Marcus Ball facts for kids
Ball before a Toronto Argonauts game in 2018
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| No. 6, 36, 46 | |||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | July 21, 1987 Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 208 lb (94 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | Stephenson (Stone Mountain, Georgia) |
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| College: | Memphis | ||||
| Undrafted: | 2012 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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| Player stats at CFL.ca | |||||
Marcus Ball (born July 21, 1987) is a former professional Canadian football player. He played as a linebacker, which is a defensive position in football. Marcus Ball was not chosen in the 2012 NFL draft, but he later signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL.
Ball went to Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia. There, he was named the best defensive player in Class 5A. He played college football at Florida State, Pearl River Community College, and Memphis. Throughout his career, Ball also played for several NFL teams. These teams included the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL.
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Marcus Ball's Professional Football Journey
Starting with the Toronto Argonauts
After the 2012 NFL draft, Marcus Ball joined the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL on September 10, 2012. In his first two seasons with the Argonauts, he made 142 tackles. He also had 7 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, and 4 interceptions, scoring 2 touchdowns. He was a very important player for the team's defense. His strong play helped the Argonauts win the 100th Grey Cup in Toronto. On February 17, 2014, Ball left the Argonauts to try playing in the NFL.
Time with the New Orleans Saints
Marcus Ball signed a three-year contract with the New Orleans Saints on April 2, 2014. He played for the team for about a year. He was released by the Saints on May 4, 2015.
Playing for the Carolina Panthers
On May 21, 2015, Ball joined the Carolina Panthers. He was released on September 5, 2015, but later rejoined their practice squad. During the 2015 NFL season, Ball's Panthers played in Super Bowl 50. They faced the Denver Broncos but lost the game 24–10. Ball signed a new contract with the Panthers on February 9, 2016. He was later waived and re-signed to the practice squad. On September 23, he was moved to the main team. He was released again on September 27, 2016. He rejoined the practice squad on September 29 but was released on October 12, 2016.
Short Stays with Other NFL Teams
On October 12, 2016, Ball was signed to the practice squad of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was waived by the Jaguars on October 24. Later, on November 22, 2016, Ball joined the practice squad of the San Francisco 49ers. He was moved to their active roster on November 29, 2016. The 49ers waived him on May 2, 2017.
Return to the Toronto Argonauts
Marcus Ball returned to the Toronto Argonauts on May 25, 2017. This was at the start of the CFL training camp. He was named a CFL East All-Star for his great performance in the 2017 CFL season. He had 57 defensive tackles, seven special teams tackles, two interceptions, and one forced fumble. In the next season, Ball played in 10 games for the Argonauts. He made 44 defensive tackles. He missed the rest of that season because of a hamstring injury. After the 2018 CFL season, he became a free agent in February 2019.
Final Season with the Calgary Stampeders
On October 1, 2019, Marcus Ball signed with the Calgary Stampeders. This was about two-thirds of the way through the 2019 CFL season. However, just two weeks later, it was announced that Ball had a serious knee injury called a torn ACL. This injury meant he would miss the rest of the season.
