Taylor Shire
Regina Leader-Post
From Mississippi to Saskatchewan with several stops in between, offensive lineman Jermarcus Hardrick has had quite the journey to the CFL.
Now in his second season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Hardrick is in his 11th year in the CFL after NFL and Arena Football League stops before he arrived in Canada.
In fact, there was a time during that journey when he thought about hanging up his cleats.
After starting his college career at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas, Hardrick joined the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers for two seasons before signing with the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012.
Following his release from the Bucs, Hardrick signed with the New Orleans Saints later that year before spending the next season in the Arena Football League with the Utah Blaze.
In 2014, he made his way to the CFL with the B.C. Lions before heading back to the AFL. After a short stint with the Tampa Bay Storm, Hardrick joined the Roughriders in 2015 and went on to play eight games that season.
He was released by the Riders that off-season and signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers just one day later, before going on to win two Grey Cups and earn three divisional all-star nods for the Bombers over the next seven seasons.
This week, we sat down with Hardrick to reflect on his journey, which wasn’t always smooth sailing.
Name: Jermarcus Hardrick
Position: Right tackle
Number: 52
Age: 35
Height and weight: 6-foot-4, 315 pounds
Nickname: Yoshi
Hometown: Courtland, Mississippi
“About 300, 400 people now. Growing up, about 200.
“Love to go back there to show my kids where I came from and just show my face.”
When did you get into football?
“Grade 7. The town was so small we didn’t have any organized sports growing up.
“Played a little tight end, but mostly along the line. Tight end to block. It wasn’t tight end Travis Kelce. I was a 300-pound blocking tight end.”
What was your football journey after high school?
“I went and played junior college in Kansas then with Nebraska.
“Then I got a try out with the Buccaneers … Got cut (in) final cuts and got signed with the Saints on the practice spot. Didn’t get signed back the next year. Played arena ball. Quit football because I just had a kid and I had I think $1.38 in my account.
“My wife said we’re done with this, can’t play this anymore. So I quit that football.
“I was selling cars … and then I got a call that said, ‘This is the British Columbia Lions and you’re on our neg list.’ And I was like, I’ve never heard of British Columbia.
“My wife helped me get a passport. Her mother actually paid for my passport, and the rest is history.”
What was the transition to the CFL like?
“I’ll tell you the truth my first year, I didn’t know 12 people were on the field. I didn’t know anybody’s name … I was just playing football, having fun.
“I came halfway through the year … I showed up first week I thought I was gonna be on practice squad, and I was active.”
Did you think you’d still be in the CFL this many years later?
“Not at all because I was on three teams in three years.
“My wife told me in ‘16 when I signed with Winnipeg, this might be our last (year).
“We had three kids in three years, and I had three teams in three years. So yeah, it was rough.
“It wasn’t even my wife telling me … She’s was more like, ‘Hey, life is happening.’ ”
Any other sports growing up?
“I played a little church basketball; wasn’t organized really. I played baseball until about (age eight or nine) and we just played at our park. And it was fun. Didn’t know anything. Went to a big city. We got blew out maybe 20-1. Baseball wasn’t for me.”
Any other jobs besides selling cars and playing football?
“I worked for the YMCA for like 10 years. I was a referee, I was an umpire. Did football (and) basketball.”
Favourite football memory?
“Any time I won a championship on any level.
“But I’d say my first game in Nebraska. I always dreamed of being on TV and dreamed of coming out. And I always wanted to play myself on a video game. The first time I got to play myself on a video game and my parents watched me on ABC down south, that was unreal.”
Any superstitions?
“Usually just write my wife and kids names on my tape.”
Hidden talent?
“I can eat a lot (chuckles). No, no hidden talent.”
What would you be doing if you weren’t playing football?
“Probably trying to coach (or) trying to use my degree. I’d be trying to do something positive; give back to somebody. I’ll be trying to go save a young Yosh.
“I’ll never forget when I went to Nebraska and I took my visit, (coach said), ‘You’re gonna graduate from the University of Nebraska.’ Nobody ever told me I was going to graduate before.”
