Longtime Ticats’ defensive back Courtney Stephen announces retirement

Photo courtesy: Scott Grant/CFLPhotoArchive.com

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ national defensive back Courtney Stephen has announced his retirement from the Canadian Football League.

Stephen re-joined the Ticats on the opening day of CFL free agency in 2020 after spending the previous season with the Calgary Stampeders.

The six-foot-one, 200-pound defender played in 17 games in Calgary in 2019, making five defensive tackles and 15 special teams tackles. Before he joined the Stamps, the Northern Illinois product played for the Ticats from 2013 to 2018.

Stephen recorded at least 35 tackles during every season in Hamilton, including a career-high 47 defensive takedowns in 2015. That same season, he picked up a career-high four interceptions.

Over the course of his career, Stephen has played in 113 games and recorded 219 tackles, 54 special teams tackles, 12 interceptions, seven forced fumbles, and two sacks.

Stephen was chosen No. 8 overall by Hamilton in the 2012 CFL Draft.