On Wednesday, Canadian tight end Nikola Kalinic signed a deal with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts. Kalinic had previously been with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for three years.

Kalinic was selected 10th overall in the 2019 CFL draft. Over two seasons, he caught 23 passes for 192 yards and 2 touchdowns. Before his pro career, Kalinic played U Sports football at York University, where he was the first in school history to be named an OUA All-Star twice in a single season (one for offense and the other for special teams). 

Kalinic is the first Hamilton player to sign with the NFL this year. Prior to joining the Colts, Kalinic worked out for five other teams. The 25-year-old Toronto native will fight for a roster spot during training camp, and if that doesn’t work out, he’ll look to develop more on the practice squad.