CAREER

Pro path

Calgary signed Burris as a free agent on Feb. 25, 2005. He originally joined the Stamps out of Temple in May of 1997 and spent 17 weeks that season on the practice roster. After serving as a backup to Jeff Garcia and Dave Dickenson in 1998 and 1999, he signed a free-agent deal with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in March of 2000. After two seasons with the Riders, Burris joined the Green Bay Packers in 2001. He then joined the Chicago Bears in 2002 and played for the NFL Europe’s Berlin Thunder in the spring of 2003 before returning to the Roughriders that summer. He remained in Saskatchewan until rejoining the Stamps in 2005.

2009

Burris rewrote the Stampeders record books over the course of the season as he claimed first place in franchise history in all significant passing categories. The first mark to fall was Doug Flutie’s passing yards total of 20,551, a mark that Burris erased during an Aug. 13 game in Edmonton. On Aug. 28 in Toronto, Burris surpassed Flutie with his 1,439th completion in a Stamps uniform. The pass attempts record was claimed on Sept. 7 while Flutie’s record of 140 touchdowns went by the wayside on Sept. 25 against BC. By bringing his career passing yardage total to 32,603, Burris passed a number of players — including Hall-of-Famer Sam Etcheverry — to move into 11th place on the CFL’s all-time list. Burris’ season total of 4,831 yards was the second-highest total of his career and marked the seventh time in his career he surpassed the 4,000-yard mark. He completed 339 passes on 571 attempts for a 59.4-per cent success rate and threw for 22 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He threw for 300 or more yards on six occasions, including a 479-yard performance on Aug. 13 — the second-highest total by any CFL quarterback for the entire season. He had three three-touchdown games, all of them on the road — July 24 at BC, Aug. 13 at Edmonton and Sept. 11 at Edmonton. Burris added 552 yards on 105 carries and scored a career-high 11 rushing touchdowns – tied for second in the CFL. A 50-yard rushing performance against Toronto on July 17 moved him past Jeff Garcia and James Sykes for sixth place on the Stamps all-time rushing list and first all-time among quarterbacks. He posted a season-high 56 rushing yards and two rushing majors in a Sept. 25 contest against BC. He also had a pair of rushing touchdowns at BC on Oct. 31. During the West semifinal against Edmonton, Burris threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 63 yards. He threw for 278 yards in the West final. Burris was selected by teammates to receive the Presidents’ Ring for his leadership on and off the field. The pivot becomes the first Stamps player to win the award in three consecutive seasons (2007-09) and Danny Barrett (1989, 1990, 1996) is the only other player to win the award on three occasions. Burris is the 27th player and fourth quarterback to receive the award.

2008

Burris started every game and helped guide a young team to a 13-5 regular-season record including the team’s first West final and Grey Cup victories since 2001. Burris had career highs in pass attempts (591), completions (381), passing yards (5,094) and touchdowns (39). All totals were team highs since 1994. He also recorded a quarterback rating of 103.9. Burris added 595 yards rushing, second on the team. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the Grey Cup after completing 28 of 37 passes for 328 yards and a touchdown. He added 79 rushing yards in the championship game. Burris was named the West Division nominee as the Canadian Football League’s Most Outstanding Player and was a West Division all-star. He was named the team’s Presidents’ Ring recipient for the second consecutive season, making him just the fourth player to win the award back-to-back (Danny Barrett, Alondra Johnson and Jay McNeil were the others).

2007

Named Calgary's Most Outstanding Player nominee, Burris had a career season in 2007. Despite missing two games with a dislocated left shoulder and being rested in the final regular-season game, Burris led the CFL with 34 touchdown passes and had a league-best 102.0 passer rating. His 4,279 passing yards and 623 rushing yards both ranked second in the league. He also equaled a career high with five touchdown passes against Saskatchewan on Sept. 15 and repeated the feat against Winnipeg on Oct. 14. Burris had a streak of six 300-yard games and in 10 of his last 11 games he threw for more than 300 yards and multiple touchdowns. He was twice named CFL offensive player of the month (August and September).

Career highlights

• Named the 2008 Grey Cup Most Valuable Player following a 22-14 victory over the Montreal Alouettes. Burris threw for 328 yards and a touchdown, while his 79 rushing yards were the second-highest total by a Stamps player in the Grey Cup
• Won the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy in 2008 as the West Division nominee for Most Outstanding Player
• Named the Stamps nominee for Most Outstanding Player in 2005, 2007 and 2008
• West Division all-star quarterback in 2005 and 2008
• CFL Players’ Association all-star quarterback in 2006
• Named the Stamps’ Presidents’ Ring Award winner in 2007, 2008 and 2009
• Named CFL offensive player of the week 11 times, 10 as a Stampeder. He was CFL offensive player of the month three times, all as a Stampeder
  
• Sits atop the Stamps’ all-time passing charts in touchdowns (145), yardage (23,559), attempts (2,676) and completions (1,616)
• Sixth all-time, and first among quarterbacks, for career rushing yards by a Stamps player with 3,516 yards
• Led the CFL in touchdown passes in 2006 (23), 2007 (34), second in 2008 (39), and third in 2009 (22)
• His 39 TD passes in 2008 represented the fourth-highest single-season total in club history
• Earned his first playoff win as Saskatchewan’s starter in 2004 over Edmonton in the West Division semifinal. Threw for 416 yards and three touchdowns the following week but lost 27-25 to BC in overtime
• Saskatchewan’s nominee as Most Outstanding Player in 2000 after throwing for a career-high 4,647 yards and 30 touchdowns
• First touchdown pass was a 63-yarder to Hall of Fame slotback Allen Pitts on July 22, 1999 against Edmonton. His first start came a week later against Montreal — a 38-17 win
• Won the Grey Cup in 2008 against Montreal and also won against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1998 as Calgary’s third-string quarterback (behind Jeff Garcia and Dave Dickenson). He had the same role in 1999 when the Stamps lost to Hamilton
• First career completion came on Aug. 13, 1998 against Saskatchewan — a 26-yard pass to Andre Arlain
  
• Started one game for the Chicago Bears in 2002 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who won the Super Bowl that season

College

In nearly four seasons as the starter at Temple University, Burris set — and still holds — nearly every school passing record, including yardage (7,495), attempts (1,136), completions (558) and touchdowns (49). His completions and attempts were Big East Conference records, but have since been surpassed. He was co-captain in his senior season and earned second-team All-Big East Conference honours.

Personal

Burris is an active member in the Calgary community. He holds the Henry Burris All-Star Weekend in support of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Calgary and in 2009 the fourth annual event raised in excess of $150,000. For the third consecutive year, Burris was selected by teammates as the President’s Ring winner for his contributions on and off the field and for the second consecutive year he was selected as Calgary’s Tom Pate Memorial Award nominee for his outstanding sportsmanship and significant contribution to his team and community. Burris was awarded the Scott-Mamini Award as Calgary’s male athlete of the year for 2008. Burris, his wife Nicole, and two sons Armand and Barron, live year-round in Calgary.