SPRINGFIELD — He played football at the University of Oregon and was at the center of a Super Bowl ad controversy last year.

Now Erik Nicolaisen, 35, and his firm, Old City Artists, have been hired to paint “The Simpsons” mural on the Emerald Art Center in downtown Springfield.

City officials announced Tuesday that Nicolaisen’s firm, with offices in Studio City, Calif., and Portland, scored highest among the eight qualified applicants for the job. The mural will be completed by Sept. 10.

Old City Artists, which Nicolaisen founded in 2011, specializes in large-scale photorealistic murals, primarily advertisements. Clients include Alaska Airlines, Mazda, Microsoft and Nike.

Nicolaisen said “The Simpsons” mural is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” even if the scale and budget of the project is smaller than his firm is used to. His firm regularly paints murals on buildings that are several stories tall.

Nicolaisen said the project offers permanence — his firm’s advertisements are typically painted over after a week — and a chance to reconnect with his Northwest roots.

“It’s really a cool opportunity to go back with a purpose,” he said.

Nicolaisen grew up in Portland and was recruited to play football at the UO. His playing career was “less than illustrious,” in his words, and he left the program and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in 2002.

Nicolaisen had cut his teeth at a mural-painting business owned by his best friend’s father. He moved to Southern California after graduation to run that firm’s Los Angeles operations.

It was a means to an end as Nicolaisen was looking to launch an acting career.

Nicolaisen has picked up small roles in television and film, and done commercials and voice work for video games.

His biggest exposure came when he starred as a Jamaican-speaking office worker from Minnesota in a Volkswagen ad during last year’s Super Bowl.

Some critics blasted the ad as racist. The Jamaican government made use of all the attention, inviting Nicolaisen on a promotional tour of the island.

“It was a crazy two weeks of my life,” he said.

Nicolaisen said he and his painters are fans of “The Simpsons.” One of his painters attended The Evergreen State College, located near Olympia, where series creator Matt Groening graduated.

The city had reached out to Nicolaisen’s firm among others as it sought to spread the word about the project.

A committee composed of representatives from the city, art center and Springfield Arts Commission reviewed the proposals, scored them, and picked the winning artist, subject to Groening’s since-provided approval.

Nicolaisen’s firm will reproduce official artwork created with input from Groening.

The city will pay Old City Artists up to $10,000, drawing from hotel tax revenue. Twentieth Century Fox, which would own the mural, is not charging the city for the artwork.

Nicolaisen said he and three artists expect to arrive in the area in mid- to late August, and the project should take no more than five days.

“We received eight fantastic proposals from great artists, but Old City Artists’ experience working with well-known brands, their skill at quickly reproducing recognizable imagery was unmatched, and their references were impeccable,” city spokesman Niel Laudati said in a statement.

Follow Christian on Twitter @RGchill . Email christian.hill@registerguard.com .