 Richards with theToronto Argonauts in 2025 | |
| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Position | Offensive lineman |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1995-06-04)June 4, 1995 (age 30) Kingston, Jamaica |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 325 lb (147 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Crescent Heights |
| CJFL | Calgary Colts |
| College | Oklahoma State New Mexico Military |
| CFL draft | 2019: 1st round, 1st overall pick |
| Career history | |
| 2019–2023 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 2024 | Edmonton Elks |
| 2025 | Toronto Argonauts |
| Awards and highlights | |
| Stats at CFL.ca | |
Shane Richards (born June 4, 1995) is a Jamaican-Canadian professionalfootballoffensive lineman. He most recently played for theToronto Argonauts of theCanadian Football League (CFL).
Richards was born inKingston, Jamaica to Daniel and Opel Richards and moved toCalgary as a child where he grew up and attendedCrescent Heights High School.[1][2]
Following high school, Richards played for theCalgary Colts of theCanadian Junior Football League in the 2014 season and practiced with theCalgary Stampeders as a territorial rights player that same year.[3][4][2] He then attendedNew Mexico Military Institute to playcollege football for theBroncos in 2015.[3] After seeing success there, he transferred to play for theOklahoma State Cowboys in 2016 where he played in four games as a junior.[5] He had aredshirt season in 2017 and returned to play his senior year in 2018 where he played in eight regular season games and in theLiberty Bowl victory overMissouri.[5]
Upon entering theCFL draft, Richards was ranked as the second-best prospect by the Central CFL Scouting Bureau for players eligible in the2019 CFL draft.[6] He was eventually draftedfirst overall in the draft by theToronto Argonauts and signed with the team at a team draft party with season ticket holders on May 2, 2019, to a three-year contract.[3][7] Richards was an opening day starter for the team in the2019 season and played in his first professional game on June 22, 2019, against theHamilton Tiger-Cats.[8] He suffered a groin injury in practice before the second game of the season and was on the injured reserve for the next ten games. Richards dressed in the last seven games of the season and played eight in total for his rookie year.[8][9] He did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the2020 CFL season.
In2021, Richards dressed in all 14 regular season games and started in eight.[9][10] He also dressed in his first post-season game, but the Argonauts lost to the Tiger-Cats in the East Final.[9] In the2022 season, he played in 16 regular season games and started in two.[9][10] He also played in both post-season games, including the109th Grey Cup where the Argonauts defeated theWinnipeg Blue Bombers.[10] Richards played in just four regular season games in2023 as he spent the rest of the season on the injured list.[9][10] His contract expired in the following offseason on February 13, 2024.[11]
On April 9, 2024, Richards signed with theEdmonton Elks in free agency.[12] He played in 16 regular season games in2024.[9] He became afree agent upon the expiry of his contract on February 11, 2025.[13][14]
On July 21, 2025, it was announced that Richards had signed with theToronto Argonauts.[15] He played in 12 games in2025 and became a free agent upon the expiry of his contract on February 10, 2026.[16]
Media related toShane Richards at Wikimedia Commons