Ottawa REDBLACKS quarterback Henry Burris today announced his retirement from the Canadian Football League, closing out a playing career that was capped off by bringing the city its first Grey Cup Championship in 40 years.
With his wife, Nicole, and his sons, Barron and Armand, at his side and in front of his REDBLACKS teammates and coaches, Burris said the time was right.
“After an amazing three-year run, we helped deliver our promise,” said Burris during Tuesday’s press conference, which overlooked the field on which the 41-year-old won two-straight East Division Finals and re-ignited the city’s love affair with the game. “Now it’s time to enjoy the woman I married almost 13 years ago and our two handsome sons.”
Burris retires as one of the most iconic figures in the Ottawa sports scene after guiding the REDBLACKS from a 2-16 inaugural season record to back-to-back appearances in the Grey Cup, winning it all in November. The 41-year-old’s legend was further cemented by not only being named MVP of the 2016 Grey Cup in a championship game for the ages, but producing one of the most dominant performances of his illustrious career while playing on an injured knee.
In all, Burris won three Grey Cups – two as a starter – during a career that spanned 267 games and included stops in the Ottawa, Hamilton, Saskatchewan, two stints with Calgary, a season with the Berlin Thunder, as well as time with the NFL’s Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. But it was the CFL where Burris truly made his mark, both on and off the field.
On the field, Burris finishes his playing career having completed 4,638 passes on 7,426 attempts for 63,227 yards in 17 seasons, third all-time behind only Damon Allen and Anthony Calvillo. Burris also holds the all-time CFL record for most pass completions in one season, connecting on 481 passes with Ottawa in 2015, and is third all-time in career completions with 4,638. In 2015, he also set the CFL record for most completions in a game with 45 on a night where he threw for a career-high 504 passing yards. Burris also sits third in career passing touchdowns, with 374, and his 70.94 completion percentage that year was the seventh-best in CFL history.
“The tremendous achievements of the Ottawa REDBLACKS on the field, in the stands and in the community in such a short period of time are in large part attributable to one person and that’s Henry Burris,” said REDBLACKS General Manager Marcel Desjardins, the architect of a championship team built around Smilin’ Hank.
Desjardins also announced at Tuesday’s press conference that Henry Burris will be honoured at a REDBLACKS game this season. The date will be confirmed after the schedule has been released.
Though Burris won’t be in the lineup when the REDBLACKS begin defending their championship next season, the first quarterback to win a Grey Cup with Ottawa since Tom Clements in 1976 will remain involved with the organization with details to follow when they are available.
