Nik Lewis
Calgary Stampeders
Lewis accepting the Young Alumni Award at Southern Arkansas University
Born: (1982-06-03) June 3, 1982
Mineral Wells, Texas, U.S.
Career information
CFL statusAmerican
Position(s)Receivers coach
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight240 lb (110 kg)
CollegeSouthern Arkansas
Career history
As coach
2019BC Lions
(Running backs coach)
2023–presentCalgary Stampeders
(Receivers coach)
As player
2004–2014Calgary Stampeders
2015–2018Montreal Alouettes
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star2010–2012
CFL East All-Star2016
CFL West All-Star2006, 2007, 2010–2012
HonorsCFL Rookie of the Year, 2004
RecordsMost career pass receptions (1,051)
Career stats
Receptions1051
Receiving yards13,778
Receiving touchdowns71

Nikolas "Nik" Lewis (born June 3, 1982) is the receivers coach for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and he is a former professional Canadian football slotback who played for 15 years in the CFL. He is a two-time Grey Cup champion, winning in 2008 and 2014 with the Stampeders. In his first season, he won the CFL Rookie of the Year award, followed by five West Division All-Star and three CFL All-Star awards. He is second all-time as a Stampeder in receptions (805), receiving yards (11,250), and touchdown catches (65) behind Allen Pitts. He also has the club record for consecutive games with a reception, with 166. On August 24, 2017, Lewis became the CFL all-time leader in receptions with 1,030 catches (he finished his career with 1,051).[1]

Lewis attended Southern Arkansas University and was named an NCAA Division II All-American in 2003. He attended high school in Jacksboro, Texas, where he participated in track, specializing in the triple jump.

Professional career

Calgary Stampeders

Lewis with the Stampeders

In 2004, Lewis led the Stampeders in receptions (72), receiving yards (1045), touchdowns (8) and punt return yards (385) and was recognized as the Rookie of the Year by the Canadian Football League.[2][3] Lewis finished the 2005 CFL season with 1,379 receiving yards, nine touchdowns and 80 receptions, second in the league.[3] 2006 was another strong year for Lewis with the Stampeders as he posting 77 receptions, 1,114 receiving yards and five touchdowns and was named to the 2006 CFL Western Division All-Star team.[3]

The 2007 CFL season saw Lewis achieve 67 receptions, 1,101 receiving yards, and 5 touchdowns. Lewis also had a career long 85 yard reception and was again a CFL Western Division All-Star.[3] Lewis helped lead Calgary to the 96th Grey Cup championship with 87 receptions for 1,109 yards and 10 touchdowns in the 2008 regular season.[3]

In 2009, Lewis had another 1,000-yard season by reaching the plateau in the last 15 minutes in the last game of the regular season.[4] Lewis scored his first and only touchdown of the season in the 17th game of the regular season, earning the unusual distinction of having the lowest touchdowns scored for a 1,000-yard receiver in the history of the CFL. As of the end of this season, Lewis has caught a pass in all 105 games that he has played in.[5]

In 2011 Nik Lewis partnered with Joffrey Reynolds to create www.calmb4storm.com an organization that gives fans an opportunity to experience things otherwise unattainable.

In a 2012 poll of over 250 of his fellow players in the CFL, Lewis was voted "Toughest to Bring Down" out of all other players in the league, with 35% of all votes cast. He also received 8.4% of all votes cast in the category "Toughest Player", finishing third, and placed fourth in the category "Nastiest Player." He received 7.8% of all votes cast in the category "Best Hands", finishing fifth, and he ranked fourth in the category "Best Clutch Performer." Players on the roster of the Calgary Stampeders were not permitted to vote for Lewis. He was the only player to rank in the top five in more than three categories.[6]

During the 2012 CFL Playoffs Lewis sent out the following Tweet "I just bought OJ’s gloves on eBay. Now all I need is a white girl named Nicole."[7] The Tweet was soon deleted by Lewis. Lewis was fined an undisclosed amount by the CFL for violating its social media policy. Lewis subsequently made apologies on two successive days, and announced he was donating the paycheque from his next game (the 2012 Western Final) to a women's charity.[8] Lewis finished the season with over 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns. It was the 9th consecutive season in which he recorded 1,000 yards.

In Week 8 of the 2013 CFL season Lewis suffered a fractured fibula as he was tackled by BC linebacker Solomon Elimimian. He was expected to miss around 6 weeks due to the injury.[9] However, he instead sat out the rest of the season, which also left his 1,000-yard receiving streak at nine.

Lewis saw a diminished role in 2014, highlighted by his consecutive games with a catch streak snapped in week 5 against the Edmonton Eskimos. He was held without a reception in a regular season game for the first time since June 20, 2004, with the streak ending at 166.[10] He posted career-low totals in receiving yards and failed to score a touchdown in any game of the season, also a career low. Despite the frustrating season, Lewis helped the Stampeders qualify for the 102nd Grey Cup, a game in which he set up Calgary's first touchdown with a 13-yard catch that brought the ball to the one-yard line. He won his second Grey Cup championship following the Stampeders' 20–16 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.[11] After 11 seasons with the Stamps, Lewis was not re-signed following the 2014 season, and became a free agent on February 10, 2015.

Montreal Alouettes

On February 25, 2015, Lewis and the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League agreed to a one-year contract.[12] Following a somewhat mediocre 2015 season Lewis was re-signed by the Alouettes. He had a resurgent year in 2016, accomplishing his tenth 1,000 yard season of his career, and his first since 2012. Lewis lead the team with 102 receptions and 1,136 yards receiving.[13] At 34 years of age the Alouettes and Nik Lewis agreed to a two-year contract extension, keeping him with the club through the 2018 season.[14]

On August 24, 2017, Lewis surpassed Geroy Simon's career reception mark to become the all-time CFL receptions leader after recording his 1,030th catch.[15] On October 27, 2017, Lewis told Lee Jones of TSN that he had played his last game after his Alouettes fell to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, 12–37.[16] On May 17, 2018, Lewis officially announced his retirement.[17]

He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame as a player in 2021.[18]

Statistics

Receiving   Regular season   Playoffs
Year Team Games No. Yards Avg Long TD Games No. Yards Avg Long TD
2004 CGY 18 73 1045 14.3 42 8 Team did not qualify
2005 CGY 18 80 1379 17.2 46 9 1 2 28 14.0 15 0
2006 CGY 18 77 1114 14.5 50 5 1 5 36 7.2 12 0
2007 CGY 16 67 1101 16.4 85 5 1 2 19 9.5 14 0
2008 CGY 18 87 1109 12.7 85 10 2 14 184 13.1 31 0
2009 CGY 17 70 1013 14.5 52 1 2 11 145 13.2 26 0
2010 CGY 17 90 1262 14.0 74 9 1 6 55 9.2 16 0
2011 CGY 18 93 1209 13.0 62 5 1 2 31 15.5 17 0
2012 CGY 17 100 1241 12.4 52 10 3 11 132 12 61 0
2013 CGY 7 32 400 12.5 32 3 Placed on injured reserve
2014 CGY 13 37 377 10.2 25 0 2 2 18 9.0 13 0
2015 MTL 17 70 743 10.6 53 2 Team did not qualify
2016 MTL 18 102 1136 11.1 35 3 Team did not qualify
2017 MTL 14 73 649 8.9 21 1 Team did not qualify
CFL totals 226 1,051 13,778 13.1 85 68 15 56 648 11.6 61 0

Coaching career

BC Lions

Lewis served as the running backs coach for the BC Lions during the 2019 season.[19]

Calgary Stampeders

On January 3, 2023, it was announced that Lewis had been hired as the receivers coach for the Calgary Stampeders.[19]

References

  1. ↑ "Lewis sets CFL career receptions record - CFL.ca". CFL.ca. 2017-08-24. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
  2. ↑ "Lions' Printers named CFL MVP". CBC Sports. 2004-11-22. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Nikolas Lewis". Rosters. CFL.ca. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
  4. ↑ https://www.cfl.ca/article/lewis-has-another-season-to-remember Lewis has another season to remember
  5. ↑ "Calgary Stampeders - Team - Player Roster - Career". 2012-04-14. Archived from the original on 2012-04-14. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
  6. ↑ TSN Player Poll 2012
  7. ↑ "Calgary News | Current Headlines & Stories | Calgary Sun".
  8. ↑ Ottawa Citizen story, retrieved 16 Nov 2012
  9. ↑ Fractured fibula, Week 8, 2013
  10. ↑ Stamps Nik Lewis' consecutive-games-with-a-catch streak snapped in the win over Eskmos
  11. ↑ "Grey Cup Gallop: Stamps champs with win over Ticats". Archived from the original on 2014-12-03. Retrieved 2014-12-03.
  12. ↑ "FA15: End of an era; Lewis heads East to Montreal". cfl.ca. CFL.ca Staff. 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
  13. ↑ "montrealalouettes.com player stats".
  14. ↑ "Als re-up SB Lewis on two-year deal - Article - TSN". TSN. 2017-01-04. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  15. ↑ "Nik Lewis makes history - Montreal Alouettes". Montreal Alouettes. 2017-08-24. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
  16. ↑ TSN (2017-10-28). "After 14 seasons in the #CFL, Nik Lewis has called it a career.pic.twitter.com/gcwvwe7Of5". @TSN_Sports. Retrieved 2017-10-28.
  17. ↑ "Nik Lewis officially announces retirement - CFL.ca". CFL.ca. 2018-05-17. Retrieved 2018-05-18.
  18. ↑ "Canadian Football Hall of Fame unveils class of 2021". cfhof.ca. Canadian Football Hall of Fame. April 28, 2021.
  19. 1 2 "Lewis And Simpson Added To Coaching Staff". Calgary Stampeders. January 3, 2023.

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