Chris Rainey facts for kids
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Rainey with the Toronto Argonauts in 2019
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| Born: | March 2, 1988 Lakeland, Florida, U.S. |
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| Career information | |
| CFL status | International |
| Position(s) | Running back Kick returner |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| College | Florida |
| High school | Lakeland (Lakeland, Florida) |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 2012 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2013 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2014 | Arizona Cardinals* |
| 2014 | Montreal Alouettes |
| 2015–2018 | BC Lions |
| 2019 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 2020–2021 | BC Lions |
| *Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| CFL All-Star | 2016 |
| CFL West All-Star | 2016, 2018 |
| Career stats | |
| Rushing yards | 1,038 |
| Receiving yards | 1,293 |
| Return yards | 10,413 |
| Total touchdowns | 19 |
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Christopher Rainey (born March 2, 1988) is a former American football player. He was a talented running back and kick returner. Chris played in both the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was part of the University of Florida's national championship team in 2009. Later, the Pittsburgh Steelers picked him in the 2012 NFL Draft. He also played for other teams like the Indianapolis Colts, Montreal Alouettes, BC Lions, and Toronto Argonauts.
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Early Life and High School Football
Chris Rainey was born in Lakeland, Florida. He grew up there, raised by his grandmother. Chris went to Lakeland High School. He became a star running back for the Lakeland Dreadnaughts football team.
During high school, he lived with twin brothers Maurkice Pouncey and Mike Pouncey. All three were amazing players for the Dreadnaughts. In 2006, as a senior, Chris rushed for 2,478 yards. He scored 32 touchdowns that year. Fifteen of those touchdowns were runs of 50 yards or more.
He helped his team win their third straight Florida Class 5A state championship. They also won their second straight USA Today national championship. After his senior year, he was named a U.S. Army high school All-American. He finished his high school career with over 7,000 all-purpose yards and 90 touchdowns.
Chris Rainey and the Pouncey brothers all decided to play college football for the University of Florida. All three players later went on to be drafted by NFL teams.
College Career at Florida
Chris Rainey received a scholarship to attend the University of Florida. He played for the Florida Gators football team from 2007 to 2011. In his first year, 2007, he injured his shoulder. This meant he didn't play that season.
He was a key player on the Gators' 2008 team. This team won the 2008 SEC Championship Game and the 2009 BCS National Championship Game. During his time as a Gator, he played in 52 games. He gained over 2,400 rushing yards and scored 13 touchdowns. He also caught 69 passes for 795 yards and 6 touchdowns. Chris also returned 18 kickoffs for 454 yards.
He holds the team record for blocked kicks with four. After his senior season in 2011, his teammates voted him the team's most valuable player.
Track and Field Success
As a freshman, Chris also ran track for the Florida Gators track and field team. He earned All-American honors in 2008. This was for being part of the Gators' 4x100-meter relay team. They finished third at the NCAA national outdoor track and field championships.
He did not run track in his second year. In 2010, as a junior, the Gators' 4x100-meter relay team won the NCAA Championship. Chris was part of this winning team. They finished with a time of 39.04 seconds. This earned them All-American honors.
- Personal Best Running Times
| Event | Time (seconds) | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 meters | 6.70 | Blacksburg, Virginia | February 5, 2010 |
| 100 meters | 10.60 | Gainesville, Florida | April 16, 2011 |
| 200 meters | 21.50 | Winter Park, Florida | May 4, 2007 |
Professional Football Journey
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 8+3⁄8 in (1.74 m) |
180 lb (82 kg) |
30+3⁄4 in (0.78 m) |
9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) |
4.23 s | 1.50 s | 2.58 s | 3.93 s | 6.50 s | 36.5 in (0.93 m) |
10 ft 0 in (3.05 m) |
16 reps | |
| All values from NFL Combine, except 40 time from Central Florida Pro Day | ||||||||||||
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Chris Rainey in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL draft. He was the 159th player picked overall. On May 6, 2012, he signed a four-year contract with the team.
He played his first game for the Steelers on September 9, 2012. This was against the Denver Broncos. He scored his first NFL touchdown on October 21, 2012, against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers released Chris Rainey on January 10, 2013.
Indianapolis Colts
Chris Rainey signed with the Indianapolis Colts on November 20, 2013. He stayed with the team for three weeks. In his first week, he did not play. He then played in two games for the Colts.
In these two games, Rainey returned six kickoffs and four punts. He gained a total of 160 all-purpose yards. He was placed on injured reserve on December 9, 2013. This ended his season. On July 28, 2014, the Colts released him.
Arizona Cardinals
Rainey joined the Arizona Cardinals practice squad on September 9, 2014. He was released by the team shortly after, on September 18, 2014.
Montreal Alouettes
Chris Rainey signed with the Montreal Alouettes practice team on September 28, 2014. He was moved to the main team on October 20, 2014. Rainey played in 5 games for the Alouettes in 2014. He had 22 touches on offense and 15 as a return specialist. The team released him on June 15, 2015.
BC Lions (First Time)
Rainey signed with the BC Lions on August 28, 2015. He joined them halfway through the season. He played in the last nine regular season games. He mainly played as a punt and kick returner.
In the 2016 CFL season, Rainey led the CFL in combined yards with 2,945. He was also third in both kick and punt return yards. On December 5, 2016, Rainey signed a two-year contract extension with the Lions. This kept him with the team through the 2018 CFL season.
Toronto Argonauts
Chris Rainey signed with the Toronto Argonauts on February 12, 2019. In a game against his old team, the BC Lions, he returned a punt for a touchdown. During the season, Rainey passed 10,000 career return yards. He was named Toronto's Most Outstanding Special Teams Player. He was released by the Argonauts on February 7, 2020.
BC Lions (Second Time)
On February 11, 2020, it was announced that Rainey signed a one-year contract to return to the Lions. However, the 2020 CFL season was canceled due to world events. So, Rainey signed with the Lions again on February 9, 2021. He became a free agent on February 8, 2022.
Personal Life
Chris Rainey is married to his wife, Jenn. They have three children named Makari, Makynli, and Makailynn.
Chris's older brother is Rod Smart. Rod also played professional football as a running back and kick returner. He played in the CFL, XFL, and NFL.
See also
- List of Florida Gators in the NFL draft
- List of Pittsburgh Steelers players
