Reilly Announces Retirement After 11 CFL Seasons

Photo courtesy: Jeff Vinnick/B.C. Lions

After 11 long grueling seasons Mike Reilly (36) make it official by announcing that his impressive CFL career has come to an end.

He has played in 168 games over his illustrious career, including 69 with the Lions starting from 2010-12 and ending with the return to his first CFL team from 2019-21. 

Along with winning his first Grey Cup ring with the squad in 2011, Reilly passed for 7,876 yards on 652 completions to go along with 38 touchdown passes as a Lion.

It was reported earlier in December that he obtained his full grievance of $250,000, which is the largest settlement in the history of the CFL Players’ Association. 

 Lions co-GM/director of football operations Neil McEvoy told the media “Michael will go down as one of the great players and people our football club and league has ever seen and from his arrival mid-way through the 2010 season to making the team in 2011 training camp fighting for the spot at QB having both Travis Lulay and Jarious Jackson in the room.” 

In 2013 he was traded to Edmonton and from there he proved that he was one of the CFL’s top QB’s.

Playing in 99 regular season games over a span of six seasons with Edmonton he passed for 26,929 yards on 2,120 completions along with 144 TD’s leading them to the 2015 Grey Cup Championship.

Additional Michael Reilly Accolades:

• Reilly’s 34,805 career passing yards are good for 14th on the CFL’s all-time list; he surpassed Darian Durant in 2021.
• Led the CFL in passing on four occasions: 2016-18 with Edmonton and his final season in British Columbia in 2021.
• Became only the third quarterback in CFL history to surpass the 5,000-yard mark in three consecutive seasons (2016-18). Doug Flutie and Anthony Calvillo are the other two to accomplish that feat.
• Took home MVP honours in the 103rd Grey Cup in 2015 with 269 passing yards and two touchdown strikes in the 26-20 win over Ottawa.
• Winner of 2017 Most Outstanding Player Award after career-highs in passing yards (5,830) and completions (30).
• CFL All-Star in 2017 and West Division All-Star in both 2016 and 2017.
• Surpassed the 300-yard passing mark on 57 occasions in his career.
• Two-time CFL Top Performer of the Month and three times selected as a Top Performer of the Week in his final season of 2021.

Other lions news that are in play as they are set for third and one saw them release Lemar Durant (WR) while signing the following players..

American wide receiver Zac Parker 

American running back Darius Clark

Parker- most recently was a member of the Alphas of the US Spring League in 2020.

The native of Reston, Virginia suited up in two contests with the Montreal Alouettes in 2019 and attended a rookie camp with the Washington Football Team in 2018.

Zac started his college career at Liberty University where he was the second-leading receiver in 2015 managing 49 receptions for 464 yards in 11 games also being named to the Big South second-team All-Conference. 

He transferred to Virginia State for his senior season of 2017 and recorded 34 receptions for 676 yards and four touchdowns.

Darius signed with the Carolina Panthers in March 2021 suiting up in preseason action before being placed on the IR list.

He comes from Wadmalaw Island, SC and played in 43 games for Newberry College (2015-18) rushing for 384 yards’ 2 TD\s on 103 carries while also hauling in 35 receptions for 264 yards and three majors.

In other signings the Lions signed 2 DB’ Kyle Clarot who played with the Langley Rams as well asAmerican Quincy Mauger.

Clarot- spent the last four seasons with his hometown Langley Rams in the BCFC helping them win its first National Championship by a commanding 37-0 over London in 2021 that saw Kyle manage four tackles in the Canadian Bowl.

In 36 regular season games in his junior career he managed 125 tackles, 11 interceptions, 2 defensive TD’s, 6 sacks, a forced fumble and one fumble recovery while dressing in seven total playoff games. .