Career
As a youngster growing up in Southern California, he surfed at Newport and Zuma north of Los Angeles. He attended California State University, Northridge, where was an All-WFC linebacker, and distinguished himself as the star of the Sigma Alpha Mu intramural national championship team. Benefield was signed by Edmonton as a free agent in Nov. 1990. The Eskimos released him in July 1991, and he signed with the Los Angeles Wings of the Arena Football League in April 1992. He was signed as a free agent by the Canadian Football League's Ottawa Rough Riders in June 1992. Benefield began his CFL career with the Ottawa Rough Riders as an outside linebacker. He became a starting linebacker in 1992 during his rookie season. In his first CFL game on August 19, 1992, Benefield recorded two quarterback sacks, two tackles for losses and seven tackles total, earning player-of-the-game honors. In 1994, he was named a CFL East Division All-Star, with 38 tackles and nine sacks.
In March 1995, Benefield signed as a free agent with the BC Lions, where Dave Ritchie, who served as defensive coordinator for the Rough Riders during Benefield's rookie season had become head coach. The deal was a two-year contract, reportedly for a $10,000 raise over his 1994 salary of $55,000. In 1995, Benefield tied a CFL record with five sacks in a game against the Birmingham Barracudas.
In April 1996, Benefield signed with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He impressed the 49ers early on in pre-season games, with excellent coverage on special teams. He was also a nickel defensive end on passing downs.
In 1997, when Benefield returned to the CFL, there was a bidding war for his services between several teams. He eventually returned to the BC Lions.
Micah Johnson is a professional Canadian football defensive tackle for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats. He has also spent time with the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Calgary Stampeders, BC Lions, and Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
David Douglas Harper, nicknamed "Harpdog", was a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Sacramento Gold Miners, San Antonio Texans and Ottawa Rough Riders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Humboldt State University.
Natravis DeVone Claybrooks is the former head coach of the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was an American football defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for seven different teams. He also was a member of the Montreal Alouettes and Calgary Stampeders in the CFL. He has also been the defensive coordinator for the Calgary Stampeders. On December 11, 2018, he was announced as head coach of the BC Lions, replacing the retired Wally Buono. Claybrooks played college football at East Carolina.
Khalif Quadree Mitchell is a professional Canadian football and American Football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. Mitchell played college football for two seasons at the University of North Carolina and later at East Carolina University. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and released in 2010. In 2011, he won a Grey Cup with the BC Lions. In his professional career, Mitchell has played for the B.C. Lions, Toronto Argonauts, Montreal Alouettes and the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL, San Francisco 49ers in the NFL and the Sioux Falls Storm in the IFL.
Solomon Elimimian is a former Canadian football linebacker and the current president of the Canadian Football League Players' Association (CFLPA).
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 been a member of the Montreal Alouettes and the Toronto Argonauts. He has also been a member of the Baltimore Ravens, the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL).
Zack Evans is a Canadian football defensive lineman who is a free agent. He is a two-time Grey Cup champion having won the 101st Grey Cup as a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the 104th Grey Cup with the Ottawa Redblacks.
Jonathan Newsome is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. He played college football at Ohio State and Ball State, and was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Ottawa Redblacks and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League (USFL).
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.
Andrew Stewart is an American former professional football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 1989 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno City and Cincinnati. He was also a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, Ottawa Rough Riders, BC Lions, Toronto Argonauts, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Michael Allen is a former Canadian football defensive back who played seven seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Ottawa Rough Riders and BC Lions. He was drafted by the Blue Bombers in the fourth round of the 1988 CFL Draft. He played at Bemidji State University, Division II NCAA in Bemidji, Minnesota, USA in 1984. He then transferred to CIS football at Carleton University in 1986. Allen won three Grey Cup championships, two with the Blue Bombers and one with the Lions.
AC Leonard is an American professional gridiron football defensive lineman who is a free agent. He most recently played for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played tight end for the BC Lions in 2015 before converting to a defensive lineman in 2016. He attended Tennessee State University, where he played college football for the Tigers and studied criminal justice. Leonard has been member of NFL, AFL, FXFL and CFL.
Kevin Francis is a Canadian professional football linebacker for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played as a tight end during his college football career with the North Carolina A&T Aggies. Francis has also been a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, BC Lions, and Edmonton Elks.
Micah Awe is a Nigerian-born Canadian football linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Texas Tech. Awe has also been a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, Toronto Argonauts, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Ottawa Redblacks, BC Lions, and Montreal Alouettes.
Zock Alexander Allen is a former gridiron football linebacker who played for the BC Lions and the Las Vegas Posse of the Canadian Football League. From 1991 to 1994, he played in 27 regular season games, recording 119 tackles, four sacks, and two fumble recoveries. He played college football for the Texas A&M–Kingsville Javelinas.
Frédéric Chagnon is a Canadian football linebacker for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Jordan Herdman-Reed is a professional Canadian football linebacker for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football with the Simon Fraser Clan.
Garry Peters is an American professional gridiron football defensive back for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Mathieu Betts is a professional American football linebacker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Betts is the only player in U Sports football history to have won four major individual awards after he won the 2015 Peter Gorman Trophy as the most outstanding rookie and the 2016–2018 J. P. Metras Trophy awards as the most outstanding down lineman. He is a two-time Vanier Cup champion having won in 2016 and 2018.
Jordan X. Williams is a former gridiron football linebacker who played for three years in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was originally drafted first overall in the 2020 CFL Draft by the BC Lions. He played college football for the East Carolina Pirates.
