Chris Morris (born September 13, 1968) is a Canadian former professional Canadian football offensive lineman who is the president and CEO for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played for 14 seasons and 237 regular season games as a member of the Elks and is a three-time Grey Cup champion. He also served as head coach for the University of Alberta's football team, the Alberta Golden Bears, for 12 years.
| Edmonton Elks | |
| Born: | September 13, 1968 Scarborough, Ontario, Canada |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| CFL status | National |
| Position(s) | President/CEO |
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) |
| Weight | 290 lb (130 kg) |
| University | Toronto |
| CFL draft | 1992, round: 1, pick: 8 |
| Drafted by | Edmonton Eskimos |
| Career history | |
| As administrator | |
| 2024–present | Edmonton Elks (President/CEO) |
| As coach | |
| 2013–2024 | Alberta Golden Bears (HC) |
| As player | |
| 1992–2005 | Edmonton Eskimos |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Career stats | |
| Games played | 237 |
| |
University career
editMorris played CIAU football at the University of Toronto for the Varsity Blues.[1]
Professional career
editMorris played in 237 games over fourteen seasons in the Canadian Football League for the Edmonton Eskimos from 1992 to 2005.[1] He played in five Grey Cup games and was a part of three championship teams with the Eskimos.[1]
Coaching career
editAfter spending time as a teacher, Morris was named head coach of the Alberta Golden Bears football team on December 4, 2012, taking over a team that had finished 0–8.[2] In his second season, in 2014, the team finished with a 3–5 record, but it wasn't until 2017 that the team first qualified for the playoffs under Morris, which was a semi-final loss. The program made major strides in 2023 when the Golden Bears finished in second place with a 6–2 record and hosted a playoff game for the first time since 2005.[3] That season, the team also won a playoff game for the first time since 2010, but Morris lost his first appearance in the Hardy Cup. Nonetheless, given the team's success that year, Morris was awarded the Frank Tindall Trophy as the U Sports football coach of the year in 2023.[4] Following a disappointing 2024 season where the Golden Bears finished with a 2–6 season, Morris resigned as head coach to accept a position in the Canadian Football League.[5]
Executive career
editOn October 30, 2024, it was announced that Morris had been named president and CEO for the Edmonton Elks.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Chris Morris". Alberta Golden Bears. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
- ^ "Chris Morris named Golden Bears football head coach". University of Alberta. December 4, 2012.
- ^ "Bears host Huskies in semifinal clash at Foote Field". Alberta Golden Bears. November 1, 2023.
- ^ "Montréal's Jonathan Sénécal wins 2023 Hec Crighton Award". U Sports. November 23, 2023.
- ^ "Chris Morris named President and CEO of Edmonton Elks". Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas. October 30, 2024.
- ^ "Edmonton Elks name Chris Morris as new team president and CEO". Canadian Football League. October 30, 2024.