Geroy Simon facts for kids
Simon with the Edmonton Elks in 2023
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| Maryland Terrapins | |||||||||
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| Position: | Executive director of revenue share management and general manager | ||||||||
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| Born: | 11 September 1975 Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 198 lb (90 kg) | ||||||||
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| College: | Maryland | ||||||||
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Canadian Football Hall of Fame
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Geroy Simon, born on September 11, 1975, is an American football expert. He used to be a player and now works as an executive. He is the executive director of revenue share management and general manager for the Maryland Terrapins football team.
He played for 15 seasons as a slotback in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He spent 12 of those years with the BC Lions. Geroy won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player award in 2006. He also won three Grey Cup championships. These wins were with the BC Lions in 2006 and 2011, and with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2013.
Geroy Simon holds the record for the most career receiving yards in the CFL with 16,352 yards. He is also second in pass receptions with 1,029 and third in touchdown receptions with 103. He was added to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2017. After his playing career, Simon became an executive in the CFL. He was the interim general manager of the Edmonton Elks in 2024.
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College Football Career
Geroy Simon played college football at the University of Maryland. He became one of the best receivers in the school's history. He finished second all-time in receptions with 185 catches. He also had 2,059 receiving yards and caught 10 touchdown passes.
His best season was as a sophomore. He set a record in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with 77 catches. He gained 891 yards and scored 5 touchdowns that year. He also returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown.
Professional Football Journey
Geroy Simon had a long and successful career in professional football. He played for several teams in both the National Football League (NFL) and the CFL.
Early NFL Experience
In 1997, Simon spent some time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was part of their practice squad. He also had brief stints with other NFL teams like the Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Time with Winnipeg Blue Bombers
From 1999 to 2000, Simon played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL. He played in 10 games in 1999 and all 18 games in 2000. In 2000, he caught 51 passes for 725 yards and 7 touchdowns. These were his best numbers at that time.
Years with the BC Lions
Geroy Simon joined the BC Lions in 2001. He became a key player for the team.
- 2001-2002 Seasons: In 2001, he was a backup slotback. In 2002, he led the Lions with 50 receptions for 754 yards. He also threw a 71-yard touchdown pass.
- First 1,000-Yard Season (2003): In 2003, Simon had his first season with over 1,000 receiving yards, totaling 1,687 yards. He was named a Western and CFL All-Star. He even threw another touchdown pass and had a rushing touchdown.
- Breaking Records (2004): In 2004, he caught 103 passes, becoming the third Lions player to reach 100 receptions in a season. He broke the team record for single-season receiving yards with 1,750.
- Playoff Heroics (2005): Simon continued to lead the Lions in receiving. He set a Lions playoff record with a 90-yard touchdown reception.
- Most Outstanding Player (2006): This was a huge year for Simon. He led the CFL in receiving yards (1,856), receptions (105), and touchdowns (15). He broke his own team record for receiving yards. He was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player. He also helped the BC Lions win the 94th Grey Cup.
- Consistent Performance (2007-2010): Simon continued to be a top receiver. In 2008, he became the Lions' all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdowns. He had his seventh straight season with over 1,000 receiving yards in 2009. In 2010, he achieved his eighth straight 1,000-yard season.
- More Records and Grey Cup (2011): In 2011, Simon became the Lions' all-time touchdown leader. He had another All-Star season with 1,350 yards. He helped the Lions win the 99th Grey Cup, his second championship.
- CFL All-Time Leader (2012): On June 29, 2012, Geroy Simon became the CFL's all-time career leader in receiving yards. This happened in a game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Winning with Saskatchewan Roughriders
On January 24, 2013, Simon was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He quickly made an impact.
- Milestones (2013): In August 2013, Simon became the third player in CFL history to have 1,000 career receptions. A week later, he became the first CFL player to reach 16,000 receiving yards. He also became the CFL's all-time receptions leader.
- Grey Cup Champion (2013): Simon finished the season strong. He caught two touchdown passes in the 101st Grey Cup game. This helped the Roughriders win their fourth Grey Cup championship.
Geroy Simon announced his retirement from professional football on May 31, 2014.
Career Statistics
| Receiving | Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
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| Year | Team | Games | No. | Yards | Avg | Long | TD | Games | No. | Yards | Avg | Long | TD | ||
| 1999 | WPG | 10 | 34 | 306 | 9.0 | 25 | 0 | Team did not qualify | |||||||
| 2000 | WPG | 17 | 51 | 725 | 14.2 | 80 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 54 | 13.5 | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2001 | BC | 6 | 14 | 182 | 13.0 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 56 | 11.2 | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2002 | BC | 17 | 50 | 754 | 15.1 | 42 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 88 | 17.6 | 31 | 0 | ||
| 2003 | BC | 18 | 94 | 1687 | 17.9 | 103 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 3.7 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2004 | BC | 18 | 103 | 1750 | 17.0 | 89 | 14 | 2 | 8 | 73 | 9.1 | 18 | 0 | ||
| 2005 | BC | 18 | 89 | 1322 | 14.9 | 83 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 112 | 37.3 | 90 | 1 | ||
| 2006 | BC | 18 | 105 | 1856 | 17.7 | 92 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 75 | 9.4 | 13 | 0 | ||
| 2007 | BC | 18 | 72 | 1308 | 18.2 | 96 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 50 | 10.0 | 18 | 1 | ||
| 2008 | BC | 16 | 82 | 1418 | 17.3 | 79 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 179 | 19.9 | 46 | 1 | ||
| 2009 | BC | 18 | 79 | 1239 | 15.7 | 62 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 141 | 15.7 | 48 | 0 | ||
| 2010 | BC | 18 | 78 | 1190 | 15.3 | 98 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 45 | 11.3 | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2011 | BC | 18 | 84 | 1350 | 16.1 | 63 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 185 | 18.5 | 53 | 1 | ||
| 2012 | BC | 13 | 54 | 700 | 12.9 | 56 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 56 | 9.3 | 56 | 0 | ||
| 2013 | SSK | 15 | 40 | 565 | 14.1 | 45 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 103 | 17.2 | 42 | 2 | ||
| WPG totals | 27 | 85 | 1,031 | 12.1 | 80 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 54 | 13.5 | 31 | 1 | |||
| BC totals | 196 | 904 | 14,756 | 16.3 | 103 | 93 | 17 | 75 | 1,071 | 14.3 | 90 | 4 | |||
| SSK totals | 15 | 40 | 565 | 14.1 | 45 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 103 | 17.2 | 42 | 2 | |||
| CFL totals | 238 | 1,029 | 16,352 | 15.9 | 103 | 103 | 22 | 85 | 1,228 | 14.4 | 90 | 7 | |||
Life Outside Football
Before choosing football, Geroy Simon was a talented basketball player. He also enjoyed baseball and track. However, he was inspired by football legend Walter Payton and decided to focus on football. He accepted a scholarship to the University of Maryland.
In his free time, Simon enjoys listening to B.B. King, watching sports news, and playing pool. He also coaches his son's youth football team. Simon lives in Edmonton during the football season and spends his off-season in Arizona with his fiancée, Taryn Dakha.
Geroy's eldest son, Gervon, was born when Geroy was in college. Gervon became a successful quarterback at Greater Johnstown High School, his father's old school. He finished as the all-time passing yards leader there.
Executive Career in Football
After retiring as a player in 2013, Geroy Simon stayed involved in football. He took on roles in team management.
He first worked in the front office for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. In 2015, he returned to the BC Lions. There, he served as the team's Director for Global Scouting and a US Regional Scout. On December 28, 2021, he was named the assistant general manager of the Edmonton Elks.
On July 15, 2024, Simon became the interim general manager for the Edmonton Elks. This happened after the previous general manager was dismissed. In November 2024, Ed Hervey was named the new general manager for the Elks. Simon was not kept in that role.
In 2025, Simon was named the executive director of revenue share management and general manager for the Maryland Terrapins football team.
Awards and Recognition
In 2012, Geroy Simon was honored by Canada Post. His image was used on a series of special postage stamps. These stamps celebrated the 100th Grey Cup. His image was also used on posters and other materials to promote the Grey Cup game and its celebrations.
