Nik Lewis

Last updated

Nik Lewis
Calgary Stampeders
2024, Coach Nik Lewis.jpg
Lewis with the Calgary Stampeders in 2024
Born: (1982-06-03) June 3, 1982 (age 42)
Mineral Wells, Texas, U.S.
Career information
CFL status American
Position(s) Receivers coach
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight240 lb (110 kg)
College Southern Arkansas
Career history
As coach
2019 BC Lions
(Running backs coach)
2023–present Calgary Stampeders
(Receivers coach)
As player
2004–2014 Calgary Stampeders
2015–2018 Montreal Alouettes
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star 2010–2012
CFL East All-Star 2016
CFL West All-Star 2006, 2007, 2010–2012
Honors CFL Rookie of the Year, 2004
RecordsMost career pass receptions (1,051)
Career stats
Receptions 1,051
Receiving yards13,778
Receiving touchdowns 71

Nikolas Lewis (born June 3, 1982) is the receivers coach for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and he is a former professional Canadian football slotback who played for 15 years in the CFL. He is a two-time Grey Cup champion, winning in 2008 and 2014 with the Stampeders. In his first season, he won the CFL Rookie of the Year award, followed by five West Division All-Star and three CFL All-Star awards. He is second all-time as a Stampeder in receptions (805), receiving yards (11,250), and touchdown catches (65) behind Allen Pitts. He also has the club record for consecutive games with a reception, with 166. On August 24, 2017, Lewis became the CFL all-time leader in receptions with 1,030 catches (he finished his career with 1,051). [1]

Contents

Lewis attended Southern Arkansas University and was named an NCAA Division II All-American in 2003. He attended high school in Jacksboro, Texas, where he participated in track, specializing in the triple jump.

Professional career

Calgary Stampeders

Lewis with the Stampeders Nik Lewis.jpg
Lewis with the Stampeders

In 2004, Lewis led the Stampeders in receptions (72), receiving yards (1045), touchdowns (8) and punt return yards (385) and was recognized as the Rookie of the Year by the Canadian Football League. [2] [3] Lewis finished the 2005 CFL season with 1,379 receiving yards, nine touchdowns and 80 receptions, second in the league. [3] 2006 was another strong year for Lewis with the Stampeders as he posting 77 receptions, 1,114 receiving yards and five touchdowns and was named to the 2006 CFL Western Division All-Star team. [3]

The 2007 CFL season saw Lewis achieve 67 receptions, 1,101 receiving yards, and 5 touchdowns. Lewis also had a career long 85 yard reception and was again a CFL Western Division All-Star. [3] Lewis helped lead Calgary to the 96th Grey Cup championship with 87 receptions for 1,109 yards and 10 touchdowns in the 2008 regular season. [3]

In 2009, Lewis had another 1,000-yard season by reaching the plateau in the last 15 minutes in the last game of the regular season. [4] Lewis scored his first and only touchdown of the season in the 17th game of the regular season, earning the unusual distinction of having the lowest touchdowns scored for a 1,000-yard receiver in the history of the CFL. As of the end of this season, Lewis has caught a pass in all 105 games that he has played in. [5]

In 2011 Nik Lewis partnered with Joffrey Reynolds to create www.calmb4storm.com an organization that gives fans an opportunity to experience things otherwise unattainable.

In a 2012 poll of over 250 of his fellow players in the CFL, Lewis was voted "Toughest to Bring Down" out of all other players in the league, with 35% of all votes cast. He also received 8.4% of all votes cast in the category "Toughest Player", finishing third, and placed fourth in the category "Nastiest Player." He received 7.8% of all votes cast in the category "Best Hands", finishing fifth, and he ranked fourth in the category "Best Clutch Performer." Players on the roster of the Calgary Stampeders were not permitted to vote for Lewis. He was the only player to rank in the top five in more than three categories. [6]

During the 2012 CFL Playoffs Lewis sent out the following Tweet "I just bought OJ’s gloves on eBay. Now all I need is a white girl named Nicole." [7] The Tweet was soon deleted by Lewis. Lewis was fined an undisclosed amount by the CFL for violating its social media policy. Lewis subsequently made apologies on two successive days, and announced he was donating the paycheque from his next game (the 2012 Western Final) to a women's charity. [8] Lewis finished the season with over 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns. It was the 9th consecutive season in which he recorded 1,000 yards.

In Week 8 of the 2013 CFL season Lewis suffered a fractured fibula as he was tackled by BC linebacker Solomon Elimimian. He was expected to miss around 6 weeks due to the injury. [9] However, he instead sat out the rest of the season, which also left his 1,000-yard receiving streak at nine.

Lewis saw a diminished role in 2014, highlighted by his consecutive games with a catch streak snapped in week 5 against the Edmonton Eskimos. He was held without a reception in a regular season game for the first time since June 20, 2004, with the streak ending at 166. [10] He posted career-low totals in receiving yards and failed to score a touchdown in any game of the season, also a career low. Despite the frustrating season, Lewis helped the Stampeders qualify for the 102nd Grey Cup, a game in which he set up Calgary's first touchdown with a 13-yard catch that brought the ball to the one-yard line. He won his second Grey Cup championship following the Stampeders' 20–16 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. [11] After 11 seasons with the Stamps, Lewis was not re-signed following the 2014 season, and became a free agent on February 10, 2015.

Montreal Alouettes

On February 25, 2015, Lewis and the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League agreed to a one-year contract. [12] Following a somewhat mediocre 2015 season Lewis was re-signed by the Alouettes. He had a resurgent year in 2016, accomplishing his tenth 1,000 yard season of his career, and his first since 2012. Lewis lead the team with 102 receptions and 1,136 yards receiving. [13] At 34 years of age the Alouettes and Nik Lewis agreed to a two-year contract extension, keeping him with the club through the 2018 season. [14]

On August 24, 2017, Lewis surpassed Geroy Simon's career reception mark to become the all-time CFL receptions leader after recording his 1,030th catch. [15] On October 27, 2017, Lewis told Lee Jones of TSN that he had played his last game after his Alouettes fell to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, 12–37. [16] On May 17, 2018, Lewis officially announced his retirement. [17]

Lewis was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame as a player in 2021. [18]

Statistics

Receiving Regular season Playoffs
YearTeamGamesNo.YardsAvgLongTDGamesNo.YardsAvgLongTD
2004 CGY 1873104514.3428Team did not qualify
2005 CGY 1880137917.2469122814.0150
2006 CGY 1877111414.550515367.2120
2007 CGY 1667110116.485512199.5140
2008 CGY 1887110912.7851021418413.1310
2009 CGY 1770101314.552121114513.2260
2010 CGY 1790126214.074916559.2160
2011 CGY 1893120913.0625123115.5170
2012 CGY 17100124112.4521031113212610
2013 CGY 73240012.5323Placed on injured reserve
2014 CGY 133737710.225022189.0130
2015 MTL 177074310.6532Team did not qualify
2016 MTL 18102113611.1353Team did not qualify
2017 MTL 14736498.9211Team did not qualify
CFL totals2261,05113,77813.18568155664811.6610

Coaching career

BC Lions

Lewis served as the running backs coach for the BC Lions during the 2019 season. [19]

Calgary Stampeders

On January 3, 2023, it was announced that Lewis had been hired as the receivers coach for the Calgary Stampeders. [19]

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References

  1. ↑ "Lewis sets CFL career receptions record - CFL.ca". CFL.ca. August 24, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Lions' Printers named CFL MVP". CBC Sports. November 22, 2004. Retrieved November 24, 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Nikolas Lewis". Rosters. CFL.ca. Retrieved November 24, 2008.
  4. ↑ https://www.cfl.ca/article/lewis-has-another-season-to-remember Lewis has another season to remember
  5. ↑ "Calgary Stampeders - Team - Player Roster - Career". April 14, 2012. Archived from the original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  6. ↑ TSN Player Poll 2012
  7. ↑ "Calgary News | Current Headlines & Stories | Calgary Sun".
  8. ↑ Ottawa Citizen story, retrieved 16 Nov 2012
  9. ↑ Fractured fibula, Week 8, 2013
  10. ↑ Stamps Nik Lewis' consecutive-games-with-a-catch streak snapped in the win over Eskmos
  11. ↑ "Grey Cup Gallop: Stamps champs with win over Ticats". Archived from the original on December 3, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  12. ↑ "FA15: End of an era; Lewis heads East to Montreal". cfl.ca. CFL.ca Staff. February 25, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  13. ↑ "montrealalouettes.com player stats".
  14. ↑ "Als re-up SB Lewis on two-year deal - Article - TSN". TSN. January 4, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Nik Lewis makes history - Montreal Alouettes". Montreal Alouettes. August 24, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  16. ↑ TSN (October 28, 2017). "After 14 seasons in the #CFL, Nik Lewis has called it a career.pic.twitter.com/gcwvwe7Of5". @TSN_Sports. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Nik Lewis officially announces retirement - CFL.ca". CFL.ca. May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Canadian Football Hall of Fame unveils class of 2021". cfhof.ca. Canadian Football Hall of Fame. April 28, 2021.
  19. 1 2 "Lewis And Simpson Added To Coaching Staff". Calgary Stampeders. January 3, 2023.

Further reading

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