CAREER
Pro path
Calgary signed Hughes as a free agent on June 29, 2008. He attended National Football League camps with the Detroit Lions and New York Jets in 2007 and with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2009.
2008
In his first season with the Stamps, Hughes appeared in 16 regular-season games, including 15 starts, and shared the team lead in sacks with five. He was second on the team with 66 tackles, including a CFL-leading 12 tackles for loss, and also had one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and five pass knockdowns. Hughes recovered a crucial fumble in the West Final and made four tackles in the game that sent the Stamps to the Grey Cup.
Career highlights
- A member of the Stampeders’ 2008 Grey Cup championship squad
- Recovered a fumble in the 2008 West Final against BC
- Shared the Stampeders lead with five sacks in 2008
- Led the CFL with 12 tackles for loss in 2008
- Made his CFL debut on July 3 against Edmonton
- Recorded his first CFL sack on July 17, 2008 when he brought down Hamilton’s Casey Printers
College
Hughes played four years at Northwood University. As a senior, he led all of Div. II with an average of 6.5 solo tackles per game and was named as an All-American. He finished his collegiate career with 372 tackles, including 36 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and six interceptions. The Seahawks reached the playoffs three times with Hughes and won Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship in 2004.
Notable
Before signing with the Stampeders, Hughes played for a semi-pro team called the Mid-Michigan Admirals and an indoor football team in Muskegon, Mich. He was a star at Saginaw High School where his teammates included LaMarr Woodley, who went on to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
