photo courtesy family of Terry Nelson

The teams for Super Bowl 50 are set as the Carolina Panthers will face the Denver Broncos on February 7th in San Francisco, but the festivities leading up to the game have some what of a local tie-in thanks to an NFL program recognizing former Super Bowl participants.

As a part of the 50th anniversary of the Super Bowl, the NFL announced the Super Bowl Honor Roll in the fall of 2015, which recognizes players and coaches who have participated in previous Super Bowls.

All across the country “Golden Footballs” have been presented to Super Bowl alumni and Tuesday night the list of towns in which recognitions have taken place will include Arkadelphia, as former Los Angeles Rams tight end Terry Nelson will be recognized between the AHS varsity girls’ and boys’ home basketball games vs. Malvern.

Nelson graduated from Peake High School in Arkadelphia and went on to play college football at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Nelson played eight seasons for the Los Angeles Rams from 1973-1980 and started at tight end in Super Bowl XIV vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nelson had two catches in the game in front of over 103,000 fans in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

Nelson and his wife, Frances, are longtime residents of Arkadelphia and have had children who are graduates of Arkadelphia High School. Nelson will be joined Tuesday evening by family members, Arkadelphia football coach J.R. Eldridge and current members of the Badger football team for the presentation which will be made after the varsity girls’ game that tips off at 6:00.

Also performing Tuesday night will be participants of last weekend’s Future Dazzler Dance Clinic at halftime of the girls’ game. The AHS Dazzlers will join forces with the AHS band program’s color guard for a performance during halftime of the boys’ game vs. Malvern. Admission for Tuesday night’s games are $5 for all and Tuesday will be the next to last home games for AHS basketball for the 2015-16 season.