Jermarcus Hardrick
Jermarcus "Yoshi" Hardrick (born May 30, 1990) is an offensive lineman for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.[1] He won the 107th Grey Cup with the Bombers, defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33-12 in 2019. Hardrick was named a CFL West All-star during the 2017 season,[2] and played college football for Nebraska.[3] Hardrick started a trend for home games at IG Field when the lineman, weighing 314 pounds (142 kg),jumped into the stands following a touchdown during the 2016 season, the crowd celebration would become known as the "Hardrick Hop" or "Hardrick Leap".[4] Following the Grey Cup victory with Winnipeg, Hardrick signed a one-year extension to play with the team in the 2020 season.[5]
No. 51 Winnipeg Blue Bombers | |
Nickname(s) | Yoshi |
---|---|
Born: | Batesville, Mississippi | May 30, 1990
Career information | |
Status | Active |
CFL status | American |
Position(s) | Offensive lineman |
Height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) |
Weight | 311 lb (141 kg) |
College | Fort Scott Community College, University of Nebraska |
High school | South Panola High School |
Career history | |
As player | |
2012 | New Orleans Saints |
2013 | Utah Blaze |
2014 | BC Lions |
2015 | Tampa Bay Storm |
2015 | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
2016–present | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Career highlights and awards | |
CFL West All-Star | 2017 |
Career stats | |
Personal
Hardrick was born and grew up in the small town of Courtland, Mississippi, population 350. The town was very small and did not have a lot of opportunity for its residents, the town had no paved roads, aside from the highway, and most residents lived in trailers.[6] His birth father went to prison when Hardrick was three, he had fathered 17 children in Courtland with different women, and was rarely seen in his life.[6] Hardrick's best friend growing up was a boy name Mario Lewis, because the two were always together, people began calling Hardrick "Yoshi", a reference to characters from the Super Mario World game, the two would later find out they were half-brothers.[6] He met his wife Samantha at the University of Nebraska where she was competing as a track athlete, together they have three children.[6]
References
- "Jemarcus Hardrick". Canadian Football League. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
- "Seven Bombers on West all-star team". Winnipeg Free Press. November 8, 2017. Retrieved 2018-06-23.
- "Former Huskers' Jermarcus "Yoshi" Hardrick Fulfills Dream, Becomes First-Generation Graduate". Omaha.com. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
- Judy Owen (September 21, 2016). "Hulking offensive linemen find unique way to celebrate during Bombers' surge". CBC Manitoba. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
- Ted Wyman (December 14, 2019). "Bombers re-sign veteran offensive lineman Jermarcus Hardrick". Winnipeg Sun.
- Ed Tait (May 7, 2019). "Long Read: The Other Side of Jermarcus Hardrick". Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Retrieved 2019-11-30.