Folarin Orimolade

Folarin Orimolade

No. 7     Toronto Argonauts
Orimolade with the Toronto Argonauts in 2024
Born:	(1995-11-23) November 23, 1995 (age 29) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Career information
Status	Active
CFL status	American
Position(s)	Defensive lineman
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	238 lb (108 kg)
College	Dartmouth
High school	James Hubert Blake High
Career history
As player
2017	Los Angeles Rams*
2018–2022	Calgary Stampeders
2023–present	Toronto Argonauts
*Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Grey Cup champion (2018, 2024)
CFL East All-Star	2023
Career stats
Playing stats at CFL.ca

Adefolarin Adebayo Orimolade (born November 23, 1995) is an American professional football defensive lineman for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a two-time Grey Cup champion after winning with the Calgary Stampeders in 2018 and with the Argonauts in 2024.

College career

Orimolade played college football for the Dartmouth Big Green from 2013 to 2016. ^[1] He played in 39 games where he had 143 total tackles, 23.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, and eight pass breakups. ^{[1] [2]}

Professional career

Los Angeles Rams

Orimolade signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Rams on May 2, 2017. ^[3] However, he was released at the end of training camp on September 2, 2017. ^[2]

Calgary Stampeders

On May 11, 2018, it was announced that Orimolade had signed with the Calgary Stampeders. ^[4] He began the 2018 season on the practice roster, but made his professional debut in Week 3 against the Ottawa Redblacks on June 28, 2018. ^{[2] [5]} In his second game, on July 28, 2018, he recorded his first career sack against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. ^[2] He played in ten regular season games for the Stampeders in 2018 where he had seven defensive tackles, 10 special teams tackles, two sacks, and two forced fumbles. ^[2] He made his post-season debut in the West Final against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers that year and also played in his first Grey Cup game. In the 106th Grey Cup, he recorded two special teams tackles as the Stampeders defeated the Redblacks and Orimolade won his first championship. ^[2]

In the first pre-season game of 2019, Orimolade endured a quadriceps injury and spent the entire season on the injured list. ^[2] He also did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the 2020 CFL season. He returned in 2021 where he played in seven regular season games and had eight defensive tackles, one special teams tackle, and two sacks. ^[2] He also played in the West Semi-Final loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. ^[2] As a pending free agent, Orimolade signed a contract extension on January 5, 2022. ^[6]

During the 2022 season, Orimolade recorded his first interception on August 13, 2022, after picking off the BC Lions' Nathan Rourke and returning it 28 yards for his first career touchdown. ^[7] He played in 17 regular season games where he had 37 defensive tackles, six sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, and one touchdown. He became a free agent upon the expiry of his contract on February 14, 2023. ^[8]

Toronto Argonauts

On the first day of free agency, on February 14, 2023, it was announced that Orimolade had signed with the Toronto Argonauts. ^[9] In 2023, he played and started in 17 regular season games, where he recorded 36 defensive tackles, ten sacks, and two forced fumbles. ^[10] In the East Final, he had three defensive tackles and two sacks, but the Argonauts were upset by the Montreal Alouettes. ^[10]

In the 2024 season, Orimolade played and started in 12 regular season games as he sat out six games due to injury. ^[11] He recorded 17 defensive tackles, six sacks, one interception, and one forced fumbles. ^[11] He also played and started in all three post-season games, including the 111th Grey Cup where he didn't record a statistic, but shared in the Argonauts' 41–24 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. ^{[11] [12]}

Personal life

Orimolade was born to parents Taiye and Ibijola Orimolade and has one brother. ^[1]

References

1. "Folarin Orimolade". Dartmouth Big Green . Retrieved September 17, 2022.
2. "Folarin Orimolade". Calgary Stampeders . Retrieved September 17, 2022.
3. "Orimolade, Miller Agree to Terms with NFL Teams". Dartmouth Big Green. May 2, 2017.
4. "Three players added to rookie camp roster". Calgary Stampeders. May 11, 2018.
5. "Transactions – Football player trades and signings". Canadian Football League . Retrieved September 17, 2022.
6. "Stampeders extend American DL Folarin Orimolade". Canadian Football League. January 5, 2022.
7. "BC Lions vs Calgary Stampeders". Canadian Football League. August 13, 2022.
8. "Transactions – Football player trades and signings". Canadian Football League . Retrieved February 14, 2023.
9. "Argos ink American Folarin Orimolade". Toronto Argonauts. February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
10. "Games Notes" (PDF). Canadian Football League . Retrieved July 19, 2024.
11. "111th Grey Cup notes" (PDF). Canadian Football League . Retrieved November 25, 2024.
12. "Play-by-Play, 111th Grey Cup". Canadian Football League. November 17, 2024.

External links

• Toronto Argonauts bio
• Media related to Folarin Orimolade at Wikimedia Commons