Chris Getzlaf has announced his retirement from the CFL after 11 seasons in the league. The veteran slotback made the announcement at a press conference at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on Thursday.
“Playing football as a career is amazing. But the interaction everyday with your teammates, that’s what you’ll never forget,” said Getzlaf, during a press conference on Thursday.
The 34-year-old Regina native was drafted in 2007 in the fifth round of the 2007 CFL Draft, 33rd overall, by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He only dressed in two games with Hamilton before being traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders with Corey Holmes in exchange for Jason Armstead on August 19, 2007. Getzlaf spent the rest of the season on the Riders’ practice roster, but was still a part of the Saskatchewan 2007 Grey Cup victory.
Through 147 regular season games in the CFL, Getzlaf suited up for two games with Hamilton, 26 with Edmonton and 119 with Saskatchewan. He retires ranked fifth on the all-time receiving list for Saskatchewan with 368 receptions and 5,694 yards and sixth in all-time touchdown catches with 37.
Getzlaf went on to spend the 2007-2015 seasons with the Riders, helping the team capture the 101st Grey Cup. He was also named the Most Valuable Canadian in that 2013 CFL championship game.
“Obviously being able to win the Grey Cup at home in 2013 was just absolutely amazing to be out in front of Rider nation,” said Getzlaf.
After a strong stint with the Roughriders, Getzlaf didn’t re-sign following the 2015 season, and became a free agent on February 9, 2016. The receiver then signed with the Edmonton Eskimos on February 25, 2016, and was released by the club on September 26, 2017.
The former Roughrider returned to Saskatchewan, where he spent his U Sports Football career with the Regina Rams, on October 16, 2017, when he was added to the practice roster.
