out he did not have a degree and forced him to resign. In addition to football, he was a champion hammer thrower.

References

• Peterson, Robert W. (1997). Pigskin: The Early Years of Pro Football. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-511913-4.
• Lahman, Sean (2008). The Pro Football Historical Abstract. Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press. ISBN 978-1-59228-940-0. Al Nesser football.
• PFRA Research. "Parratt Stays on Top 1914" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2012.
• A Colorful Game: Names are in the Book^[usurped]
• Pro Football Reference Stats