Charles Roberts (Canadian football) facts for kids
| Date of birth: | April 3, 1979 |
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| Place of birth: | Montclair, California, U.S. |
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Career information
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| Status: | Retired |
| CFL status: | Import |
| Position(s): | RB |
| Height: | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Weight: | 177 lb (80 kg) |
| College: | Sacramento State |
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Organizations
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Career highlights and awards
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| CFL All-Star: | 2001–2007 |
| CFL East All-Star: | 2001, 2006, 2007 |
| CFL West All-Star: | 2002–2005 |
| Awards: | 2001 - Frank M. Gibson Trophy |
| Honors: | 2007 - Fan Choice |
| Records: | Winnipeg Career Rushing Leader (9,987 yards) |
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Career stats
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Canadian Football Hall of Fame, 2014
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Charles Roberts, born on April 3, 1979, is a former American professional football player. He was a running back in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the BC Lions. In 2024, he joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Ring of Honour.
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College Football Career
Charles Roberts went to Sacramento State. He played for the Sac State Hornets football team. While there, he set many rushing records. He gained the most rushing yards in the school's history. He also set a record for most yards in one game (409 yards against Idaho State in 1999).
His college nickname was "Choo-Choo Charlie." This was because a train often passed by the stadium during games. After college, he moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL.
Playing for the Blue Bombers
Charles Roberts played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for eight years. During this time, he became one of the best running backs in the CFL. People called him "Blink" because he was so quick and agile.
In 2006, he led the league in rushing yards with 1,609 yards. He also scored 10 touchdowns that year. For his amazing performance, he was nominated for the Most Outstanding Player award for the East division.
By the end of the 2006 season, Roberts had rushed for 8,091 yards. This was in just six seasons with the Blue Bombers. He also gained 2,732 receiving yards. He scored a total of 57 touchdowns.
On September 2, 2007, Charles Roberts made history. He passed Leo Lewis to become the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' all-time leading rusher. At that time, he was also fifth all-time in CFL career rushing yards. Later, in 2023, Andrew Harris passed Roberts for fifth place.
In 2005, Charles Roberts was chosen as one of the 20 All-Time Blue Bomber Greats. This shows how important he was to the team. On September 1, 2008, Roberts was traded to the BC Lions. He was traded for another running back, Joe Smith.
Time with the BC Lions
After joining the BC Lions, Charles Roberts continued to make history. On September 13, 2008, in a game against the Roughriders, he reached a huge milestone. He ran for over 10,000 rushing yards in his CFL career.
On December 3, 2008, the Lions announced that Roberts would not be playing for them in 2009. This meant he became a free agent, free to sign with any team. Soon after, he decided to retire from playing professional football.
Life After Football
After retiring from football, Charles Roberts moved to Long Beach, California. He lives there now.
His achievements continued to be recognized. On September 18, 2013, he was inducted into the Blue Bombers' Hall of Fame. In 2014, he was also inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Career Statistics
Here are some of Charles Roberts' career statistics:
| Year | Team | Attempts | Yards | Average | Long | TD | Fumbles | Receptions | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
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| 2001 | WPG | 107 | 620 | 5.8 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 27 | 288 | 10 | 43 | 0 |
| 2002 | WPG | 216 | 1,162 | 5.4 | 70 | 5 | 5 | 55 | 613 | 11 | 59 | 6 |
| 2003 | WPG | 264 | 1,554 | 5.9 | 51 | 8 | 2 | 51 | 548 | 10 | 47 | 2 |
| 2004 | WPG | 300 | 1,522 | 5.1 | 49 | 8 | 11 | 53 | 398 | 7 | 26 | 5 |
| 2005 | WPG | 290 | 1,624 | 5.6 | 69 | 12 | 5 | 49 | 474 | 9 | 32 | 0 |
| 2006 | WPG | 303 | 1,609 | 5.3 | - | 10 | 5 | 42 | 411 | 9 | 32 | 0 |
| 2007 | WPG | 246 | 1,379 | 5.3 | - | 16 | 6 | 47 | 358 | 7 | 35 | 0 |
| 2008 | WPG/BC | 176 | 815 | 4.6 | - | 9 | 4 | 44 | 306 | 7 | 20 | 0 |
| Totals | TOT | 1918 | 10285 | 5.4 | 70 | 69 | 41 | 368 | 3396 | 9 | 64 | 13 |
