Author: Joshua Cramer, senior writer and editor at a website that specializes exclusively in free spins in Canada, compares a list of NFL football players.
The NFL is one of the most significant professional leagues in North America, taking a massive chunk of Canada’s online sports betting market. As people increasingly invest in online sports betting platforms, the user penetration rate is projected to be 48.9%, one of the highest in the region. The NFL is overwhelmingly preferred by many bettors as their sport of choice, with at least 31% of Canadians saying they have a favourite team in the League. This makes up approximately 12.5 million people, based on whose preferences the top three teams are the Buffalo Bills, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Because online NFL betting in Canada is so popular, people are always rounding up to see who the most prominent Canadian NFL players are. Teams from both sides of the border have made it big and carved out names for themselves in the Football Hall of Fame. While not every player manages to break through, those who do are then remembered in golden words. Read on to find the best Canadian NFL players:
Bronko Nagurski
Bronko Nagurski (1908-1990) is one of the best Canadian NFL players of all time, known as a quintessential bruising fullback. Nagurski’s family came to the US when he was still a child. During his time at the University of Minnesota (1927-29), he played fullback on offence and tackle on defence. His expertise led him to be named the All-American at tackle in 1929. He became a legendary figure in the world of football during his collegiate years, which was a feat.
The next step in his career was joining the Chicago Bears of the NFL in 1930. Nagurski played as a fullback and helped the Bears win the championships in 1932 and 1933. His career with the Bears was short-lived, as he retired in 1937 after disputes on salary and the management’s unwillingness to allow him professional wrestling matches. His career then focused on wrestling until 1943, when he returned to the Bears. Once again, he helped the team land the championship of the season. He left the sport at the end of the season, returning to wrestling. The Pro Football Hall of Fame included Nagurski’s name in 1963.
Mike Vanderjagt
Mike Vanderjagt was born in 1970 and is among the most famous Canadian NFL players. He played nine seasons with the NFL, eight of which were with the Indianapolis Colts, whereas his last was with the Dallas Cowboys. At his retirement, Vanderjagt was the NFL’s most accurate field goal kicker, with a percentage of 86.5%. His best NFL season was in 2003 because he became the first-ever kicker who converted every point after touchdown and field goal during the regular season.
Even though Vanderjaft’s career started specifically in the Canadian Football League, his most famous moments came from his time with the NFL, where he achieved some truly glorious milestones. His contract with the Cowboys was supposed to last three months, but unfortunately, a groin injury set off a series of horrible matches, after which it became clear that he wasn’t fit for the game anymore. The team let him go in the same year.
Austin Collie
Austin Collie (born 1985) is one of the top Canadian NFL players. During his career, he played with the Indianapolis Colts. His career started with college football as part of the BYU Cougars. He then went on to play in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots. He also played for the BC Lions in the CFL. Collie was an exceptional player and set several records in college football before moving on to a professional career in the sport.
However, it was then that his journey took an unfortunate turn. Collie suffered concussions and other injuries during his time with the NFL until he finally announced in 2016 that he would be retiring. After exiting the football field forever, Collie signed on to Cognitive FX, a specialized concussion treatment center based in Utah. Had it not been for the deterioration of his personal health, Collie might have gone on to make several other records in football.
L. P. Ladouceur
L.P. Ladouceur is a French-Canadian long snapper who had a 16-year-long run with the NFL, all of which he spent with the Dallas Cowboys. He started off playing college football for the California Golden Bears before joining the Cowboys in 2005. Ladouceur holds awards like most seasons played in Cowboy history, most games played by a Canadian-born player, and most consecutive games played in Cowboy history.
Ladouceur had started making history right off the bat because he finished his rookie season in the NFL with 25 field goals and 70 punts. In December of 2020, he received the title of the third NFL player to play 250 consecutive games for one team. He made his decision to retire from the NFL in November 2021 and made it public in March of next year. In his career of over a decade, he was considered one of the best Canadian NFL players of all time.
Eddie Murray
Eddie Murray was one of the most prolific Canadian NFL players because he played for several teams during his long career with the League. Some of his most well-known games were with the Detroit Lions, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Washington Redskins. He retired after the 2000 season as the 16th-highest NFL scorer of all time. Murray held the record for 250 consecutive games before Ladouceur broke it.
One of the best moments of Murray’s career came in 1981 when he made a last-minute field goal and beat the Dallas Cowboys. In his time with the Detroit Lions, he also won the NFC scoring title with 116 points and set a franchise record with 27 field goals. He was then named to the Pro Bowl, becoming the first and only rookie to receive an MVP Award for the game.
Chase Claypool
Chase Claypool is one of the best Canadian NFL players of all time, with the best part being that players can still bet on him due to his active status. He is a popular choice for NFL betting in American football, which is why many potential bettors seek out his statistics. Claypool started his football career by playing college football for Notre Dame, after which he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also played briefly with the Chicago Bears before signing with the Miami Dolphins.
Claypool’s performance with the Steelers was stellar, but he received a lot of criticism during his time with the Bears. He was the first Steelers rookie in the entire history of the NFL who scored four touchdowns in one game. Due to his exceptional performance, the team started out with 4-0 for the first time since 1979, which was a huge win for them.
Jevon Holland
Jevon Holland is one of the youngest as well as one of the best Canadian NFL players. He currently plays as the safety for the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins drafted him in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, before which he played college football at Oregon. His father was a player as well as a coach for the CFL, which is undoubtedly where he got his football genes from. He also had a career in high school football before he entered college.
Because Jevon Holland is still an active player, bettors can place their bets on him during the NFL betting season. Many called Holland the best rookie safety in the NFL because of his outstanding contributions to the Miami Dolphins. In December 2023, he was sidelined for a month after getting injured in both of his knees.
Chuba Hubbard
Chuba Hubbard is one of the best Canadian NFL players. The 24-year-old plays as a running back for the Carolina Panthers. He was selected for the NFL during the 2021 draft, before which he played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. His performance with the Oklahoma team was legendary enough to win him the unanimous All-American title. In addition to the Panthers, the Calgary Stampeders also selected Hubbard during the 2021 NFL draft, but he chose to go with the former.
The 2023 season was the third time that Hubbard led his team in rushing. He ran for 902 yards and delivered five scores on 238 carries, all of which were considerable achievements for the young running back. Bettors can place their bets on Hubbard for the 2024 season, for which he’s projected to have good stats. Online sportsbooks list him as one of the popular options for those looking to bet on Canadian NFL players.
John Metchie
John Metchie is a wide receiver for the Houston Texans of the NFL, and he’s one of the best Canadian NFL players. The beginning of his football career was at Alabama in college football, where he won the Jon Cornish trophy twice for his extraordinary performance. During the 2022 NFL Draft, Metchie was signed by the Texans, but he unfortunately had to sit out his rookie season due to being diagnosed with acute leukemia.
He was only cleared to attend training a year after his diagnosis, after which he played his first NFL game against the Indianapolis Colts. His season-finishing stats were 16 receptions for 158 yards. During the 2022 CFL Draft, the BC Lions also drafted him, but Metchie decided to sign with the Texans instead. Even though his diagnosis had fans worried about whether he’d be able to make his place in the NFL, so far, Metchie has managed to defy the odds and fight against his illness. Since he is an active player, bettors can bet on him for the 2024 season.
Josh Palmer
Josh Palmer started out with college football at Tennessee and was selected as the wide receiver for the Los Angeles Chargers during the 2021 NFL Draft. He ended his rookie season with four receiving touchdowns and 33 receptions for 353 receiving yards. During his 2023 season, Palmer suffered an injury to his right knee, after which he had to sit out a few games. After a month, he returned to the season, ending with 38 receptions for 581 yards.
In 2023, many sportsbooks considered Palmer an excellent option to bet on despite his knee injuries. Because he is still an active player, bettors can choose to place their bets on him in the 2024 season as well. Palmer is new to the NFL world, but he is on his way to becoming one of the most famous and, perhaps, even one of the best Canadian NFL players of all time.
