Longtime Edmonton Football Team long snapper Ryan King has retired from the Canadian Football League.
The Edmonton native announced his retirement from the pro three-down game through Postmedia reporter Gerry Moddejonge.
“This is my hometown team, I grew up playing football here, I grew up cheering at Commonwealth Stadium just being like, ‘I’m playing in that (one day).’ And to be able to pull it off is incredible. That aided in all my community work, I had to give back to the game.”
“To the locker room, the charter flights, the road games, the tunnel runs, the training camps,” King said, taking his time reading from a prepared statement through a watery eye or two. “To the nights out with the boys, hometown wins and Grey Cup championship, thank you.
“I grew up watching my hometown CFL team dreaming one day to play in the CFL and all my dreams were very much met.”
King played linebacker at Bev Facey Community High School and won a Tier I provincial championship with the Falcons. Following his high school days, King suited up for the Edmonton Wildcats of the Canadian Junior Football League. During his time in the CJFL, he earned Defensive Player of the Year honours.
King played eight seasons in green and gold after he was selected in the fifth round, 38th overall during the 2012 CFL Draft by the EE Football Team. Through his CFL career, King played in 122 games, making 36 special teams tackles while forcing one fumble. King won a Grey Cup with Edmonton in 2015.
The 35-year-old King will continue to serve as the third vice president for the CFL Players’ Association.
