James Stanley (American football) facts for kids
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Linebackers Coach & Director of Analytics |
| Team | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| Conference | Canadian Football League |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | November 12, 1979 Jackson, Michigan, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Toledo |
| Playing career | |
| 1998–2002 | Toledo |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2004–2007 | Fairborn HS (OH) (DB) |
| 2007–2009 | Dayton (DB) |
| 2009 | Detroit Lions (DB/ST intern) |
| 2010 | Hartford Colonials (Special Teams Quality Control) |
| 2010 | Cleveland Browns (Defensive Intern) |
| 2011 | Calgary Stampeders (Defensive Assistant) |
| 2012 | Toronto Argonauts (LB) |
| 2013–2017 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats (DB) |
| 2018 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Asst. Defensive Backs) |
| 2019–present | Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Line Backers Coach & Pass Game Analyst) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 3x Grey Cup Champion (2012, 2019),2021, 2007 Mid Major National Champion (University of Dayton), 2001 M.A.C. Champion | |
James Stanley (born November 12, 1980) is an American football coach. He works as a Linebackers Coach and Pass Game Analyst for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. This team plays in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Stanley has worked in the CFL for 13 seasons. He has coached in 8 Grey Cup championship games. He has won 3 championships with different teams. Before coaching, Stanley played professional indoor football from 2004 to 2007. He was even the first player picked in the AIFL draft in 2005.
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Early Life and College Years
James Stanley grew up in Jackson, Michigan. He went to Jackson High School. There, he played football, basketball, and ran track. He graduated in 1997.
After high school, Stanley played football at the University of Toledo. He was a defensive back from 1998 to 2002. During his time there, his team, the Toledo Rockets, went to the Motor City Bowl twice. They also won a Mid-American Conference (MAC) title in 2001.
After graduating from Toledo, Stanley continued his studies. He took classes at the University of Dayton.
Playing Football as a Pro
Stanley played professional indoor football for four seasons. This was from 2004 to 2007. He played for different teams in leagues like the Arena Football League (AFL) and the American Indoor Football League (AIFL). In 2005, he was the very first player chosen in the AIFL draft.
Coaching Career Highlights
James Stanley has had a long and successful coaching career. He has coached in many important games.
Coaching in the CFL
Stanley coached in three Grey Cup games in a row from 2012 to 2014. He also coached in the Grey Cup in 2019 and 2021. The Grey Cup is the championship game of the Canadian Football League.
In 2012, he was the linebackers coach for the Toronto Argonauts. They won the 100th Grey Cup that year. After that, he became the defensive backs coach for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2013.
Stanley started his CFL coaching journey in 2011. He was a defensive assistant with the Calgary Stampeders. He mainly worked with the defensive backs.
Coaching in Other Leagues
Before joining the CFL, Stanley coached in other professional leagues. In 2010, he worked for the United Football League's Hartford Colonials. He helped with special teams and defense. Later that year, he was a defensive coaching intern for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League (NFL). He focused on the secondary players.
In 2009, he also spent some time with the NFL's Detroit Lions. He was an intern helping with special teams and the secondary.
College Coaching Experience
Besides pro teams, Stanley also coached at the college level. He spent three years as the defensive backs coach for the University of Dayton. During his time there, four of his defensive backs were named All-Conference players. This means they were among the best players in their conference.
He also worked as an intern defensive backs coach for the Cincinnati Marshals in 2006. This team was part of the National Indoor Football League (NIFL).
