Henry Burris facts for kids
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Burris with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2016
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| Florida A&M Rattlers | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Co-offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach | ||||||||||
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| Born: | June 4, 1975 Spiro, Oklahoma, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||
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| High school: | Spiro (OK) | ||||||||||
| College: | Temple | ||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1997 | ||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
| Player stats at CFL.ca | |||||||||||
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Canadian Football Hall of Fame
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Henry Armand Burris Jr. (born June 4, 1975) is a former American professional football quarterback who is in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. He is currently a coach for the Florida A&M football team.
Burris played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1998 to 2016. He won three Grey Cup championships, which is the CFL's biggest prize. He won two titles with the Calgary Stampeders (1998 and 2008) and one with the Ottawa Redblacks (2016).
He was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player twice, in 2010 and 2015. When he retired, he was third all-time in CFL passing yards and touchdowns. Burris also played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL. He even spent some time in the NFL with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. After his playing career, he worked as a sports broadcaster for TSN.
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Early Life and College
Burris grew up in Spiro, Oklahoma. In high school, he was a star athlete, playing football, track, basketball, and baseball. He was so good at football that he was named the Oklahoma Offensive Player of the Year in his senior year.
For college, Burris went to Temple University. He became a record-setting quarterback for the Temple Owls. By the time he graduated, he had set 20 school passing records.
Professional Football Career
After college, Burris was not chosen in the 1997 NFL draft. He decided to play in the Canadian Football League instead.
First Years in the CFL
In 1997, Burris joined the Calgary Stampeders. He started as a backup quarterback and won his first Grey Cup with the team in 1998. After an injury in 1999, he moved to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2000 to become a starting quarterback. He had a great season, throwing for over 4,600 yards.
Playing in the NFL
His success in the CFL got the attention of the NFL. In 2001, he signed with the Green Bay Packers. The next year, he played for the Chicago Bears. He played in six games for the Bears, showing he was a good runner but had a tough time with his passing.
Return to the CFL
Burris returned to the CFL in 2003, rejoining the Saskatchewan Roughriders. In 2004, he had a strong season and led the team to the playoffs.
In 2005, Burris signed again with the Calgary Stampeders. This time, he was their star quarterback. He led the team to the playoffs many times and won his second Grey Cup in 2008. In that championship game, he was named the Grey Cup MVP. He also won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player award in 2010.
Hamilton and Ottawa Years
In 2012, Burris was traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He had one of his best seasons ever, throwing for over 5,300 yards and 43 touchdowns. The next year, he led the Tiger-Cats to the Grey Cup, but they lost.
In 2014, Burris joined a brand-new team, the Ottawa Redblacks. The team struggled in its first year. But in 2015, Burris had an amazing comeback season. He set a CFL record for the most completions in a single game (45) and in a season (481). He was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player for a second time and led the Redblacks to the Grey Cup.
A Championship Finish
The 2016 season was Burris's last. At 41 years old, he led the Ottawa Redblacks to another Grey Cup game. Even though he hurt his knee during warmups, he had a heroic performance. He threw for 461 yards and led the Redblacks to a thrilling overtime victory against his old team, the Calgary Stampeders. It was Ottawa's first Grey Cup win in 40 years. Burris was named the Grey Cup MVP for the second time.
On January 24, 2017, Burris officially announced his retirement. He was later inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Life After Playing
After retiring from football, Burris became a TV host and football analyst. He worked for CTV Morning Live in Ottawa and was a panel member for CFL on TSN.
He also began a coaching career. He has worked for several NFL teams, including the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Los Angeles Rams. In 2024, he became the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Florida A&M.
Personal Life
Burris is married to his wife, Nicole. They have two sons, Armand and Barron. Armand also plays football at Florida A&M University. In 2017, Burris became a permanent resident of Canada.
See also
- List of Canadian Football League records (individual)
