5 NFL Players that were also in the CFL

If you enjoy backing your favourite football players and teams via Caesars Casino & Sportsbook, you’ll know that it’s not uncommon for players to make the leap between the NFL and the CFL, either at the start of their careers, or towards the end. Today, we’re taking a look at five well-known NFL players who have also done a stint across the border in the CFL…

1 – Warren Moon

No player has made more of impact on both the NFL and the CFL than Warren Moon, who has been inducted into both countries Hall of Fames. After beginning his career at West Los Angeles College in the US, Moon transferred to the University of Washington where he led his team to a Rose Bowl victory over Michigan. Despite his evident talent, Moon was left undrafted in the US, leading him to sign-up with the Edmonton Eskimos, making his CFL debut. During his time in Canada, Moon helped the Eskimos notch up five consecutive Grey Cup Championships and became the first ever CFL player to throw for 5,000 yards. It wasn’t until 1984 that he headed back to the NFL, with stints at the Houston Oilers, the Vikings, the Seahawks and the Chiefs, before retiring in 2000, widely-considered one of the best players to ever grace the field.

2 – Doug Flutie

Ask any Canadian who the best player in CFL history was and chances are you’ll hear Doug Flutie’s name. Despite a glowing performance playing college ball in Boston, Flutie was considered too small for the NFL and signed for the New Jersey Generals in the USFL. He made it into the NFL in 1986 with the Rams, and later enjoyed time at the Bears and the Patriots before defecting to the CFL on a two-year deal with BC Lions. Flutie really got around during his time in Canada, playing for the Calgary Stampeders and the Toronto Argonauts before heading back to the NFL.

3 – Cameron Wake

Given the career he has had, it’s ridiculous to imagine Cameron Wake having to go to Canada to prove himself on the football field. Wake is best known for 10 successful seasons with the Miami Dolphins, registering 98 sacks and being named a five-time Pro Bowler and

four time All-Pro. However, back in the day, after a hugely successful stint at Penn State, Wake was another talented player than went undrafted. After securing a deal with the New York Giants and later being sacked, Wake gave up football entirely for two years, before the BC Lions signed him up, moved him to defensive end…and the rest is history.

4 – Chad Johnson

We all know him best as ‘Ocho Cinco’ – one of the most entertaining players to ever grace the football field and six-time NFL All-Pro wide receiver, but did you know he also did a stint at the Montreal Alouettes in 2014? He may have only played five games in the CFL, but it still counts.

5 – Brandon Browner

Before Seattle Seahawk, Brandon Browner became a paid-up member of the ‘Legion of Boom’, he had a wildly-successful five-year stint playing football in Canada. After making waves at Oregon State and being named a Freshman All-American and the PAX 10 Freshman of the Year, somehow…you guessed it…he still went undrafted. The NFLs loss was the CFLs gain – he signed with the Calgary Stampeders in 2006 and soon became a fan-favourite due to his immense speed and competitive spirit. Browner hopped back across the border in 2011 to join the Seahawks, where he helped them to win their first Super Bowl.