Karl McCartney is enjoying life in the CFL after an unhappy end to his career with the Saint Mary’s Huskies.
The six-foot, 231-pound Calgary Stampeders rookie is third in the CFL in special teams tackles and has seen time at middle linebacker as a backup, according to a report in the Calgary Herald.
McCartney, who hails from the Bahamas, spent two years at Saint Mary’s but considered quitting football after the 2009 season.
“I was done with university; I was tired of being on the bench when I knew I was better than some of the guys ahead of me,” McCartney told the Calgary Herald.
“I still wanted to play football. But part of me didn’t.”
After the Stampeders drafted the 22-year-old in the fifth round, 37th overall, in May, McCartney decided to give it another shot.
Stampeders head coach John Hufnagel told the newspaper McCartney is doing “an outstanding job.”
“I’m very pleased with the young man; his special teams play has been very good, and defensively, when he’s gotten on the field, he has held up well and he’s getting better,” Hufnagel said.
