No. 4 Winnipeg Blue Bombers | |
Born: | Montesano, Washington, U.S. | October 16, 1988
---|---|
Career information | |
Status | Active |
CFL status | American |
Position(s) | Linebacker |
Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
Weight | 223 lb (101 kg) |
College | Central Washington |
High school | Montesano (WA) |
Career history | |
As player | |
2011–2016 | BC Lions |
2017 | New Orleans Saints |
2018–present | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Career highlights and awards | |
Career stats | |
Tackles | 891 |
Sacks | 49 |
Interceptions | 16 |
Forced Fumbles | 14 |
Adam Bighill (born October 16, 1988) is an American professional football linebacker for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a three-time Grey Cup champion, winning with the BC Lions in 2011 and twice more with the Blue Bombers in 2019 and 2021. He is a three-time winner of the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award and is a six-time CFL All-Star and eight-time CFL West All-Star. He also spent time with the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Central Washington Wildcats.
After going undrafted in the 2011 NFL draft, Bighill signed as a free agent with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on May 31, 2011. [1] Bighill had an impressive rookie season, playing an increased role as the season progressed. He played in 12 games, including the final seven regular season games, and the West Final and Grey Cup games. He led the club, and was ranked fourth overall in the CFL, with 22 special team tackles. [2]
Bighill began the 2012 CFL season by replacing Solomon Elimimian at middle linebacker for the Lions, after Elimimian was signed by the Minnesota Vikings. [3] After assuming the starting linebacker role, Bighill went on to amass 104 tackles (2nd most in the CFL) and 4 interceptions. Elimimian returned to the Lions midway through the season, but Bighill retained all of the playing time. He was named both a CFL West All-Star and a CFL All-Star for the 2012 season.
Bighill and Elimimian both returned to the Lions linebacker core for the 2013 CFL season. Bighill suffered a sprained ankle and missed Week 3 and 4. [4] He played in the 16 other regular season games, and the Lions' lone playoff game. Bighill put together a strong 2013 season, accumulating 92 tackles, 12 special teams tackles, 9 sacks, 1 interception and 3 fumble recoveries (one of which he returned for a touchdown; his first of his career). In 2014, Bighill played in all but one of the 18 regular season games as well as one playoff game. He totalled 77 tackles, 12 special teams tackles, 6 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 fumble recovery. Following the season, Bighill's linebacker teammate, Solomon Elimimian, was named the leagues MOP, and both of them signed 3-year contract extensions on the same day. [5]
In Bighill's fifth season with the Lions he played in all but one game of the regular season, contributing a league leading 117 tackles. Following the season, Bighill was named the CFL's Top Defensive Player. [6] Bighill continued his dominant play in the 2016 season finishing 3rd in the league in tackles and earning his fourth CFL All-Star award in the past five seasons. On December 9, 2016, the BC Lions granted Bighill a release as per the agreements in his contract which allows him to pursue an NFL contract up until January 27, 2017. If he is unable to sign an NFL contract by that date he will be back under contract with the BC Lions through the 2018 CFL season. [7] Through six CFL seasons Bighill amassed 489 defensive tackles, 69 special teams tackles, 33 sacks, 8 interceptions, 8 forced fumbles and 1 defensive touchdown.
Bighill had a workout with the New Orleans Saints on December 13, 2016. [8]
Bighill signed a future/reserve contract with the New Orleans Saints on January 4, 2017. [9] [10] Bighill drew strongly positive attention for his performance during the Saints training camp and preseason. He was waived on September 2, 2017, and was signed to the Saints' practice squad the next day. [11] [12] He was promoted to the active roster on September 11, 2017. [13] He was released the following day, [14] and re-signed to the practice squad on September 14, 2017. [15] He was promoted back to the active roster on October 12, 2017. [16] He was waived again on October 17, 2017, and re-signed to the practice squad. [17] He was promoted back to the active roster on November 18, 2017. [18] He was waived two days later and re-signed to the practice squad. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Saints on January 16, 2018 [19] On May 14, 2018, Bighill asked for release from the New Orleans Saints and was waived. [20] Bighill played in three NFL games, contributing with one special teams tackle.
Bighill signed a one-year deal with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on May 19, 2018. [21] Bighill finished the 2018 season as the Blue Bomber's nominee for Most Outstanding Player, [22] was named to the CFL All-Star team, [23] and was ultimately named the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player. [24] [25] The Blue Bombers signed Bighill to a 3-year $750,000 contract extension in January 2019, making him the highest paid defensive player in the CFL. [26] Bighill helped lead the defence for the Bombers as they defeated Hamilton 33–12 in the 107th Grey Cup, the game saw Bighill recover a fumble which led to an Andrew Harris touchdown. After the win Bighill said that "I've packed too many garbage bags. I only play this game to win championships. We're bringing it home to Winnipeg, it doesn't get any better than that." [27]
The Bombers were set to defend their title during the 2020 CFL season although it was cancelled because of the ongoing pandemic. Bighill was scheduled to make $265,000 in the following season, but he took a $145,000 pay cut to stay with the Bombers and help the team in a league that was troubled financially by the pandemic. [28] Bighill would go on to lead an excellent Bombers' defence that would lead the league in yards and points allowed. He had an acrobatic interception against Cody Fajardo during the 2021 Banjo Bowl. [29] Bighill would finish the season with 70 tackles, two sacks, and two interceptions. His incredible season would result in him being announced the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player for 2021, as well as a CFL All-Star. [30] Bighill and the Bombers defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders for the third time that season in the CFL West Division Final, as they would go on to their second Grey Cup game in a row. In the 2021 Grey Cup the Bombers trailed Hamilton late in the fourth quarter by a score of 22-10 but would rally to go on and win 33–25 in overtime for their second Grey Cup in a row. This was Bighill's third Grey Cup title. Following the season, on January 20, 2022, Bighill and the Blue Bombers agreed to a one-year contract extension. [31]
Bighill was named a CFL West All-Star for the eighth time in his career following the 2022 season in which the Blue Bombers advanced to the Grey Cup final for the third consecutive season. [32] He had one defensive tackle in the 109th Grey Cup, but the Blue Bombers were defeated by the Toronto Argonauts. On November 29, 2022, the Bombers announced that Bighill had re-signed with the club on a new two-year contract. [33]
In 2023, Bighill played and started in 17 regular season games where he had 74 defensive tackles, four sacks, and one interception. He played in his fourth straight Grey Cup game, but the Blue Bombers lost to the Montreal Alouettes. [34]
Defence | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | GP | GS | DT | STT | QS | Int | FF | FR | TD | |
2011 | BC | 12 | 0 | 7 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
2012 | BC | 18 | 18 | 104 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
2013 | BC | 16 | 15 | 92 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | |
2014 | BC | 17 | 17 | 77 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
2015 | BC | 18 | 17 | 121 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
2016 | BC | 18 | 18 | 108 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2018 | WPG | 18 | 18 | 105 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | |
2019 | WPG | 15 | 15 | 61 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
2020 | WPG | Season cancelled | |||||||||
2021 | WPG | 14 | 14 | 70 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
2022 | WPG | 18 | 18 | 72 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2023 | WPG | 17 | 17 | 74 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
CFL totals | 181 | 167 | 891 | 71 | 49 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 4 |
Bighill was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. He is President of the Canadian charity Making Faces, a charity dedicated to helping people cope with facial differences. [36] His son Beau was also born with a bilateral cleft lip. After Wendy Williams mocked Joaquin Phoenix on her show in 2020 because of his cleft lip, Bighill relentlessly called her out and requested an apology. Williams did end up making an apology to Bighill on Twitter, as well as making two donations to cleft related charities and wished his son Beau good luck on his upcoming surgery. [37]
Michael O'Shea is the head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a former Canadian football linebacker and former special teams coordinator of the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL from 2010 to 2013, winning the Grey Cup in 2012. O'Shea played 16 seasons in the CFL for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts from 1993 to 2008. He retired second all-time in career tackles with 1,154 and is one of only three players to record over 1,000 tackles. He won the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 1999 after recording 84 tackles, 13 special teams tackles and three interceptions that year. O'Shea is a three-time Grey Cup champion as a player, having won all three with the Argonauts in 1996, 1997, and 2004. He is also a two-time Grey Cup winning head coach, having won with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2019 and 2021; O'Shea also won the Grey Cup previously as a special teams coach with the Toronto Argonauts in the 100th Grey Cup.
The Norm Fieldgate Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy awarded to the outstanding defensive player in the West Division. Each team in the West division nominates a player, from which the winner is chosen. Either the winner of this trophy or the winner of the James P. McCaffrey Trophy will also be the winner of the Canadian Football League Most Outstanding Defensive Player award. The trophy is named after former BC Lions linebacker Norm Fieldgate.
Jovon Johnson is a former professional Canadian football defensive back. He was the winner of the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award in 2011 while with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, becoming the first defensive back to win the award in the league. He is also a two-time CFL All-Star and five-time CFL East Division All-Star. In addition, he was a member of the 2007 Saskatchewan Roughriders that won the Grey Cup, though he spent little time on the active roster and finished the last game on the practice roster. He has also been a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Erie RiverRats, Ottawa Redblacks, and Montreal Alouettes.
Solomon Elimimian is a former Canadian football linebacker and the current president of the Canadian Football League Players' Association (CFLPA).
Jonathan "Bear" Woods is an American former professional football linebacker who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was originally signed by the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He made his professional debut for the Montreal Alouettes (CFL) in 2013 and won a Grey Cup championship with the Toronto Argonauts in 2017. He played college football at Troy University. In January 2022, he was named head football coach at Wetumpka High School in Wetumpka, Alabama.
Jackson Jeffcoat is a former gridiron football defensive end who played his entire Canadian Football League (CFL) career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Jeffcoat won the 107th and 108th Grey Cup when the Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to conclude the 2019 and 2021 seasons. He played college football at the University of Texas at Austin. Jeffcoat was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2014, and also played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Browns.
Hénoc Muamba is a Congolese-Canadian former professional football linebacker who played in both the Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL). He was a two-time CFL All-Star, three-time CFL Divisional All-Star, and was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian in 2017. In 2022, he won the Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts and was named the game's most valuable player (MVP) and Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian, becoming the second player in history to earn both awards. He was also a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Indianapolis Colts, Montreal Alouettes, Dallas Cowboys, and Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Korey Jones is a former professional Canadian football linebacker who is an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He first enrolled at Garden City Community College before transferring to the University of Wyoming. He attended Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins, Colorado. Jones was a member of the Arizona Cardinals, BC Lions, Green Bay Packers, Florida Blacktips, Edmonton Eskimos, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Jake Thomas is a professional Canadian football defensive tackle for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Aaron Grymes is an American professional football defensive back for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Idaho. Grymes made his professional debut for the Edmonton Eskimos in 2013 and has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL) and BC Lions of the CFL.
Alden Darby Jr. is a former Canadian football defensive back. He was most recently a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Arizona State.
Deatrick Nichols is an American professional football cornerback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Nichols won the Grey Cup with the Blue Bombers in his first season in 2021. He played college football at South Florida.
Jonathan Kongbo is a professional gridiron football defensive lineman, who is a free agent. He most recently played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was originally drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the first round with the fifth overall pick in the 2019 CFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona Western and Tennessee.
Winston Rose is an American professional football defensive back who is a free agent. He was most recently a member of the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Rose won the 107th Grey Cup with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He played college football for the New Mexico State Aggies.
Steven Richardson is an American former professional football defensive tackle. He played college football at Minnesota, and signed with the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL) as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He was also a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Kevin Brown II is an American former professional football linebacker. He played college football at Cincinnati. He was a member of the Ottawa Redblacks, Edmonton Elks and Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Brandon Calver is a Canadian professional football fullback for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Tyrice Beverette is an American professional football linebacker for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Quency Leon Williams was an American gridiron football defensive end who played six seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Calgary Stampeders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He played college football at Auburn and also had stints with the Birmingham Stallions, Los Angeles Raiders, Arizona Outlaws and BC Lions. He won the 78th Grey Cup with the Blue Bombers.
Demerio Houston is an American professional football defensive back for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)