Rob Lazeo Retires After 14 CFL Seasons
Published on February 2, 2011 under Canadian Football League (CFL)
Calgary Stampeders News Release
Calgary Stampeders offensive lineman Rob Lazeo announced today his retirement from the Canadian Football League.
¬ÅI've enjoyed my time in the CFL. I was fortunate enough to play professionally for 14 years and I've been playing football since I was 13 years old, but there comes a time in your life when it's time to move on, ¬Â said Lazeo. ¬ÅI want to thank all of my teammates, former coaches and all of the people who helped me along the way. I would also like to thank each organization that gave me an opportunity, especially the Stamps for trading for me in 2007. This is such a class organization - from John Hufnagel all the way down the line - and although the other organizations I played with were also first-class, I've never been part of an organization that treats its players as well as the Stampeders do. I wish the team the best and hope they can keep competing at a championship level as they have for the past several years. ¬Â
The Stampeders are pleased to announce that Lazeo is this year's recipient of the Presidents' Ring. The ring is presented annually to the player deemed by his teammates to best combine excellence on the football field with leadership, inspiration and motivational skills. The Presidents' Ring has been presented since 1967 and twenty-eight different players have been honoured with the award. Lazeo will formally receive the award at a luncheon in May.
¬ÅLaz gave it his all for this organization, as is evident by his teammates voting him the Presidents' Ring recipient, ¬Â said Stamps head coach/general manager John Hufnagel. ¬ÅHe was a leader on and off the field for our team and we appreciate everything he contributed over his four seasons in Calgary. Rob had a tremendous CFL career and we wish him the all best in the future. ¬Â
Lazeo, 37, spent the final four of his 14 CFL seasons with the Stampeders and retires with 202 regular-season games and 15 post-season contests to his credit. He won the Grey Cup in 2008 with Calgary, was a West Division all-star that same season and was named Calgary's nominee for the CFL's top offensive lineman award.
The veteran was part of an offensive line that allowed Stamps running back Joffrey Reynolds to win consecutive CFL rushing titles in 2008 and 2009.
Lazeo was drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the first round (12th overall) of the 1995 CFL Canadian Draft. He attended training camp with Saskatchewan in 1996 and joined the club's practice roster in 1997. He then joined Winnipeg in 2000 before rejoining the Roughriders in 2002. Lazeo was acquired by Calgary in 2007 in a trade for running back Wes Cates.
Lazeo and his family - wife Mindi, son Hayden and daughter Karsen - will remain in Calgary, with Lazeo pursuing a career at Gridiron Drilling and Blasting with former Stamps offensive linemen Jamie Crysdale and Jeff Pilon.
Canadian Football League Stories from February 2, 2011
- Alouettes Sign Five New Players - Montreal Alouettes
- Rob Lazeo Retires After 14 CFL Seasons - Calgary Stampeders
- Eskimos Sign Canadian Defensive Back Donovan Alexander - Edmonton Elks
- Davis Sanchez Extends with Lions Through 2013 - B.C. Lions
- Frazier Back to Bolster Secondary - Saskatchewan Roughriders
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