Jon Cornish facts for kids
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Cornish with the Calgary Stampeders
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| Born: | November 5, 1984 New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada |
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| Career information | |
| CFL status | National |
| Position(s) | Running back |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Weight | 217 lb (98 kg) |
| College | Kansas |
| High school | Burnaby (BC) St. Thomas More |
| CFL draft | 2006 / Round: 2 / Pick: 13 |
| Drafted by | Calgary Stampeders |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 2007–2015 | Calgary Stampeders |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| CFL All-Star | 2012–2014 |
| CFL West All-Star | 2011–2014 |
| Career stats | |
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Jonathan Michael Cornish (born November 5, 1984) is a Canadian former professional football player. He was a talented running back who played for nine seasons with the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Jon Cornish was chosen 13th overall in the 2006 CFL Draft after playing college football at the University of Kansas. He became a very successful player, winning two Grey Cup championships in 2008 and 2014. He was also named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2013. Jon was recognized as the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian three times (2012, 2013, 2014). In 2013, he also won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's top athlete. Because of his amazing career, Jon Cornish was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
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Early Life and High School Football
Jon Cornish grew up in New Westminster, British Columbia. He went to St. Thomas More Collegiate (STMC) in Burnaby, a high school known for its sports programs. Jon was a multi-sport athlete, playing basketball, track and field, and football.
In high school football, he was an incredible running back. He rushed for a total of 3,200 yards and scored 49 touchdowns during his career. In his senior year alone, he ran for 2,136 yards and 31 touchdowns, averaging an amazing 14.9 yards per carry. His best game included 336 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Jon was also a strong defensive player. He made 152 tackles and set a school record with 37 quarterback sacks. In his senior year, he was named the British Columbia Provincial Football Player of the Year. During his time at STMC, Jon helped his team win two Varsity AAA Provincial High School Football Championships.
College Football Career
Jon Cornish played college football for the University of Kansas.
Starting His College Journey
After a medical redshirt year, Jon had limited playing time in his first two years. He only rushed for 8 yards on 3 carries.
Junior Year Success
In his junior season, Jon played in all 12 games. Even though he didn't start any games, he was named the most valuable offensive player for his team. He led the team in rushing with 780 yards and 9 touchdowns. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry.
On his birthday, November 5, 2005, Jon scored a 72-yard touchdown run against Nebraska. This helped Kansas win against Nebraska for the first time in 38 years! He also helped his team win their first bowl game against the Houston Cougars, rushing for 101 yards and catching two touchdown passes. After this successful junior year, the Calgary Stampeders drafted him into the CFL.
Record-Breaking Senior Year
In his senior year, Jon Cornish had an incredible season. He rushed for 1,457 yards, setting a new record for the most rushing yards in a single season at the University of Kansas.
He averaged 5.8 yards per carry and scored 8 rushing touchdowns. He also had 8 games where he rushed for over 100 yards. Jon led the Big 12 Conference in all-purpose yards. He was the 9th leading rusher in NCAA Division I-A football. For his outstanding performance, he was named First Team All-Big 12 and won his second team Offensive MVP award. His 5.8 yards per carry average was the highest in school history for a running back with over 200 carries.
On November 18, 2006, Jon rushed for a career-high 201 yards and two touchdowns against Kansas State. This helped Kansas become eligible for a bowl game for the second year in a row.
Professional Football Career
After college, Jon Cornish decided to play in the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders, who had drafted him in 2006. He signed with them on April 30, 2007.
Early CFL Years (2007-2010)
In his first year (2007), Jon mostly played on special teams, leading the team with 21 special teams tackles. In 2008, he started getting more chances with the offense. He rushed for 254 yards and scored his first professional touchdown against the BC Lions. He was part of the 2008 Grey Cup Championship Team.
In 2009, an injury caused him to miss three games. He continued to be a strong player on special teams. By 2010, Jon was nominated for the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian award. He rushed for a career-high 618 yards, averaging 7.3 yards per rush, which was the best among CFL running backs with at least 50 carries.
Becoming a Star (2011-2014)
In 2011, Jon became the starting running back for the Stampeders. He rushed for 611 yards and seven touchdowns in just seven games as a starter. For the season, he had career highs in rushing yards (863) and touchdowns (nine rushing, two receiving). His 11 total touchdowns tied him for the league lead. He was named a West Division all-star.
In 2012, his first full season as a starter, Jon led the CFL in rushing with 1,457 yards. He broke a 56-year-old record for most rushing yards by a Canadian player, previously held by Normie Kwong. He had four games with over 150 rushing yards and shared the league lead with 11 rushing touchdowns. He was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian and was a finalist for the Most Outstanding Player award. He was also selected to the West Division, CFL, and CFLPA all-star teams.
The 2013 season was even better for Jon Cornish. He rushed for an amazing 1,813 yards, which was a personal best. He won the Outstanding Canadian of the Week award seven times and was named Offensive Player of the Month for October. He also had 12 rushing touchdowns and 42 pass receptions, both personal bests. Jon became only the third Canadian player to win the CFL MOP (Most Outstanding Player) award. He also received the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's top athlete for 2013.
In 2014, despite dealing with injuries and playing in only nine regular season games, Jon Cornish still led the CFL in rushing with 1,082 yards. This was his third straight rushing title and third straight season with over 1,000 yards. He was named a West-division All-Star for the fourth year in a row and won the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award for the third consecutive season. He was also a key player on the 2014 Grey Cup Champion Calgary Stampeders team.
Final Season and Retirement (2015)
In 2015, Jon Cornish again faced injuries, missing nine games. He finished the season with 622 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. After his ninth CFL season, Jon decided to retire from professional football to protect his health.
His impact on Canadian football was recognized in 2018 when an award for the top Canadian player in NCAA Division One football was named the Jon Cornish Trophy in his honor.
CFL Career Statistics
| Rushing | Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
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| Year | Team | Games | No. | Yards | Avg | Long | TD | Games | No. | Yards | Avg | Long | TD | ||
| 2007 | CGY | 18 | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2008 | CGY | 18 | 30 | 254 | 8.5 | 48 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2009 | CGY | 15 | 20 | 105 | 5.3 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2010 | CGY | 18 | 85 | 618 | 7.3 | 52 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 31 | 10.3 | 28 | 0 | ||
| 2011 | CGY | 18 | 119 | 863 | 7.3 | 57 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 127 | 9.3 | 29 | 1 | ||
| 2012 | CGY | 18 | 258 | 1,457 | 5.6 | 73 | 11 | 3 | 51 | 278 | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2013 | CGY | 17 | 258 | 1,813 | 7.0 | 53 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 67 | 7.4 | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2014 | CGY | 9 | 139 | 1,082 | 7.8 | 79 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 54 | 3.9 | 11 | 1 | ||
| 2015 | CGY | 9 | 115 | 622 | 5.4 | 26 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| CFL totals | 140 | 1,026 | 6,844 | 6.7 | 79 | 44 | 12 | 91 | 557 | 6.1 | 29 | 2 | |||
Life After Football
After retiring from football, Jon Cornish has been busy with new careers and community work.
Working in Finance
In 2019, Jon earned his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. This means he is an expert in finance and investments. He now works as an Investment Advisor with the Royal Bank of Canada.
Helping the Community
In 2020, Jon Cornish started the Calgary Black Chambers. This organization helps young people who have finished college. It connects them with experienced professionals who can offer support and guidance.
University Leadership
In April 2022, Jon Cornish was chosen as the 15th chancellor of the University of Calgary. This is a very important role where he helps lead the university and represents it to the public.
