| No. 86 | |
 Cahoon with the Montreal Alouettes in 2007 | |
| Born: | (1972-07-16)July 16, 1972 (age 52) Orem, Utah, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| CFL status | National |
| Position(s) | SB |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| College | Brigham Young |
| CFL draft | 1998, round: 1, pick: 6 |
| Drafted by | Montreal Alouettes |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1998–2010 | Montreal Alouettes |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| CFL All-Star | 1999,2004,2008 |
| CFL East All-Star | 1999,2000,2002–2009 |
| Awards | 2×CFL Most Outstanding Canadian (2002, 2003) |
| Honours | 3× Grey Cup Champion (2002, 2009, 2010) |
| Records | Receptions in a career in the CFL, Receptions by a Canadian receiver in a career, Receptions by a Canadian receiver in a season, Touchdowns by an Alouette, Receiving yards in a career in Grey Cup games, Receptions in a career in Grey Cup Games, Receptions in a career (1,017). |
| Career stats | |
| |
Ben Cahoon (born July 16, 1972) is a Canadian-American former professionalfootballslotback who spent his entire career with theMontreal Alouettes of theCanadian Football League (CFL). He won the award for theMost Outstanding Canadian in the CFL two years in a row in 2002 and 2003.
At the time of his retirement after the2010 season, Cahoon ranked sixth overall in career receiving yards with 13,301 yards and the all-time leader overall in pass receptions with 1,017. He is also the all-time leading receiver inGrey Cup history with 46 receptions and 658 receiving yards.[1]
Cahoon spent part of his childhood inCardston, Alberta, and is therefore considered a non-import under theCFL's import/non-import ratio rule.[2]
Cahoon was born in Utah but qualified as a Canadian in the CFL because his parents were Canadian and he spent time as a youth in Alberta. Throughout his career Cahoon steadfastly maintained he felt he was Canadian despite being born in the U.S. and attending both high school and college in Utah.[3]
Cahoon played his high school sports atMountain View High School inOrem, Utah, where he earned All-Region and All-State honors in football, basketball, and soccer. He was named Mountain View's Athlete of the Year in 1990.
Cahoon played two seasons (1993–94) at Ricks College, now known asBrigham Young University–Idaho, in Rexburg, Idaho. He set school records for most receptions and most receiving yards in a single season and in a career. In 1994, he ranked second in the nation in receiving and was named Junior CollegeAll-American. He transferred toBrigham Young University inProvo, Utah. He played in every game for the Cougars in 1996, when BYU became the first Division I-A team in NCAA history to win 14 games in a single season. In his senior year (1997), Cahoon became BYU's top receiver with 84 catches. He averaged 84.6 receiving yards per game during that season including an 8-catch, 217-yard performance in the Cougars' 13–10 win at Arizona State University.
After going undrafted at the1998 NFL draft, Cahoon tried out for theTampa Bay Buccaneers before being released.[4] He was drafted by theMontreal Alouettes in the first round (sixth overall) in the1998 CFL Draft. He won the90th Grey Cup,97th Grey Cup and98th Grey Cup with Montreal in 2002, 2009 and 2010. He was namedGrey Cup Most Valuable Canadian in both 2002 and 2009. His number with theMontreal Alouettes is 86. His jersey was retired on July 29, 2016, at Percival Molson Stadium in Montréal.
In 2004, Cahoon was part of a CFL precedent with four receivers on one team reaching the 1000-yard mark in one season: Cahoon with 1183 yards, Jeremaine Copeland with 1154 yards, Thyron Anderson with 1147 yards, and Kwame Cavil with 1090 yards. The 2005 Montreal Alouettes would repeat this feat, with Cahoon the only player repeating: the four receivers consisted of Kerry Watkins (1364 yards), Terry Vaughn (1113 yards), Cahoon (1067 yards), and Dave Stala (1037 yards).
On August 2, 2007, Cahoon kicked a game winning 22-yard field goal in overtime in a 30–27 victory over theToronto Argonauts.[5] He replacedDamon Duval, who had been ejected from the game.[6]
Ben Cahoon stands only 5'9, but is able to bench press 225 lbs 19 times. He is also considered to be one of the greatest slotbacks ever, and was nominated withAnthony Calvillo for the CFL Greatest QB-WR Combo of All Time.[citation needed] He was named an East Division All-Star in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. He has also been named a CFL All Star on numerous occasions. In 2008, Cahoon brokePeter Dalla Riva's record for most touchdowns ever by an Alouette receiver. He has had nine 1,000 yard receiving seasons, including a streak of eight straight.
On December 15, 2008, Cahoon re-signed with the Alouettes, where the deal called for a one-year contract with an option. This enabled him to play his 12th CFL season, all of them with the Montreal Alouettes. On May 14, 2010, Cahoon confirmed his return for the 2010 season.
On October 11, 2010, in a home game against theCalgary Stampeders, Cahoon became the CFL's all-time reception leader, catching his 1,007th career pass fromAnthony Calvillo in the 4th quarter. The previous record of 1,006 was held byTerry Vaughn.
On January 26, 2011, Cahoon announced his retirement.[7]
In 2014, Cahoon was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame. On July 29, 2016, his number 86 was retired by theMontreal Alouettes in a ceremony during half-time of their game against theSaskatchewan Roughriders.
On February 1, 2011, Brigham Young University head football coach,Bronco Mendenhall, announced Cahoon would join the BYU coaching staff as the wide receivers coach.[8] He served in that role through the end of the 2012 season, after which the school re-hired its former offensive coordinatorRobert Anae, leading to Cahoon being released on January 15, 2013.[9] Cahoon returned to the coaching staff for the 2016 season under new head coachKalani Sitake and offensive coordinatorTy Detmer for 2 seasons.[10]
| Receiving | Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Games | Catch | Yards | Avg | Long | TD | Games | No. | Yards | Avg | Long | TD | ||
| 1998 | MTL | 18 | 33 | 471 | 14.3 | 36 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1999 | MTL | 18 | 52 | 846 | 16.1 | 48 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 67 | 13.4 | 23 | 0 | ||
| 2000 | MTL | 18 | 71 | 1,022 | 14.4 | 73 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 95 | 31.7 | 59 | 1 | ||
| 2001 | MTL | 18 | 56 | 809 | 14.4 | 68 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 20 | 0 | ||
| 2002 | MTL | 18 | 75 | 1,060 | 14.2 | 52 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 62 | 12.2 | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2003 | MTL | 18 | 112 | 1,561 | 13.9 | 66 | 13 | 2 | 11 | 182 | 16.5 | 69 | 2 | ||
| 2004 | MTL | 16 | 93 | 1,183 | 12.7 | 60 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 109 | 15.6 | 25 | 0 | ||
| 2005 | MTL | 14 | 73 | 1,067 | 14.6 | 73 | 9 | 3 | 21 | 288 | 13.7 | 52 | 1 | ||
| 2006 | MTL | 17 | 99 | 1,190 | 12.0 | 51 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 174 | 12.4 | 25 | 0 | ||
| 2007 | MTL | 17 | 90 | 1,127 | 12.5 | 97 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 19 | 0 | ||
| 2008 | MTL | 17 | 107 | 1,231 | 11.5 | 29 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 183 | 14.1 | 35 | 0 | ||
| 2009 | MTL | 18 | 89 | 1,031 | 11.6 | 30 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 76 | 10.9 | 18 | 1 | ||
| 2010 | MTL | 17 | 67 | 703 | 10.5 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 58 | 9.7 | 17 | 0 | ||
| CFL totals | 224 | 1017 | 13,301 | 13.1 | 97 | 65 | 23 | 92 | 1353 | 14.7 | 69 | 5 | |||
Cahoon had caught at least one pass in 202 of his last 203 games and at least one pass in each of his last 144 games.[11][12]
Cahoon was owner of Power Pad Insoles, LLC, a company that sells performance enhancing insoles.
Cahoon and his wife, Kimberli, have four daughters. As a result of his marriage, he is the son-in-law of formerUtahGovernorGary R. Herbert.
A devout member ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Cahoon said he disliked playing football on Sunday, which he believed should be reserved for rest and prayer.[13]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)