Born in Minneapolis, Nygren attended Forest Lake Area High School, graduating in 1936, where he was a multi-sport athlete.
[1] He then transferred to San Jose State where he was selected as a Little All-American in 1940 and led the All-California Coast Conference in scoring.
[3][4] Nygren served as a pilot in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II.
[1] On September 13, 1946, Nygren scored the first points in Los Angeles Dons team history on a touchdown pass from quarterback Charlie O'Rourke.
[7] Bud Nygren was a 2012 inductee to the Forest Lake Area High School Arts & Athletics Hall of Fame.