He played college football for the Minnesota Gophers and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 1950 NFL draft.

Nomellini was born at Lucca, Tuscany, Italy, and immigrated to the United States as an infant to Minnesota, before later moving to Chicago, Illinois, where he attended Crane High School.

After the war, he received a football scholarship to the University of Minnesota, where he became a two-time All-American and the 49ers' first NFL draft choice in 1950.

The duo defeated Ben and Mike Sharpe for the NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version).

Four months later, Nomellini and Gino Garibaldi won the NWA Pacific Coast Tag Team Championship.

Nomellini and Torres defeated the Mike and Ben Sharpe on May 6, 1953, for the NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version).

He would win it for the last time on July 19, 1960, once again teaming with Gagne and defeating Stan Kowalski and Tiny Mills.