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 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 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 Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Reginald Alonzo Givens is a former American football linebacker in both the Canadian Football League and National Football League for the Baltimore Stallions, Toronto Argonauts, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins. He played college football at Penn State University.
David Douglas “Harpdog” Harper was a former American football linebacker in the National Football League 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. 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 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. He has played for the B.C. Lions, Toronto Argonauts in the CFL and San Francisco 49ers in the NFL. In 2011, he won a Grey Cup with the BC Lions. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and released in 2010.
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 also been a member of the Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Montreal Alouettes, and Toronto Argonauts.
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 for the Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football at Ohio State and Ball State, and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Ottawa Redblacks (CFL).
Shawn Lemon is a Canadian football defensive lineman for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at the University of Akron and attended Westlake High School in Waldorf, Maryland. He has also been a member of seven CFL teams, three arena football teams and two NFL teams.
Andrew Stewart is a former American football defensive end who played two seasons with the Cleveland Browns.He also played two seasons in Cincinnati for the Bengals and one season in San Francisco. National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the 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 a Canadian football defensive lineman for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played wide receiver 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.
Jeffrey Ali Knox Jr. is a professional Canadian football linebacker who is a free agent. He made his professional debut in 2015 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders after going undrafted in the 2014 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, Tennessee Titans, Ottawa Redblacks, and Toronto Argonauts.
Alex Reed Singleton is an American football linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Montana State and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seattle Seahawks after the 2015 NFL Draft. He also previously played for the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, Calgary Stampeders, and Philadelphia Eagles.
Kevin Francis is a professional Canadian football linebacker for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played as a tight end during his college football career with the North Carolina A&T Aggies.
Micah Awe is a Nigerian-born Canadian football linebacker who is a free agent. He most recently played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Texas Tech. He has also been a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, Toronto Argonauts, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Ottawa Redblacks.
Jordan Herdman-Reed is a professional Canadian football linebacker who is a free agent. He most recently played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football with the Simon Fraser Clan.
Jordan Xavier Williams is a professional Canadian football linebacker for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted first overall in the 2020 CFL Draft by the Lions. He played college football for the East Carolina Pirates.
Christopher Edwards is a professional Canadian football defensive back for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
