Jermarcus Hardrick facts for kids
| No. 52 Saskatchewan Roughriders | |
Hardrick with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2025
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| Nickname(s) | Yoshi |
|---|---|
| Born: | May 30, 1990 Batesville, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| Status | Active |
| CFL status | International |
| Position(s) | Offensive lineman |
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) |
| Weight | 311 lb (141 kg) |
| College | Fort Scott Nebraska |
| High school | South Panola |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 2012 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers* |
| 2012 | New Orleans Saints* |
| 2013 | Utah Blaze |
| 2014 | BC Lions |
| 2015 | Tampa Bay Storm |
| 2015 | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 2016–2023 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 2024–present | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| *Offseason or practice squad only | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| CFL All-Star | 2021, 2023 |
| CFL West All-Star | 2017, 2021, 2023 |
| Career stats | |
| Games played | 133 |
| Games started | 131 |
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Jermarcus "Yoshi" Hardrick (born May 30, 1990) is an American professional football player. He is an offensive lineman for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Hardrick is a two-time Grey Cup champion, winning with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2019 and 2021. He has also been named a CFL All-Star multiple times.
Before playing professionally, Hardrick played college football for the Fort Scott Greyhounds. He then finished his college career with the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
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Playing Professional Football
Jermarcus Hardrick has played for several teams in different football leagues. He started his professional journey in the NFL before moving to the Arena Football League and then finding a long-term home in the CFL.
Early Career in the NFL and AFL
Hardrick first joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a player who was not drafted by any team in 2012. He played in a few preseason games but was later released.
He then signed with the New Orleans Saints for their practice squad in late 2012. After that, he spent a season playing in the Arena Football League (AFL) for the Utah Blaze in 2013.
Joining the CFL: BC Lions
In 2014, Hardrick moved to the Canadian Football League (CFL). He signed with the BC Lions and played his first CFL game in July 2014. The next week, he made his first start.
During the 2014 season, he played in 12 games for the Lions, starting in 10 of them. He was released by the Lions in April 2015.
Return to AFL and First Stint with Roughriders
After leaving the CFL, Hardrick briefly returned to the AFL in June 2015, playing two games for the Tampa Bay Storm.
Soon after, he signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was initially released but then rejoined their practice squad in August 2015. He was moved to the main team for a game in September 2015, where the Roughriders got their first win of a tough season. He started in eight games for the rest of the 2015 season.
Success with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Hardrick signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in February 2016. In his first season with them, he played and started in 16 games. The Blue Bombers made the playoffs that year for the first time since 2011.
He became known for a fun tradition at home games. After a touchdown, Hardrick, who weighs over 300 pounds, would jump into the stands to celebrate with fans. This became known as the "Hardrick Hop" or "Hardrick Leap."
Becoming an All-Star and Grey Cup Champion
In 2017, Hardrick started all 18 regular season games as a right tackle. His excellent play earned him a spot as a CFL West All-Star. He signed a new contract to stay with the team.
He continued to be a key player for the Blue Bombers in 2018, starting in 15 games despite missing a few due to injury. He also started in both of their playoff games.
The 2019 season was a big one for Hardrick and the Blue Bombers. He started all 18 regular season games. He also started in all three playoff games. Hardrick helped the team win his first Grey Cup championship, defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
He signed extensions to stay with the Blue Bombers for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. In 2021, Hardrick helped the team lead the CFL in wins. They won their second Grey Cup in a row, beating Hamilton again in an exciting overtime game. For his strong performance, Hardrick was named a CFL All-Star and CFL West All-Star for the first time in his career.
He signed another contract to play for Winnipeg in the 2022 season. Hardrick became a free agent in February 2024.
Second Stint with Saskatchewan Roughriders
In February 2024, it was announced that Hardrick would be returning to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He signed a two-year contract with the team.
About Jermarcus Hardrick
Jermarcus Hardrick grew up in a small town called Courtland, Mississippi. It was a very small place with limited opportunities.
His best friend growing up was Mario Lewis. Because they were always together, people started calling Hardrick "Yoshi." This was a fun reference to the characters Mario and Yoshi from the popular Mario video games. Later, they found out they were half-brothers.
Hardrick met his wife, Samantha, at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She was a track athlete there. They have three children and live in Lincoln during the football off-season.
