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 |
| 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 April 3, 1979) is an American former professional football player. He was a talented running back who played for two teams in the Canadian Football League (CFL): the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the BC Lions. In 2024, Charles Roberts was honored by being added to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Ring of Honour.
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College Football Career
Charles Roberts went to Sacramento State for college. While playing for the Sac State Hornets football team, he set many rushing records. He gained the most rushing yards in the school's history. He also set a record for the most yards in a single game, with 409 yards against Idaho State in 1999.
His teammates and fans gave him a fun nickname: "Choo-Choo Charlie." This was because a train would often pass by the stadium during their games and practices. After college, he moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, to start his professional career.
Playing for the Blue Bombers
Charles Roberts spent eight years playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. During this time, he became known as one of the best running backs in the CFL. Fans called him "Blink" because of how incredibly fast and agile he was on the field.
In 2006, he was the top rusher in the league. He gained 1,609 yards and scored 10 touchdowns that season. This amazing performance earned him a nomination for the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award for the East division.
By the end of the 2006 season, Roberts had rushed for over 8,000 yards with the Blue Bombers. He also caught passes for more than 2,700 yards and scored 57 touchdowns.
On September 2, 2007, Charles Roberts made history for the Blue Bombers. He passed Leo Lewis to become the team's all-time leading rusher. This means he had gained more rushing yards than any other player in the team's history.
In 2005, he 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.
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 enough yards to pass 10,000 career rushing yards in the CFL. This is a very impressive achievement for any football player.
On December 3, 2008, the Lions announced that Roberts would not be returning for the 2009 season. He decided to retire from playing football shortly after this.
Life After Football
Since retiring from his professional football career, Charles Roberts has settled down in Long Beach, California.
His amazing career has been recognized with several honors. On September 18, 2013, he was inducted into the Blue Bombers' Hall of Fame. The next year, in 2014, he was also inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. These honors celebrate his incredible contributions to Canadian football.
