Hamilton Tiger-Cats Announcement

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Former Slippery Rock University All-American running back and single-season rushing record holder Wes Hills has signed a professional contract to play for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 2021.
 
Hills, who rushed for an SRU record 1,714 yards on his way to earning All-America honors and leading The Rock to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2018, spent the 2019 season in the NFL and had multiple workouts with NFL teams in 2020 before deciding to sign with Hamilton.
 
"This is another great opportunity for Wes," said SRU head coach Shawn Lutz. "He got a chance to show what he could do in the NFL in 2019 but the pandemic and the changes it brought limited his chances to sign with an NFL club last year. I think he will be very successful in the CFL and will turn a lot of heads."
 
Hills played for the Detroit Lions during the 2019 NFL season, spending most of the year on the practice squad before being activated in week 16. He earned his first career NFL start and made it count, scoring two touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
 
Although he spent just one season at Slippery Rock after transferring in from Division I Delaware, Hills made a significant impact. Following a season in which he rushed for 1,714 yards and 17 touchdowns, he went on to earn MVP honors at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and became the second SRU player ever invited to the Reese's Senior Bowl.
 
Hills becomes the ninth former SRU player to sign a contract in the CFL and the first since offensive lineman Cory Tucker played for the Montreal Alouettes in 2017. The full list of former SRU players to play in the CFL can be found below.


FORMER SRU PLAYERS IN THE CFL
(Years at SRU in parenthesis)
- Wes Hills (2018): Detroit Lions, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
- Cory Tucker (2011-15): Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, Montreal Alouettes (CFL)
- D.J. Flick (1998-01): Ottawa Renegades (CFL), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL), Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL)
- Mike Waszczuk (1996-00): Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL)
- Jim Ward (1990-93): Memphis Mad Dogs (CFL), Connecticut Coyotes (AFL)
- Donovan Wright (1986-88): Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL), Toronto Argonauts (CFL), BC Lions (CFL), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL)
- Mike Campbell (1985-88): Toronto Argonauts (CFL), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL), Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL)
- Ryan Hanson (1985-87): Toronto Argonauts (CFL), BC Lions (CFL)
- Ricky Porter (1978-81): 12th Round Pick (319th Overall) by the Detroit Lions, Baltimore Colts, Buffalo Bills, Montreal Concordes (CFL), Memphis Showboats (USFL)


 
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