Henry Burris
Encyclopedia
Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...

 and former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 player. Burris plays the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

 position with the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....

 Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...

. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

's Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

. Burris is also known as "Smilin' Hank" for his broad, perpetual grin.

Early life

Burris attended Spiro High School in Spiro, Oklahoma
Spiro, Oklahoma
Spiro is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,227 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Spiro is located at ....

, and won four varsity letter
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...

s each in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....

, track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...

, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

. In football, he was named the Oklahoma Offensive Player of the Year as a senior
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...

.

Burris attended Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...

 and finished with 20 passing records.

Professional career

Burris went undrafted in the NFL, and signed a contract with the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....

's Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...

 in 1997. He spent the 1997 season
1997 CFL season
The 1997 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 44th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 40th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1997:...

 on the Stampeders' practice roster.

He had his first, limited playing time in 1998 in relief of Jeff Garcia
Jeff Garcia
Jeffrey Jason "Jeff" Garcia is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at San Jose State University....

 and Dave Dickenson
Dave Dickenson
David Dickenson is a former professional Canadian football player with the Calgary Stampeders and the BC Lions. Dickenson also played quarterback collegiately at the University of Montana, where he led the Montana Grizzlies to the 1995 NCAA I-AA college football championship.-High school...

, while dressing for all of the Stampeders' games. In 1999 he received more playing time as Dickenson's backup. He replaced Dickenson in the third week game against the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...

, leading the Stampeders to a come-from-behind victory. He started the following two games against the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...

 and BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...

, leading the Stampeders to another victory in the former. He was injured in the third quarter of the latter, and spent the rest of the season on the injured reserve with a torn anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...

.

He moved on to the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...

 for his first opportunity to be a full-time starting quarterback. He started the first 16 games of the Roughriders season, throwing for 4,647 yards and 30 touchdowns. The Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...

 took interest in him after the CFL season ended, and signed him to a contract.

Burris began playing in the NFL in 2001
2001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...

, when he spent several weeks as the Packers' third-string
Roster
A roster is a list of names of people involved with an organization of some kind.A roster can be a list of people and the times when they are required to work or a list of students in a classroom....

 quarterback, before he was released and spending the rest of the season on their practice squad. He was signed by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

 in the off-season. In six games for the Bears he completed 18 of 51 passes for 207 yards, with three touchdowns and five interceptions. He received significant playing time only in the last two games of the regular season. He was 8 of 22 for 50 yards and a touchdown against Carolina
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...

, fumbling
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...

 twice, and 7 of 19 for 78 yards and four interceptions against Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...

, for a 10.3 QB rating. While his passing was quite poor he showed better than average running ability for a quarterback, finishing the 2002 season with 15 rushes for 104 yards.

The Bears assigned him to NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...

's Berlin Thunder
Berlin Thunder
The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive...

 in 2003 where he performed respectably. Unhappy with being relegated to Berlin by the Bears, he returned to the CFL and the Roughriders, his former club. He immediately became Nealon Greene
Nealon Greene
Nealon Greene is an American-born Canadian football quarterback.After spending his collegiate career with Clemson, where he became the school's career leader in passing yardage, Greene came to the Canadian Football League with the Toronto Argonauts...

's back-up. A knee injury forced him to miss the better part of the season.

He returned to form in 2004, leading the Roughriders to the 2004 Western Final, narrowly missing advancing to the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...

. The Roughriders lost the Western Final in overtime to the favored BC Lions.

In the off-season Burris rejected the Roughriders' contract offer in order to re-join the Calgary Stampeders. In 2005 he took the Stampeders to the Western Semifinal where they lost at McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....

 to Ricky Ray
Ricky Ray
Ricky Ray is a Canadian and American football quarterback who has played in the Canadian Football League and af2, as well as spending time on a roster in the National Football League...

 and Jason Maas
Jason Maas
Jason Maas is a former Canadian football quarterback. He is best known for his career in the Canadian Football League, which was largely spent with the Edmonton Eskimos...

 of the Edmonton Eskimos. In 2006 he once again helped the Stampeders advance to the CFL playoffs, hosting their second home playoff game in as many years, but lost in the West Semifinal to his former team, the Roughriders.

In the 2007 playoffs the Stampeders once again faced off against the Roughriders in the Western Semifinal (this time played at Mosaic Stadium
Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field
Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field is a sports stadium located in Regina, Saskatchewan which is used primarily to play Canadian football. It has been the home of the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders in rudimentary form since 1910 and as a complete stadium since 1936...

 in Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...

, the Roughriders having hosted a home playoff game for the first time since 1988), and would once again ended up losing to his former team in a close 26-24 affair.

In 2008, Burris won his first championship, leading the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...

 to a 22-14 Grey Cup victory, over the host Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...

. Burris also captured the title of Grey Cup Most Valuable Player
Grey Cup Most Valuable Player
The Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player award is awarded annually to the player deemed to have the best performance in the Grey Cup Game, the Canadian Football League's championship game.-Grey Cup Most Valuable Player Award winners:...

 and was a finalist for the league's most outstanding player award.

In 2009, Burris led the Calgary Stampeders to a second place finish in the Western Conference. Trying to atone for a year in which he could not beat the first place Saskatchewan Roughriders (0-3-1) the Burris led Stampeders could not defeat the Roughriders in the Western Division Final, falling 27-17. This was Burris' third straight play-off loss to the Roughriders.

Burris quarterbacked the Stampeders to a CFL best record of 13-5 in 2010, finishing first in the Western Conference. Looking for revenge against his play-off nemesis, Burris lost to the Roughriders a fourth time in post season, 20-16. He won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player award for that season.

Burris' string of professional starts ended at the end of the 2011 season, when Drew Tate replaced him as the starting quarterback for the last three scheduled regular season games. Burris performed short-yardage duties for the team as the back-up quarterback. Burris returned to quarterbacking the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...

 in the second half of the Western Conference Semi Finals against the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...

. Burris was unable to lead a second half comeback throwing only 7 completions in 15 attempts with 0 touchdowns, having to settle for multiple field goals.

Entering the off-season there is much speculation regarding the future of Burris with the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...

. The Stampeders seem ready to move on and hand the starting job to Drew Tate
Drew Tate
Drew Tate is a professional American and Canadian football quarterback for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Iowa....

 and Burris has stated that he does not want to be a backup quarterback.

Career statistics

  Passing   Rushing
Year Team Games Comp Att Pct Yards TD Int Rating Att Yards Avg Long TD Fumb
1998
1998 CFL season
-1998 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Mike Pringle , Montreal Alouettes*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Mike Morreale , Hamilton Tiger-Cats*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Joe Montford , Hamilton Tiger-Cats...

CGY
1998 Calgary Stampeders season
The 1998 Calgary Stampeders finished in 1st place in the West Division with a 12–6–0 record and won the Grey Cup.- CFL Draft:-Preseason:- Season Standings:-Season schedule:-West Final:-Grey Cup:-References:...

18 5 11 45.5 83 0 1 33.5 2 4 2.0 2 0 0
1999
1999 CFL season
-1999 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Danny McManus , Hamilton Tiger-Cats*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Mike O'Shea , Toronto Argonauts*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Calvin Tiggle , Hamilton Tiger-Cats...

CGY
1999 Calgary Stampeders season
The 1999 Calgary Stampeders finished in 2nd place in the West Division with a 12–6–0 record. They attempted to repeat as Grey Cup champions but lost to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.- CFL Draft:-Preseason:-Season standings:-Season schedule:...

5 36 60 60 529 4 4 83.3 13 81 6.2 16 0 1
2000
2000 CFL season
-2000 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Dave Dickenson , Calgary Stampeders*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Sean Millington , BC Lions*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Joe Montford , Hamilton Tiger-Cats...

SSK
2000 Saskatchewan Roughriders season
The 2000 Saskatchewan Roughriders finished in 4th place in the West division with a 5–12–1 record and missed the playoffs for the third year in a row.-CFL Draft:-Preseason:-Season standings:-Season schedule:-Roster:-CFL All-Star Selections:...

18 308 576 53.5 4,647 30 25 79.6 68 188 2.8 17 8 12
2001
2001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...

GB
2001 Green Bay Packers season
The 2001 Green Bay Packers season ended with a loss to the St. Louis Rams in the NFC divisional playoff game, where Packers quarterback Brett Favre threw a career high 6 interceptions.-2001 NFL draft:...

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2002
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...

CHI
2002 Chicago Bears season
The 2002 Chicago Bears season was their 83rd regular season completed in the National Football League. Though the team had hopes of returning to the playoffs after an unexpected 13-3 season the previous year, the club posted a dismal 4-12 record and missed the postseason...

6 18 51 35.3 207 3 5 28.4 15 104 6.9 17 0 1
2003
2003 CFL season
The 2003 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 50th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 46th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2003:...

SSK
2003 Saskatchewan Roughriders season
The 2003 Saskatchewan Roughriders finished in 3rd place in the West division with an 11–7–0 record. They defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the West Semi-Final, but lost the West Final to the Edmonton Eskimos.-CFL Draft:-Preseason:-Season standings:...

10 11 24 45.8 130 1 0 76.7 2 16 8.0 9 0 0
2004
2004 CFL season
The 2004 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 51st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 47th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2004:...

SSK
2004 Saskatchewan Roughriders season
The 2004 Saskatchewan Roughriders finished in 3rd place in the West division with a 9–9–0 record. They defeated the Edmonton Eskimos in the West Semi-Final, but lost the West Final to the BC Lions in overtime.-CFL Draft:-Preseason:-Season schedule:...

18 322 544 59.2 4,267 23 18 84.4 84 464 5.5 34 7 14
2005
2005 CFL season
The 2005 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 52nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 48th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2005:...

CGY
2005 Calgary Stampeders season
The 2005 Calgary Stampeders finished 2nd place in the West division with a 11–7–0 record. They appeared in the West Semi-Final where they lost to the Edmonton Eskimos.-CFL Draft:-Preseason:-Season schedule:-West Semi-Final:-References:...

16 265 435 60.9 4,290 23 12 100.1 82 513 6.3 31 9 15
2006
2006 CFL season
-2006 Rogers CFL Awards:* CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Geroy Simon , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions...

CGY
2006 Calgary Stampeders season
The 2006 Calgary Stampeders finished 2nd place in the West division with a 10–8–0 record. They appeared in the West Semi-Final where they lost to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.-CFL Draft:-Preseason:-Season schedule:-Roster:-West Semi-Final:...

18 305 537 56.8 4,453 23 18 84.3 70 480 6.9 21 5 7
2007
2007 CFL season
The 2007 CFL season was the 54th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 50th season of the league, and many special events were held to commemorate the event. Regular-season play began on June 28, 2007 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario and concluded on...

CGY
2007 Calgary Stampeders season
The 2007 Calgary Stampeders season was the team's 50th season in the Canadian Football League, and 69th season overall. After promising 2nd place finishes in the West Division in 2005 and 2006 they finished 3rd in the West Division in 2007, with a disappointing 7–10–1 record, their first losing...

15 285 471 60.5 4,279 34 14 102.0 84 623 7.3 39 5 6
2008
2008 CFL season
The 2008 CFL season was the 55th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 51st season for the league. It was also the first CFL season in which all of the league's regular season and post-season games, including the Grey Cup game, were aired on TSN. This meant the CFL...

CGY
2008 Calgary Stampeders season
The Calgary Stampeders finished 1st place in the Western division, won the West Final and played in the 96th Grey Cup in Montreal to face the Alouettes. The Stampeders won their 6th Grey Cup championship.-Transactions:...

18 381 591 64.4 5,093 39 14 103.8 87 595 6.8 35 3 9
2009
2009 CFL season
The 2009 CFL season was the 56th season of modern professional Canadian football. Officially, it was the 52nd season of the Canadian Football League. The Montreal Alouettes won the 97th Grey Cup on November 29 with a last second 28–27 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders...

CGY
2009 Calgary Stampeders season
The 2009 Calgary Stampeders season is the 52nd season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 75th overall. The Stampeders attempted to repeat as Grey Cup champions....

18 339 571 59.4 4,831 22 16 88.0 105 552 5.3 30 11 8
2010
2010 CFL season
The 2010 CFL season is the 57th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it is the 53rd season of the league. Edmonton is scheduled to host the 98th Grey Cup on November 28...

CGY
2010 Calgary Stampeders season
The 2010 Calgary Stampeders season was the 53rd season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 76th overall. The Stampeders finished in 1st place in the West division with a 13–5 record...

18 370 558 66.3 4,945 38 20 102.0 70 491 7.0 27 3 6
2011
2011 CFL season
The 2011 CFL season was the 58th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 54th season of the league. The complete schedule was released on February 18 and featured the defending Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes opening the season against the visiting BC Lions on...

CGY
2011 Calgary Stampeders season
The 2011 Calgary Stampeders season was the 54th season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 77th overall. The Stampeders finished in 3rd place in the West division with a 11–7 record and lost the West Semi-Final game to the Edmonton Eskimos....

18 442 281 63.6 3,687 20 12 93.6 51 385 7.5 34 4 13
CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....

 totals
190 2,908 4,821 60.3 41,234 257 154 92.4 718 4,392 6.1 34 55 91
Pro totals 196 2,926 4,872 60.1 41,441 260 159 91.8 733 4,496 6.1 34 55 92

  • Games mean "Dressed For", not "Played In"

External links

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