Canadian defensive lineman Fabion Foote has announced his retirement from professional football on social media.
I’m officially retiring from football. My first experience with the game of football itself was playing Madden 2005 when I moved to Canada. I never understood the sport at all. I would snap the ball and run backwards in my own end-zone thinking I was scoring.
I wasn’t going to share this publicly, but I felt like I needed to express my gratitude to you all for the support I’ve received over the past decade. Coming to terms with this decision was a challenging process, but I knew it was time for me to fully invest into the next chapter of my life.
Family, friends, teammates: thank you!
Thank you to Montreal’s front office for drafting me. Thank you to Toronto’s front office for bringing me back home in 2020 and ultimately winning the Grey Cup in 2022.
Thank you to all my coaches from high school to the pros. Thank you to the chiropractors, athletic therapist, trainers, massage therapist, doctors, and surgeons for keeping me on the field and helping me with my recovery after surgery as well. Thank you to the fans!
I made some lifelong friendships through playing football. The game taught me a lot on and off the field that I’m forever grateful for.
The six-foot-two, 285-pounder was selected in the second round of the 2017 CFL Draft by the Montreal Alouettes. He dressed for 37 games over three years with the team and recorded 30 defensive tackles, one special teams tackle, and three sacks.
The 29-year-old signed with the Toronto Argonauts as a free agent in February 2020, though the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He played five games with the club over the next two seasons, though he didn’t record any statistics. He was on injured reserve when the Argos defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in last year’s Grey Cup in Regina.
Foote was born in Kingston, Jamaica but moved to Canada at the age of ten. Prior to entering the professional ranks, he won the Yates Cup as a member of the McMaster Marauders in 2014.
Editor’s note: Foote’s statement was lightly edited for clarity.
