Mike Pringle (football player)
Encyclopedia
Mike Pringle is an American former professional gridiron football
player. A running back
, he had a highly successful career in the Canadian Football League
(CFL), during which he set or tied almost every significant league records for the position. He played college football
for the California State University, Fullerton
Titans
and was twice signed by National Football League
(NFL) teams, though he never played a game in the American league.
Along with George Reed
and Johnny Bright
, Pringle is one of the players most often mentioned as being the greatest running back in CFL history. In November 2006, Pringle was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players
(#4) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
. In April 2008, Pringle was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
in his first year of eligibility.
, California
. He attended John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills, California and was a student and a letterman in football.
, where he played on the Cal State Fullerton Titans football
team.. At Cal State Fullerton, Pringle shared the NCAA single-game rushing record at one time with 357 yards against New Mexico State on November 4, 1989. He also led the nation that year in all-purpose yardage with a school-record 2,690 yards.
Pringle played well enough to be selected 139th overall by the Atlanta Falcons
in the 1990 NFL draft
. However, he would never play a down in the National Football League
, spending most of the 1990 NFL season
on the practice roster (although he dressed for the final three games). The final cut from Atlanta's 1991 training camp, Pringle, like fellow Cal State Fullerton alumni Damon Allen
and Allen Pitts
, went on to the Canadian Football League, where he became one of the best players in league history at his position.
, with the Edmonton Eskimos
. In three games, Pringle received 22 carries for 129 yards, posting a respectable rushing average in limited action. However, like fellow import running back Robert Hardy, the Eskimos were not high on Pringle and released him. They opted to stick with their trio of Canadian ball carriers in Michael Soles, Blake Marshall and Brian Walling. Pringle spent the rest of 1992 with the Sacramento Surge
of the World League of American Football
.
In 1993
, Pringle resurfaced with the CFL's Sacramento Gold Miners
, remaining in the same city but switching leagues. In Sacramento, Pringle became an everyday player, although not a frequent option in the ground game that was led by former NFL running back Mike Oliphant
. Still he racked up 366 yards and four touchdowns in his only season with the Gold Miners, before being traded in the offseason to the team where he would make his most lasting mark, the then-Baltimore Football Club, later to become the Baltimore Stallions
.
running back. Despite his lack of carries, however, Pringle became the starting back in Baltimore two games into the 1994 season replacing Sheldon Caney. Pringle immediately responded to the opportunity. The 27-year old went loose in Baltimore, running for a record 1,972 yards and thirteen touchdowns, narrowly missing becoming the first CFL running back to reach the elusive 2,000 yards rushing milestone. He even returned 38 kicks for 814 yards and, in his first CFL playoff appearance, rang up 165 yards in two playoff games to lead Baltimore to their first Grey Cup
appearance, where they lost the 82nd Grey Cup
to the BC Lions
26-23 on Lui Passaglia
's last-minute 38-yard field goal. It is widely heralded as one of the best CFL games ever.
Compared to his remarkable 1994 season
, 1995
was a slight dropoff for Pringle, but still a remarkable season by any standard. His rushing totals declined to a "mere" 1,791 yards, and while his yards-per-carry fell by .6 from 6.4 to 5.8, his statistics were still the best any back posted in the CFL that year. To top it off, Pringle was a playoff workhorse, as he ran for 484 playoff yards and four touchdowns in three games. On the strong, powerful legs of Pringle, the Baltimore Stallions made their second straight appearance in the Grey Cup. This time, the Stallions would not be denied, taking the famous "Wind Bowl
" over the Calgary Stampeders
37-20.
After his two seasons in Baltimore, Pringle began to attract more attention from the National Football League
. The Denver Broncos
signed Pringle to a free agent contract for the 1996 NFL season
, but he was a late cut from training camp.
late in the season. Pringle played only eight games but rushed for 825 yards and five touchdowns.
It was in 1997
that Pringle once again took his place as the CFL's best running back. His 1,775 yard season was his worst in a full season as a starter, but it was still an extremely strong season. With the Alouettes lacking in playoff success and their attendance at Olympic Stadium
flagging, Pringle was one of the team's few bright spots in a disappointing year. But for the 1998 season
, the Als moved permanently to the smaller Percival Molson Stadium, where they regularly drew sell-out crowds. They came to watch the Alouettes, especially Pringle, and he would not disappoint.
Pringle's 1998 CFL season
stands out with Doug Flutie
's 48-touchdown 1994 season
, as one of the greatest CFL seasons an offensive player ever had. Pringle ran for only nine touchdowns but nobody in the league much cared: the story was his 2,065 rushing yards that year, a CFL record by a considerable margin. Pringle became the first, and so far only, man in CFL history to run for over 2,000 yards. At 31 years old, Pringle had hit his prime with a bang, and though he would never approach 2,000 yards again, he continued to be an elite back for several years.
In 1999
, Pringle ran for 1,656 yards, over 400 fewer than in his record-shattering 1998. Moreover, playoff failure continued to dog the Alouettes
. Pringle had run for 522 yards in his last four playoff games over two seasons, but a disappointing East Division
final exit to the eventual champion Hamilton Tiger-Cats
had Alouettes fans confused and angry. In 2000, the Alouettes would finally get to play in the 88th Grey Cup
but lost to the BC Lions
, 28-26. Pringle's rushing totals increased to 1,778 yards, but, more significantly, he rushed for 19 touchdowns, a mark almost 50% greater than his previous season high of 13. Pringle also had a touchdown in the Grey Cup
game.
By the end of the 2001 season
, Pringle was 34 years old, an advanced age for a power running back. He was beginning to show wear and tear, as he ran for "only" 1,326 yards in that season while fighting nagging injuries all year. In 2002, the Alouettes would win the 90th Grey Cup
over the Edmonton Eskimos
26-16, but Pringle would not be a big part of the game. Pringle was injured much of the year and feuded publicly with head coach Don Matthews
, who believed Pringle was washed up and used running back Lawrence Phillips
as his starter even when Pringle was healthy. Pringle, incensed at the treatment, left the Alouettes bitterly at the end of the season, signing with the team he had broken in with: the Edmonton Eskimos
.
with the Eskimos
was a return to form for the aging running back. Although he was not the man of 1998
, Pringle was still a capable starter for a team on the rise, and with Ricky Ray
at quarterback he did not have to be the main part of the team's offense. Pringle ran for 1,377 yards, his best total since 2000, and helped the Eskimos reach, and win, the 91st Grey Cup
. Remarkably for a man whose first two seasons were spent largely on the bench, Pringle had George Reed's record 16,116 career rushing yards and 134 career rushing touchdowns well within his sights. Despite his age, most analysts believed Pringle breaking these records was not a matter of if, but when.
2004
proved these analysts right. Pringle ran for 1,141 yards, fourth in the CFL but a career low in a full, starting season. However, the yardage gave Pringle a total of 16,425 rushing yards, as Pringle broke the record in Vancouver, British Columbia against the BC Lions
(he had been only a handful of yards short in the previous week's home game against the Calgary Stampeders
, but despite receiving the ball on every play on the last few possessions Pringle did not set the mark in front of his home fans).
The season ended on some bitterness for Pringle, however. In the last game of the season, the Eskimos were close to the goal line in a tight game. Pringle at the time had 137 touchdowns, tied for Reed's record, and needed only one more to break it. However, head coach Tom Higgins called a pass play that resulted in a score, meaning that Pringle finished the season tied with Reed. Pringle was publicly upset at Higgins, and the controversy may have affected the Eskimos in their playoff loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders
.
After the 2004 season
, Pringle announced his retirement from professional football. He finished with 16,425 career rushing yards and 20,254 total yards from scrimmage, both CFL records. He also finished tied with George Reed
with 137 career touchdowns.http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=42http://www.esks.com/default.asp?V_DOC_ID=1583
On June 22, 2005, Pringle signed a contract with the Montreal Alouettes
and then officially filed his retirement papers, so that he could retire as an Alouette. His jersey number 27 was retired by the Alouettes at their June 23 season opener.
On April 2, 2008, Pringle was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
in his first year of eligibility.
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
player. A running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, he had a highly successful career in 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....
(CFL), during which he set or tied almost every significant league records for the position. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton is a public university located in Fullerton, California. It is the largest institution in the CSU System by enrollment, it offers long-distance education and adult-degree programs...
Titans
Cal State Fullerton Titans football
The Cal State Fullerton Titans football team represented California State University, Fullerton from the 1970 through 1992 seasons. The Titans originally competed as a member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association from 1970-1973 before moving to the Pacific Coast Athletic Association in...
and was twice signed by 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...
(NFL) teams, though he never played a game in the American league.
Along with George Reed
George Reed
George Robert Reed, CM is a former American college football and Canadian Football League player. Reed, along with Mike Pringle and Johnny Bright, is one of the players most often mentioned as being the greatest running back in CFL history...
and Johnny Bright
Johnny Bright
Johnny D. Bright was a professional Canadian football player in the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Drake University...
, Pringle is one of the players most often mentioned as being the greatest running back in CFL history. In November 2006, Pringle was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players
TSN Top 50 CFL Players
The TSN Top 50 CFL Players was a list of the greatest fifty Canadian Football League players, as selected by a panel of sixty former CFL players, then-current and former coaches, executives, and media members in 2006. The panel was assembled by sports television network TSN in partnership with the...
(#4) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
. In April 2008, Pringle was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
in his first year of eligibility.
Early life
Pringle was born in Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He attended John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills, California and was a student and a letterman in football.
College and NFL
Pringle attended California State University, FullertonCalifornia State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton is a public university located in Fullerton, California. It is the largest institution in the CSU System by enrollment, it offers long-distance education and adult-degree programs...
, where he played on the Cal State Fullerton Titans football
Cal State Fullerton Titans football
The Cal State Fullerton Titans football team represented California State University, Fullerton from the 1970 through 1992 seasons. The Titans originally competed as a member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association from 1970-1973 before moving to the Pacific Coast Athletic Association in...
team.. At Cal State Fullerton, Pringle shared the NCAA single-game rushing record at one time with 357 yards against New Mexico State on November 4, 1989. He also led the nation that year in all-purpose yardage with a school-record 2,690 yards.
Pringle played well enough to be selected 139th overall by the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1990 NFL draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
. However, he would never play a down in 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...
, spending most of the 1990 NFL season
1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period...
on the practice roster (although he dressed for the final three games). The final cut from Atlanta's 1991 training camp, Pringle, like fellow Cal State Fullerton alumni Damon Allen
Damon Allen
Damon Allen is a former professional quarterback in the Canadian Football League, most recently with the Toronto Argonauts. He is currently second in all-time professional football passing yards and second in all-time CFL passing yards after he was surpassed for first place by the Montréal...
and Allen Pitts
Allen Pitts
Allen Pitts was a receiver for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League from 1990 to 2000. He attended Cal-State Fullerton and played his entire professional career as a receiver for the Calgary Stampeders...
, went on to the Canadian Football League, where he became one of the best players in league history at his position.
Early Canadian Football League career
Pringle entered the CFL in time for the 1992 CFL season1992 CFL season
-1992 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Doug Flutie , Calgary Stampeders*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Ray Elgaard , Saskatchewan Roughriders*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Willie Pless , Edmonton Eskimos...
, with 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...
. In three games, Pringle received 22 carries for 129 yards, posting a respectable rushing average in limited action. However, like fellow import running back Robert Hardy, the Eskimos were not high on Pringle and released him. They opted to stick with their trio of Canadian ball carriers in Michael Soles, Blake Marshall and Brian Walling. Pringle spent the rest of 1992 with the Sacramento Surge
Sacramento Surge
The Sacramento Surge was a professional American football team that played in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. The team played its first season at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, and the second season in Hornet Stadium on the Sacramento State University campus. It was owned...
of the World League of American Football
World League of American Football
The World League of American Football was founded in 1990 with support from the National Football League to play professional American football in North America, Europe and later possibly Asia...
.
In 1993
1993 CFL season
The 1993 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 40th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 36th Canadian Football League season.-CFL news in 1993:...
, Pringle resurfaced with the CFL's Sacramento Gold Miners
Sacramento Gold Miners
The Sacramento Gold Miners were a Canadian football team based in Sacramento, California. The franchise was the first American team in the Canadian Football League. The Gold Miners were originally the "descendants" of the Sacramento Surge from the defunct World League of American Football...
, remaining in the same city but switching leagues. In Sacramento, Pringle became an everyday player, although not a frequent option in the ground game that was led by former NFL running back Mike Oliphant
Mike Oliphant
Michael Nathaniel Oliphant is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns....
. Still he racked up 366 yards and four touchdowns in his only season with the Gold Miners, before being traded in the offseason to the team where he would make his most lasting mark, the then-Baltimore Football Club, later to become the Baltimore Stallions
Baltimore Stallions
The Baltimore Stallions were a Canadian Football League team based in Baltimore, Maryland, which played the 1994 and 1995 seasons. They were the most successful American team in the Canadian Football League, having two winning seasons and a division title. In 1995 they became the only American team...
.
Baltimore years
Going into his third CFL season, Pringle had run the ball 82 times for less than five hundred yards: less than half a season's work for a starting CFLCanadian 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....
running back. Despite his lack of carries, however, Pringle became the starting back in Baltimore two games into the 1994 season replacing Sheldon Caney. Pringle immediately responded to the opportunity. The 27-year old went loose in Baltimore, running for a record 1,972 yards and thirteen touchdowns, narrowly missing becoming the first CFL running back to reach the elusive 2,000 yards rushing milestone. He even returned 38 kicks for 814 yards and, in his first CFL playoff appearance, rang up 165 yards in two playoff games to lead Baltimore to their first 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...
appearance, where they lost the 82nd Grey Cup
82nd Grey Cup
The 82nd Grey Cup was the 1994 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Baltimore Football Club and the BC Lions at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, BC. It was the first-ever championship in professional football history to feature a United States-vs-Canada matchup...
to the 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...
26-23 on Lui Passaglia
Lui Passaglia
Lui Passaglia is a former professional Canadian football player. Passaglia was the placekicker/punter for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League for a record-breaking 25 years and scored more points in that time than any professional gridiron football player in history...
's last-minute 38-yard field goal. It is widely heralded as one of the best CFL games ever.
Compared to his remarkable 1994 season
1994 CFL season
The 1994 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 41st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 37th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1994:...
, 1995
1995 CFL season
The 1995 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 42nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 38th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1995:...
was a slight dropoff for Pringle, but still a remarkable season by any standard. His rushing totals declined to a "mere" 1,791 yards, and while his yards-per-carry fell by .6 from 6.4 to 5.8, his statistics were still the best any back posted in the CFL that year. To top it off, Pringle was a playoff workhorse, as he ran for 484 playoff yards and four touchdowns in three games. On the strong, powerful legs of Pringle, the Baltimore Stallions made their second straight appearance in the Grey Cup. This time, the Stallions would not be denied, taking the famous "Wind Bowl
83rd Grey Cup
The 83rd Grey Cup aka The Wind Bowl was the 1995 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Baltimore Stallions and the Calgary Stampeders at Taylor Field in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Stallions won the game by a score of 37-20...
" over 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...
37-20.
After his two seasons in Baltimore, Pringle began to attract more attention from 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...
. The Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
signed Pringle to a free agent contract for the 1996 NFL season
1996 NFL season
The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end...
, but he was a late cut from training camp.
Montreal Alouettes
With no other NFL teams expressing interest in his abilities, Pringle returned to the CFL, following the relocated Baltimore franchise and joining the newly christened Montreal AlouettesMontreal 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...
late in the season. Pringle played only eight games but rushed for 825 yards and five touchdowns.
It was in 1997
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:...
that Pringle once again took his place as the CFL's best running back. His 1,775 yard season was his worst in a full season as a starter, but it was still an extremely strong season. With the Alouettes lacking in playoff success and their attendance at Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Montreal)
The Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...
flagging, Pringle was one of the team's few bright spots in a disappointing year. But for the 1998 season
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...
, the Als moved permanently to the smaller Percival Molson Stadium, where they regularly drew sell-out crowds. They came to watch the Alouettes, especially Pringle, and he would not disappoint.
Pringle's 1998 CFL season
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...
stands out with Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
's 48-touchdown 1994 season
1994 CFL season
The 1994 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 41st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 37th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1994:...
, as one of the greatest CFL seasons an offensive player ever had. Pringle ran for only nine touchdowns but nobody in the league much cared: the story was his 2,065 rushing yards that year, a CFL record by a considerable margin. Pringle became the first, and so far only, man in CFL history to run for over 2,000 yards. At 31 years old, Pringle had hit his prime with a bang, and though he would never approach 2,000 yards again, he continued to be an elite back for several years.
In 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...
, Pringle ran for 1,656 yards, over 400 fewer than in his record-shattering 1998. Moreover, playoff failure continued to dog the 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...
. Pringle had run for 522 yards in his last four playoff games over two seasons, but a disappointing East Division
Canadian Football League East Division
The East Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the East Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.- Pre-1907 :...
final exit to the eventual champion Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
had Alouettes fans confused and angry. In 2000, the Alouettes would finally get to play in the 88th Grey Cup
88th Grey Cup
The 88th Grey Cup was held in 2000 in Calgary. The BC Lions won the game 28-26 over the Montreal Alouettes...
but lost to the 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...
, 28-26. Pringle's rushing totals increased to 1,778 yards, but, more significantly, he rushed for 19 touchdowns, a mark almost 50% greater than his previous season high of 13. Pringle also had a touchdown in the Grey Cup
88th Grey Cup
The 88th Grey Cup was held in 2000 in Calgary. The BC Lions won the game 28-26 over the Montreal Alouettes...
game.
By the end of the 2001 season
2001 CFL season
The 2001 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 48th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 44th Canadian Football League season.-CFL news in 2001:...
, Pringle was 34 years old, an advanced age for a power running back. He was beginning to show wear and tear, as he ran for "only" 1,326 yards in that season while fighting nagging injuries all year. In 2002, the Alouettes would win the 90th Grey Cup
90th Grey Cup
The 90th Grey Cup was the 2002 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes on November 24 at Commonwealth Stadium, in Edmonton, Alberta...
over 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...
26-16, but Pringle would not be a big part of the game. Pringle was injured much of the year and feuded publicly with head coach Don Matthews
Don Matthews
Don Matthews, a.k.a. "The Don", is a former head coach of several teams in the Canadian Football League and is the second winningest head coach in CFL history with 231 wins...
, who believed Pringle was washed up and used running back Lawrence Phillips
Lawrence Phillips
Lawrence Lamond Phillips is a former professional American football and Canadian football running back. Phillips's trouble with the law and inability to produce in the NFL have led many critics to label him as a bust....
as his starter even when Pringle was healthy. Pringle, incensed at the treatment, left the Alouettes bitterly at the end of the season, signing with the team he had broken in with: 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...
.
Final seasons
Pringle's 2003 season2003 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:...
with the 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...
was a return to form for the aging running back. Although he was not the man of 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...
, Pringle was still a capable starter for a team on the rise, and with 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...
at quarterback he did not have to be the main part of the team's offense. Pringle ran for 1,377 yards, his best total since 2000, and helped the Eskimos reach, and win, the 91st Grey Cup
91st Grey Cup
The 91st Grey Cup was the 2003 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes on November 16 at Taylor Field, in Regina, Saskatchewan before 50,909 fans...
. Remarkably for a man whose first two seasons were spent largely on the bench, Pringle had George Reed's record 16,116 career rushing yards and 134 career rushing touchdowns well within his sights. Despite his age, most analysts believed Pringle breaking these records was not a matter of if, but when.
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:...
proved these analysts right. Pringle ran for 1,141 yards, fourth in the CFL but a career low in a full, starting season. However, the yardage gave Pringle a total of 16,425 rushing yards, as Pringle broke the record in Vancouver, British Columbia against the 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...
(he had been only a handful of yards short in the previous week's home game against 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...
, but despite receiving the ball on every play on the last few possessions Pringle did not set the mark in front of his home fans).
The season ended on some bitterness for Pringle, however. In the last game of the season, the Eskimos were close to the goal line in a tight game. Pringle at the time had 137 touchdowns, tied for Reed's record, and needed only one more to break it. However, head coach Tom Higgins called a pass play that resulted in a score, meaning that Pringle finished the season tied with Reed. Pringle was publicly upset at Higgins, and the controversy may have affected the Eskimos in their playoff loss 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...
.
After the 2004 season
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:...
, Pringle announced his retirement from professional football. He finished with 16,425 career rushing yards and 20,254 total yards from scrimmage, both CFL records. He also finished tied with George Reed
George Reed
George Robert Reed, CM is a former American college football and Canadian Football League player. Reed, along with Mike Pringle and Johnny Bright, is one of the players most often mentioned as being the greatest running back in CFL history...
with 137 career touchdowns.http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=42http://www.esks.com/default.asp?V_DOC_ID=1583
On June 22, 2005, Pringle signed a contract with 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 then officially filed his retirement papers, so that he could retire as an Alouette. His jersey number 27 was retired by the Alouettes at their June 23 season opener.
On April 2, 2008, Pringle was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
in his first year of eligibility.