CFL quarterbacks can sleep easier at night as Shawn Lemon has announced his retirement.
The six-foot-one, 242-pound edge rusher appeared in 148 regular season CFL games with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Edmonton Elks, Ottawa Redblacks, Calgary Stampeders, Toronto Argonauts, B.C. Lions, and Montreal Alouettes, recording 237 defensive tackles, 101 sacks, 30 forced fumbles, and three interceptions.
He was also a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers near the start of his career, though he didn’t dress for any regular season games with the team.
“I’d like to thank God first and foremost for allowing me to play 13 years. To my parents and brothers, thank you for all your sacrifices, encouragement, and support over these 13 years. You’ve been my rock. Thank you for all the fans across Canada. You guys have been nothing but amazing to me throughout my career,” Lemon wrote on social media.
“To my teammates, I will forever cherish the moments shared. The wins and the losses all made me the person I am today. To my coaches, support staff, and upper management, thank you for pushing me into the player that I became. This game has given me the ability to develop tremendous relationships that I cherish and hold dearly to my heart.”
The 35-year-old native of Charleston, S.C. was a two-time divisional all-star, one-time league all-star, and won three Grey Cups, most recently with the Alouettes in 2023. He was the CFL’s active leader in sacks after becoming the 13th player in league history to go over 100 this past season.
“I want to thank Shawn for his services with our team,” said Montreal general manager Danny Maciocia in a statement. “His arrival at mid-season helped us on the field and in the locker room. He played a key role in our last Grey Cup victory. We wish him all the best in the future.”
