PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Umpqua Bank Executive Vice President Tory Nixon will have a unique perspective when he watches Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7.
He won a Super Bowl when he was a cornerback with the San Francisco 49ers.
The Eugene native now lives in Portland and played with some of the greatest players of all time — Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Ronnie Lott, Roger Craig. He was drafted out of San Diego State and was a defensive standout on the 1988 team that beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 20-16, in Super Bowl 23.
Nixon said it’s hard to describe what it’s like to win a Super Bowl. “It’s really hard to describe the feeling, but it’s a special moment in life that you will never forget,” he told KOIN 6 News.
The ring he earned as the Super Bowl 23 champion has, he said, “23 diamonds on top of the ring.”
His greatest personal highlight was a Pick-6 against the Green Bay Packers before the championship season, but winning the Super Bowl was his greatest achievement.
“It’s etched in time, and we’ll always be Super Bowl champions,” he said.
The focus and teamwork he learned guides his life today. His advice for the player on both the Broncos and Panthers is to “stay detached from the hype, as much as you can, and just play the game.”
As for his prediction: Tory Nixon think the Panthers will squeak out the win.