Jeremaine Copeland Announces Retirement
January 25, 2012 - Canadian Football League (CFL)
Toronto Argonauts News Release
Mississauga - After 11 seasons, more than 10,000 career receiving yards and two Grey Cup rings, WR Jeremaine Copeland has announced his retirement from the Canadian Football League.
Commented Copeland, "I would like to thank God first for blessing me with a great career and for allowing me to stay healthy and not having to miss a single season. Thanks to my family for all of their support throughout my career as well. I would like to thank the CFL organizations in Montreal, Calgary, and Toronto for allowing me to play in three of the greatest cities, the greatest organizations, and the greatest groups of fans in the CFL. It has been a great run and a lot of fun for me but I believe it's time to move on in my life. I would like to say thanks to all of my teammates that I played with and especially the two quarterbacks I played most of my career with - AC and Hank - who helped make my career what it was. Last but not least, I want to thank my receiving corps, who are all great groups of guys that made it fun to play the game of football."
Throughout his time, Copeland was one of the most electrifying receivers in the CFL. His career numbers are extraordinary having caught 622 passes for 10,037 yards. He missed the CFL playoffs only twice and competed in nine playoff games, starting in three Grey Cup championship games. A two-time CFL All-Star (2003 & 2009), he has earned divisional all-star on three occasions (2003, 2004 & 2009). Copeland recorded five 1,000+ yard campaigns and 75 career receiving touchdowns, and he leaves the game as the CFL's fifteenth-leading receiver all-time. He is also just the fifteenth player in league history to catch for more than 10,000 yards in a career.
Copeland joined the Argonauts before the 2010 season and was voted a team captain in each of his two years. Over two years he started 32 games and caught 91 passes for 1,272 and three touchdowns. He led the Argos in receiving yards in 2010.
Copeland's CFL career began in 2002 as a member of the Montreal Alouettes. He played four seasons (2001-2004) with the Als and captured his first Grey Cup championship. He was traded to Calgary in 2005 and won his second Grey Cup in 2008. Copeland arrived in Toronto before the 2010 season, in a trade with the Stempeders, and played two seasons for the Argos. He's also spent time in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys, and he was a member of the first and only XFL championship team, Los Angeles Xtreme, in 2001.
Copeland played four years (1995-98) at the University of Tennessee where he was recruited as a quarterback. He transitioned to receiver in his final two years and helped lead one of the greatest offences in NCAA history to a BCS National title in 1998.
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Canadian Football League Stories from January 25, 2012
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