Montreal Alouettes’ Shawn Lemon announced his retirement from the CFL and professional football on Wednesday. He had previously signed a 1 season contract extension in December but has now decided it is time to move on from his playing days. He retires as a 3 time Grey Cup Champion.
Lemon joined the Alouettes partway into the 2023 season and contributed 26 tackles, 9 sacks, and 4 knockdowns. He made a positive impact in Montreal’s Grey Cup run contributing 9 tackles, a forced fumble, 3 run stops, and a stop against the pass over the 3 playoff games. He proved to still be a formidable pass rusher as well amassing 3 sacks and 4 QB hurries over the postseason. He had 2 sacks in the Eastern Final against Hamilton sacking both Bo Levi Mitchell and Matthew Shiltz. He also had a sack in the Grey Cup.
“Thank you, football. I am announcing my retirement from the Canadian Football League and professional football. I’d like to thank God first and foremost for allowing me to play 13 years.” Lemon stated in his retirement announcement on social media. “To my parents and brothers, thank you for all your sacrifices, encouragement, and support over these 13 years. You’ve been my rock.”
“Thank you to all the fans across Canada. You guys have been nothing but amazing to me throughout my career. I remember my first time coming to Canada signing to the Canadian Football League. Who would’ve known my life would’ve changed for the better? I enjoyed every moment, every play, every stadium I’ve played in. As you guys know, I’ve played for 8 of the 9 teams.”
Lemon has played in 148 CFL games over which span he amassed 257 tackles, 101 sacks, and 31 forced fumbles. He has spent time in every CFL organization except for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
“I want to thank Shawn for his services with our team,” stated Montreal Alouettes’ General Manager Danny Maciocia. “His arrival at mid-season helped us on the field and in the locker room. He played a key role in our last Grey Cup victory. We wish him all the best in the future.”
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