The ever-present centre-back has extended his stay at Pride Park Stadium until the summer of 2026. Nelson, who arrived as a free agent in June 2023, played every single minute in Sky Bet League One last season as the Rams returned to the second tier after a two-year absence.
His immense contribution helped Paul Warne’s side to achieve the best defensive record in the EFL, with just 37 goals conceded and 22 clean sheets recorded in total throughout the campaign.
The quality of Nelson’s performances saw him named as the club’s Jack Stamps Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season for 2023/24.
This term, the 31-year-old scored Derby’s first goal back in the Sky Bet Championship with a towering header away at Blackburn Rovers on the opening night, while he has continued to display his durability by playing all 1,350 minutes in the league so far this season.
Another highlight followed with another top-class header proving to be the catalyst for a convincing 2-0 win over Queens Park Rangers at the start of October.