Adriano Belli

Last updated

Adriano Belli
2023, Alum78, Adriano Belli.jpg
Belli in 2023
Nickname(s)Kissing bandit
Born: (1977-08-25) August 25, 1977 (age 47)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Career information
StatusRetired
CFL status National
Position(s) DT
Height6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight289 lb (131 kg)
College Houston
High school Central Tech (Toronto)
CFL draft 2000, round: 1, pick: 6
Drafted by BC Lions
Career history
As player
2000 Atlanta Falcons
2001 New York Giants
2001 Las Vegas Outlaws
2001 BC Lions
2001–2002 Montreal Alouettes
2003 Cleveland Browns
2003 Montreal Alouettes
2004–2006 Hamilton Tiger-Cats
2006 Montreal Alouettes
2007–2010 Toronto Argonauts
2012 Toronto Argonauts
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star 2005
CFL East All-Star 2005, 2007
Awards2x Grey Cup Champion (2002, 2012)
Career stats
  • Playing stats at CFL.ca (archive)
Adriano Belli
Medal record
Men's American football
Representing Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
World Championship
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2011 Austria Team Competition

Adriano Belli (born August 25, 1977) is a retired football player who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL). Belli is nicknamed "The Kissing Bandit" for his penchant for kissing people on their cheeks. [1] He has gained a reputation for being a kind and funny man off the field and a nasty and annoying player to his opponents on the field. [2]

Contents

Early life

Belli grew up in the High Park region of Toronto and attended Humberside Collegiate Institute for the first three years of high school. He then elected to transfer to Central Technical School in the Harbord Village area of Toronto and commuted by subway to take advantage of Central Tech's football program.

College career

Belli played college football for the Houston Cougars. He credits his high school coach, Chuck Wakefield, for helping him get a scholarship to the University of Houston. [3]

Professional career

Belli was drafted in the first round, sixth overall, by the BC Lions in the 2000 CFL Draft. However, he spent two years in the NFL, prior to joining the Lions in 2001.

On February 19, 2007, the Toronto Argonauts signed Belli. [4]

After the last game of the 2009 season, Belli charged into the Montreal Alouettes locker room and challenged the entire team to a fight. [5]

Belli retired on May 11, 2011, on a Tall ship in Toronto and became a colour commentator/sportscaster on Rogers Sportsnet as their CFL Analyst.

During his retirement, Belli competed for Team Canada when they participated in the 2011 IFAF World Championship in Austria. The team went on to win the Silver medal.

On October 17, 2012, Belli came out of retirement and was signed by the Toronto Argonauts. He went on to win the 100th Grey Cup with the Argos, a game in which he was ejected. [6] Belli officially retired from the CFL for the second time on May 29, 2013.

Personal life

Belli also runs a meat distribution and packing company with his family in Mississauga, Ontario. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damon Allen</span> Canadian gridiron football player (born 1963)

Damon L. Allen is an American former professional football quarterback. He played 23 years in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is currently fourth in all-time professional football passing yards and second in all-time CFL passing yards after he was surpassed for first place by the Montréal Alouettes' Anthony Calvillo on October 10, 2011. Allen retired as professional football's all-time leading passer with 72,381 passing yards after he surpassed Warren Moon's total of 70,553 yards on September 4, 2006, in the annual Labour Day Classic. He also retired in third place in all-time CFL rushing yards with 11,920 yards, behind Mike Pringle and George Reed. The 2007 season marked Allen's twenty-third season in the CFL and he officially announced his retirement on May 28, 2008, at age 44. Allen is the younger brother of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen.

Samie Jabar Parker is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the wide receiver's coach at the University of North Alabama. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL draft. He played college football at Oregon. Parker was also a member of the Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, Las Vegas Locomotives, Chicago Rush, Kansas City Command, Toronto Argonauts and Los Angeles Kiss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cody Pickett</span> American gridiron football player (born 1980)

Cody J. Pickett is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Washington Huskies and was selected in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Pottinger</span>

Jason Pottinger is a former professional Canadian football linebacker who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted second overall by the BC Lions in the 2006 CFL Draft. He played CIS football for the McMaster Marauders.

Daniel Hubert Federkeil is a former professional Canadian football player, having played offensive tackle for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played CIS football with the Calgary Dinos, and was drafted fifth overall by the Toronto Argonauts in the 2006 CFL Draft, but signed with the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League shortly thereafter. He would later assist the Colts in winning Super Bowl XLI over the Chicago Bears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Eiben</span> Canadian gridiron football player and coach (born 1979)

Kevin Eiben is a Canadian former professional football linebacker who is currently the defensive co-coordinator and linebackers coach for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted 26th overall by the Argonauts in the 2001 CFL Draft and spent the first 11 years of his playing career with the team, followed by one season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He played college football for the Bucknell Bison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Medlock</span> American football player (born 1983)

Justin Charles Medlock is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, earning consensus All-American honors in 2006. The Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL draft. Medlock also played in the NFL for the Carolina Panthers, as well as the Toronto Argonauts, Edmonton Eskimos, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL.

Isaiah "Ike" Charlton is an American football coach and former player who is the defensive backs coach for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). As a player, he was a defensive back who spent most of his professional career playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL) in the second round of the 2000 NFL draft. He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremiah Johnson (gridiron football)</span> American football player (born 1987)

Jeremiah Alex Johnson is a former American gridiron football running back. He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Toronto Argonauts season</span> CFL team season

The 2009 Toronto Argonauts season was the 52nd season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 137th overall. The Argonauts attempted to win their 16th Grey Cup championship, but they failed to make the playoffs for the second straight year, finishing the season with a 3–15 record for the first time since 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rico Murray</span> American gridiron football player (born 1988)

Derico "Rico" Murray is an American former professional gridiron football defensive back and linebacker. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Kent State. He has also been a member of the Edmonton Eskimos, Toronto Argonauts, Ottawa Redblacks, and Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Wilder Jr.</span> American football player (born 1992)

James Curtis Wilder Jr. is an American professional football running back who is a free agent. He was most recently a member of the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played three seasons for the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL, winning the Grey Cup in 2017 and the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award for 2017. Wilder played college football at Florida State, where he was part of the team that won the 2014 BCS National Championship Game. He was also a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, and Montreal Alouettes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chad Kackert</span> American gridiron football player (born 1986)

Charles Kackert is a former Canadian football running back who played for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at New Hampshire. He was also a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boseko Lokombo</span> American football player (born 1990)

Boseko Lokombo is a Congolese-Canadian professional Canadian football linebacker for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Oregon. Lokombo has also been a member of the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts of the CFL, and the Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleyon Laing</span> Canadian gridiron football player (born 1990)

Cleyon Laing is a Canadian professional football defensive lineman for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was selected ninth overall by the Toronto Argonauts in the 2012 CFL Draft. Laing is a four-time CFL East Division All-Star and a two-time Grey Cup champion, having won with Ottawa in 2016 and then with Toronto in 2017. He played college football with the Iowa State Cyclones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shawn Lemon</span> American gridiron football player (born 1988)

Shawn Lemon is an American professional football defensive lineman for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Akron. He has been a member of eight CFL teams, three indoor football teams and two NFL teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D. J. Sackey</span> Canadian gridiron football player and coach (born 1993)

David Junior Sackey is a former professional Canadian football offensive lineman and the current offensive line coach for the York Lions of U Sports football. He played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for four seasons and won a Grey Cup championship in 2017 with the Toronto Argonauts. He played CIS football for the Toronto Varsity Blues from 2012 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royce Metchie</span> Canadian gridiron football player (born 1996)

Royce Metchie is a Nigerian-Canadian professional football defensive back for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordan Williams (linebacker, born 1994)</span> American gridiron football player (born 1994)

Jordan Xavier Williams is an American-Canadian former professional football linebacker who played for three years in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted first overall in the 2020 CFL Draft by the BC Lions. He played college football for the East Carolina Pirates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Edwards (Canadian football)</span> American gridiron football player (born 1992)

Christopher Edwards is an American former professional football defensive back who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

References

  1. ↑ Girard, Daniel (June 16, 2009). "Argos' Kissing Bandit taking it slow". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 16, 2009.
  2. ↑ O'Connor, Joe (July 15, 2009). "Belli defends life on the knife-edge". National Post. Retrieved July 16, 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. 1 2 Nelson, Norm (August 18, 2009). "Three TDSB south division grads now suit up for Argos". Toronto Community News. Archived from the original on August 22, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  4. ↑ The Ottawa Citizen [Ottawa, Ont] February 20, 2007: B2.
  5. ↑ Zelkovich, C. (May 12, 2011). "Belli sails off into sunset". Toronto Star. p. S3.
  6. ↑ Zwolinski, Mark (December 1, 2012). "Adriano Belli, Argos' Kissing Bandit, reflects on his CFL career". Toronto Star. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.