Packers' Jordy Nelson says his race helps him succeed

Harry How/Getty Images

(CBS) - Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson goes by the nickname White Lightning. With good hands, quick speed, and four touchdowns in the last four games, Nelson has earned the "lightning" part. But in a recent interview, Nelson reveals that part of his secret is that too many opponents get hung up on the fact that Nelson is, well, white.

When asked by the Green Bay Press Gazette if racial bias is a factor in Nelson's on-field success, he replied: "Honestly, I think it is."

Nelson and his teammates believe that, with so few elite white receivers in the league, opposing players are likely to dismiss Nelson's abilities on the field.

"As receivers, we've talked about it." Nelson told the Press Gazette. "I know [cornerbacks coach] Joe Whitt tells me all the time, when all the rookies come in, he gives them the heads up, 'Don't let him fool ya.' That's fine with me."

Packer teammate Greg Jennings said, "He uses that to his advantage."

"It's not because he's the white guy. A lot of it has to do with the fact that guys look at him say, "Okay, yeah, he's the white guy, he can't be that good.' Well, he is that good."

"It's easy for someone to say, 'Oh yeah, he's like one of those other white receivers,'" Jennings, who is black, told the newspaper. "He's not. I'm sorry. He's not. He knows how I feel about it. Maybe I'm a little biased because he is a teammate, but from watching him day one to right now, totally different player."

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers agrees with his receivers.

"When you see Jordy out there, you think, 'Oh well, he's a white wide receiver. He won't be very athletic," Rodgers said on his weekly ESPNMilwaukee radio show. "I am not sure why he keeps sneaking up on guys."

Eventually, opponents are going to have to dismiss the white receiver stereotype - or continue to pay the consequences. Nelson has caught 34 passes for 633 on the season, including seven touchdowns, making him second on the team in receptions and yardage.

Nelson's performance brings to mind another prominent white receiver, the current league leader in receptions, New England Patriots' Wes Welker. In an interview with Miami's sports radio station WQAM, Welker admitted, "I think even my own teammates look at me sometimes and think, 'How the hell is this guy doing this?'"

[kenandpatty]

People are people and we all often are wrong with our first impression of someone, me included. When I played high school football there was not much scouting done. I was a white boy who ran like the wind. And when we played a team that was mostly black the coach would always tell me and the qb that if they didn't have safety playing deep I was to run a deep route on first down. Worked every time when my awful hands managed to catch the ball. But I never considered the black cornerback racist for underestimating my speed. I just used his expected first impression against him. And after that play I wasn't seen as white or black, just fast. And in the NFL, I doubt any defensive back underestimates Jordy Nelson.

[sweetcakesmaria]

He's never heard any black players say that because he is a white wide receiver, he must not be any good. That is simply an assumption on his part. I've followed the NFL for many years and there have been white receivers that were very good players. He should not be selling himself short by believing that he is sneaking up on defensive players, he should be believing that his athletic ability has made him a great player in the NFL.

[tek_knowledge]

smh. If this were Michael Vick talking about him being a black quarterback and people underestimating his intellectual ability to read defenses, there would be 50,000 comments in this thread talking about Vick playing the "race card", yet this dude can whine about people underestimating his ability to run a 40 yard dash or jump high because he's white... Guess what? People don't expect you to be a super athletic wide receiver Jordy because of ANTI-BLACK racism...They also don't expect you to be a "thug", "hoodlum", "stupid", or "lazy". Quit whining and making yourself to be a victim.

[veronafoamer]

tek-what article did you read?didn't see any victim or whining in the article I read.

[Davisrad]

Kind of reminds me of Larry Bird. People didn't expect a white guy to be any good in basketball either. Strange how some of these stereotypes still exist despite all the proof to the contrary.

[Corch_Irving_Meyers]

Yeah, but the overwhelming number of black players in the league despite blacks being 13% of the U.S. population certainly indicates that, on average, black players are superior to white players. There can be outlier white players, but exceptions aren't rules.

[Ericwvb]

This sounds racist, but it really isn't. When I first got started in my field, I looked VERY young. I was 22 but I looked like I was 16. I would surprise people with my abilities since everyone assumed I was just a kid.

[involved_indi]

the attitudes of everyone in this story are racist....

[Samlv]

The good news is that he can talk about it with others without a huge fight breaking out in person or in the media. That's HUGE progress. Maybe a post PC/EEO era can dawn.

[mecury69]

Happened to me all the time too. I caught 5 TD's in one game before they started taking notice of me.

Little white guy...not a threat...focus on the tall black guys.

It's common sense for the most part.

But the good coaches (and players) do not take anyone for granted.

[SuperSillious]

"White Guys Can Jump"

[endrepubs]

He is an abomination. Most white guys don't have his ability. Maybe someone needs to check his birth certificate.

[ReckonedTruth]

You might have a point...plenty so-call looking whites or white looking latins are passing for white..I know quite a few of them.. who don't want you to know their family bloodline..especially from south america..kept their black grand mother in the closet(undisclosed information) when they moved to the united states of america..where appearance is how you are judged..how sad..

..so let's not stereotype(laughing) but this is america where exploitation and sterotype are the rule.. we all know football wide receivers are about speed..and whose to say white males- can't have the speed of black male football receivers? No one.

[wlhoppers]

You're kidding, right?