Archie Amerson
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Archie J. Amerson (born August 24, 1974) is an American former professional
Canadian football Canadian football, or simply football, is a Sports in Canada, sport in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete on a field long and wide, attempting to advance a Ball (gridiron football), pointed oval-shaped ball into the opposi ...
running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...
and
slotback Slotback (SB), also called slot receiver, is an offensive position in gridiron football responsible for covering a ''slot,'' the playing area between the⁣⁣ offensive tackle and the wide receiver. A player who lines up between those two pl ...
who played in the
Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...
(CFL) from 1997 to 2004, appearing in 122 regular season games for the
Hamilton Tiger-Cats The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a professional Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are currently members of the East Division (CFL), East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Tiger-Cats play their home game ...
and one regular season game for the
Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Argonauts compete in the East Division (CFL), East Division of t ...
. In 1999, he was part of the Tiger-Cats team that won the
87th Grey Cup The 87th Grey Cup (Canadian Football League championship) was held in 1999 in Vancouver. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats won the game 32–21 over the Calgary Stampeders in a rematch of the previous year's 86th Grey Cup. Game summary Hamilton Tiger-Cats ...
. He missed the entire 2005 season due to injury and was released by the Tiger-Cats afterwards. At the time of his release, Amerson was one of the most prolific receivers in Tiger-Cats history, ranking third in receptions, fourth in receiving yards, fifth in kickoff return yards, and sixth in touchdowns. Amerson played high school football at Samuel F.B. Morse High School in
San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. He went on to play
college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
for the Dixie State
Rebels A rebel is a participant in a rebellion. Rebel or rebels may also refer to: People * Rebel (given name) * Rebel (surname) * Patriot (American Revolution), during the American Revolution * American Southerners, as a form of self-identification; ...
from 1993 to 1994 and was named a junior college
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
each year. He then played for the
Northern Arizona Lumberjacks The NAU Lumberjacks are the varsity athletic teams representing Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona in intercollegiate athletics. The school's mascot was adopted in 1946. The Lumberjacks compete in NCAA Division I and are full membe ...
of
Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a public research university based in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1899, it was the third and final university established in the Arizona Territory. It is one of the three universities gove ...
from 1995 to 1996. In Amerson's senior year of 1996, he won the
Walter Payton Award The Walter Payton Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) of college football as chosen by a nationwide panel of media and college sports ...
as the best offensive player in
Division I-AA The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Sponsored by the National Collegiate A ...
(now FCS) football.


High school career

Amerson played
high school football High school football, also known as prep football, is gridiron football played by High school (North America), high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular high school sports, interscholastic sports in both c ...
at Samuel F. B. Morse High School in San Diego as both a running back and
defensive back In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...
. In 1991, Amerson primarily played as a
cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...
. Although officially designated the backup running back for Morse that year, he never carried the ball. Amerson's role sharply shifted as a senior in 1992 when the coaching staff played him as the team's lead running back in addition to his role on defense. In October, Amerson rushed for 197 yards and four touchdowns in a 48–0 win over Patrick Henry High School. Amerson's strong game against Patrick Henry saw his role on the team increase as he ran for 675 yards and 13 touchdowns over a three-week period. He finished his only season as a running back for Morse with 1,475 rushing yards to lead his section. Amerson was designated the offensive player of the year in the
California Interscholastic Federation The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) is the governing body for high school sports in the U.S. state of California. CIF membership includes both public and private high schools. Unlike most other state organizations, it does not have s ...
(CIF) after Morse won the CIF San Diego section championship. While in high school, Amerson also played Little League Baseball for the Skyline Pirates. He made California District 42's All-Star team in 1992.


College career

In 1993 and 1994, Amerson attended ''Dixie State College'', now the four-year
Utah Tech University Utah Tech University (UT), formerly named Dixie State University (DSU), is a polytechnic four-year public university in St. George, Utah, in southwest Utah (also known by the longtime nickname of " Utah's Dixie" region). UT offers doctoral degre ...
, and played for the Dixie State Rebels, now the Trailblazers. He rushed for over 3,000 yards with the Rebels and led the nation among junior college running backs in 1994, recording 1,691 yards and 20
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Scoring a touchdown grants the team that scored it 6 points. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchd ...
s. He was named to the junior college
All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
team in both years with the Rebels. In December 1994, Amerson was suspended from playing in the Dixie Rotary Bowl after being arrested in connection with a "brawl". After the 1994 season, Amerson transferred to
Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a public research university based in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1899, it was the third and final university established in the Arizona Territory. It is one of the three universities gove ...
with hopes of playing on defense. His plans were halted by an injury to Northern Arizona's starting halfback. Amerson was forced to remain a running back and continued successfully at that position, rushing for 1,117 yards with 12 touchdowns in 1995. Amerson had an All-American season in 1996, rushing for 2,079 yards on 333 carries with 25 touchdowns. He recorded a career-high 289 rushing yards in a September game against the
Portland State Vikings Portland State Vikings is the nickname of the NCAA-affiliated, intercollegiate athletic teams representing Portland State University of Portland, Oregon. The Vikings compete at the NCAA Division I level in basketball, soccer, volleyball, golf, t ...
. On October 5, Amerson scored seven rushing touchdowns against the
Weber State Wildcats The Weber State Wildcats are the varsity athletic teams representing Weber State University in Ogden, Utah in intercollegiate athletics, sponsoring 16 teams. The Wildcats compete in NCAA Division I FCS and are charter members (1963) of the Big ...
. This earned him multiple
Division I-AA The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Sponsored by the National Collegiate A ...
records, including most touchdowns, most rushing touchdowns, and most points scored with 42 points. Amerson received the
Walter Payton Award The Walter Payton Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) of college football as chosen by a nationwide panel of media and college sports ...
as the best offensive player in Division I-AA football. He was later inducted into the Northern Arizona University Athletics Hall of Fame, and Northern Arizona retired his jersey (number 9) in honor of his college career.


Professional career


Hamilton Tiger-Cats


1997 season

Amerson was eligible for the 1997 NFL draft but went unselected. Instead, he played professionally in the CFL, initially being signed by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The team placed Amerson on their
practice squad In gridiron football, the practice squad, also called the taxi squad or practice roster, is a group of players signed by a team but not part of their main roster. They serve as extra players during the team's practices, often as part of the scou ...
to start the season, but he was forced into action after Ted Long suffered a groin injury. Amerson started in his first career appearance against the
Winnipeg Blue Bombers The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division (CFL), West division. They play thei ...
, catching his first career touchdown pass in the 18–33 loss. While the Tiger-Cats continued to struggle during the game and dropped to a 0–3 record, Amerson's performance was praised, with ''
The Hamilton Spectator ''The Hamilton Spectator'', founded in 1846, is a newspaper published weekdays and Saturdays in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. One of the largest Canadian newspapers by circulation, ''The Hamilton Spectator'' is owned by Torstar. History ''The Ha ...
'' calling him "the quickest back ever". He followed his first game with a breakout performance against the heavily–favored
Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Argonauts compete in the East Division (CFL), East Division of t ...
, running for 100 yards on 18 carries. By the end of August, Amerson led the Tiger-Cats' offense with 298 rushing yards, 12th most in the CFL despite not playing in the first two games. After being briefly sidelined with a foot injury, Amerson returned to a starting role and rushed for 139 yards against the
Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division (CFL), West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium a ...
in late September. He finished the season with 1,044 combined rushing and receiving yards along with five touchdowns over 15 games. Amerson struggled with ball security throughout the season, recording six fumbles. The Tiger-Cats nominated Amerson as top rookie in the CFL.


1998 season

During the offseason, the Tiger-Cats signed running back
Ron Williams Ronald Allen Williams (born 1949) is an American businessman and board director on corporate, public sector and non-profit boards. He is the former chairman, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Aetna Inc. and is the founder, chairm ...
. Williams was known for power running and was described as a "210-pound battering ram" by ''The Hamilton Spectator''. The presence of Williams allowed the Tiger-Cats to develop Amerson further as a receiving back, and the team further experimented by designing plays where Amerson lined up as a
slotback Slotback (SB), also called slot receiver, is an offensive position in gridiron football responsible for covering a ''slot,'' the playing area between the⁣⁣ offensive tackle and the wide receiver. A player who lines up between those two pl ...
and using him as a
kick returner A return specialist or kick returner is a player on the special teams unit of a gridiron football team who specializes in returning punts and kickoffs. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most also play another positio ...
. He went on to catch 65 passes for 750 yards and five touchdowns in addition to rushing for 703 yards and three touchdowns. Amerson immediately established himself as a viable receiving option in the season opener against Calgary when he caught six passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns. In late July, Amerson caught a short pass and ran 74 yards for a touchdown against the Stampeders. The play was described as "the Ticats' biggest play so far this season" by Larry Sicinski of ''The Hamilton Spectator''. Amerson remained effective on the ground, rushing for 114 yards in an early August game against the
Edmonton Eskimos The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at Commonwealth Stadium. The E ...
, but he continued to struggle with fumbles throughout the season. In a mid-August victory over the Eskimos, Amerson threw the first touchdown pass of his career to wide receiver Andrew Grigg after lining up as a running back. In the same game, he caught a career-long 89-yard touchdown pass. By September, Amerson was considered a potential nominee for the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award. Toward the end of the season, the Tiger-Cats began to use Williams and Amerson in distinct roles, with Williams performing most of the ground work while Amerson acted as a receiver. Amerson finished the season sixth in the league in all-purpose yardage. The Tiger-Cats lost to the Stampeders in the
86th Grey Cup The 86th Grey Cup (Canadian Football League championship) was held in 1998 in Winnipeg. The Calgary Stampeders won the game over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats with a score of 26–24. Game summary Calgary Stampeders (26) - TDs, Jeff Garcia, Kelvin And ...
. In the final quarter of the Grey Cup, Amerson caught a short pass and ran for a 47-yard completion to set up a touchdown. During the play, he dodged two Stampeders defenders ( Darryl Hall and
Alondra Johnson Alondra Johnson (born July 22, 1965) is a former Canadian Football League (CFL) linebacker who played sixteen seasons in the CFL, mainly for the Calgary Stampeders. Johnson was a three-time All Star and won Grey Cups with Calgary in 1992, 1998 ...
), causing them to collide. Both Stampeders players were injured on the play, with Johnson losing consciousness.


1999 season

Amerson became a free agent after the 1998 season but expressed a strong desire to continue playing for the Tiger-Cats. Hamilton re-signed Amerson to a one-year contract worth approximately $50,000 in late March with a team option for an additional year. Amerson spent time practicing as a punt returner during
training camp A training camp is an organized period in which military personnel or athletes participate in a rigorous and focused schedule of training in order to learn or improve skills. Athletes typically utilise training camps to prepare for upcoming events ...
despite not having returned a punt since high school. In the regular season opener, Amerson returned a punt 42 yards to set up a touchdown drive. In the second game of the season, Amerson suffered a knee injury which forced him to miss several games. He returned in mid-August, catching a touchdown in his first game back against the
Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: ''Les Alouettes de Montréal'') are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has disbanded twice and been re-established thrice. The Alouettes compe ...
. In a September rematch against the Alouettes, Amerson caught a career-high eight receptions. Amerson's role as a rusher was greatly reduced in 1999, both due to his early knee injury and the returning Williams, who developed into the team's featured power back. Amerson's only significant rushing play was a career-high 70-yard touchdown run in late September. After Amerson re-injured his knee in October, Tony Akins received his first start in which he recorded 257 receiving yards. After Akins' first game, head coach
Ron Lancaster Ronald Lancaster (October 14, 1938 – September 18, 2008) was an American-Canadian professional football player and coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As the starting quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders for 16 seasons, h ...
told the media that Amerson would primarily be used as a kick returner going forward, with Akins remaining in the lineup even after Amerson returned. Despite this, Amerson continued to see time as both a receiver and punt returner upon his return later that month. He finished the season with 47 receptions for 700 yards and five touchdowns through 13 games played. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Calgary Stampeders 32–21 in the
87th Grey Cup The 87th Grey Cup (Canadian Football League championship) was held in 1999 in Vancouver. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats won the game 32–21 over the Calgary Stampeders in a rematch of the previous year's 86th Grey Cup. Game summary Hamilton Tiger-Cats ...
, making Amerson a Grey Cup champion.


2000 season

In 2000, Amerson was used heavily as a receiver and kick returner, recording 70 receptions for 1,198 receiving yards and six touchdowns as well as 948 return yards over 51 kick returns, all career-highs at the time. In a July game against the
Saskatchewan Roughriders The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a professional Canadian football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division. The Roughriders were founded in 19 ...
, Amerson caught a 74-yard touchdown pass in the eventual 40–34 win. He followed this up with five catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns the next month when the Tiger-Cats played the Roughriders again. Following this, Amerson was named player of the week and described by ''The Hamilton Spectator'' as both halves of "Hamilton's one-two punch". In September, Amerson caught a 75-yard touchdown pass to help the Tiger-Cats defeat the Alouettes 15–9. While Amerson had his best season as a receiver through September, he was criticized for his play toward the end of the season. ''The Hamilton Spectator'' described him as "slumping" in October while pointing out his poor yardage per punt return (6.8 yards). The ''
Calgary Herald The ''Calgary Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Publication began in 1883 as ''The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate, and General Advertiser''. It is owned by the Postmedia Network. History ''The C ...
'' stated that Amerson had "disappeared" over a seven-week period when he caught only 25 passes for 302 yards and no touchdowns, statistics far below those he had set earlier in the season. Despite the slump, Amerson finished with career-high receptions (70), receiving yards (1,166), and touchdowns (six) while finishing second in the CFL for all-purpose yards (2,407). The Tiger-Cats lost to the
Winnipeg Blue Bombers The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division (CFL), West division. They play thei ...
22–20 in the East Division semi-final. Amerson scored a touchdown for the Tiger-Cats, but he later lost 16 yards on a crucial pitch play with 90 seconds left on the game clock. After the failed run, the Blue Bombers received the ball back and kicked a field goal to win the game.


Toronto Argonauts

Amerson again became a free agent after the 2000 season. Rather than pursue Amerson, the Tiger-Cats elected to sign fullback Duane Forde. The signing represented a shift from a receiving back to a running back who primarily blocks. In May 2001, Amerson signed a two-year contract with the Toronto Argonauts. The Argonauts expected to use Amerson as a running back, slotback, and return specialist. Head coach Mike Clemons stated that he expected Amerson to break records with the Argonauts, but Amerson's time with the team was short. In the first game of the season, he suffered an ankle injury that forced him to miss several games. During this time, receiver and return specialist Greg Hill became increasingly involved in the offense and began to fill the multi-purpose role originally expected of Amerson. The Argonauts dropped Amerson from the active roster and offered him a position on the
practice squad In gridiron football, the practice squad, also called the taxi squad or practice roster, is a group of players signed by a team but not part of their main roster. They serve as extra players during the team's practices, often as part of the scou ...
in late July. In late August, the Tiger-Cats re-signed Amerson. Clemons later told the media he had been discussing the possibility of re-signing Amerson with other members of the coaching staff when the Tiger-Cats acquired Amerson.


Return to the Tiger-Cats


2001 season

Immediately after signing with the Tiger-Cats, Amerson played in the
Labour Day Classic The Labour Day Classic (, branded as OK Tire Labour Day Weekend for sponsorship reasons) is a week of the Canadian Football League (CFL) schedule played over the Labour Day weekend (which includes the first Monday in September). Labour Day weeke ...
against Toronto, catching a touchdown pass and returning a punt for 24 yards. While the Tiger-Cats initially expected to use Amerson more in the rushing game than they had in the past, the team returned to using him as a receiving back by the end of September due to weaknesses in the
offensive line In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line ( ...
. As the season progressed, Troy Davis emerged as the Tiger-Cats' starting running back and leading rusher while Amerson was used as a receiving back. After missing a game in early October due to bruised ribs, Amerson was effective as a receiver for the rest of the month, finishing with three touchdowns in the last two games of October. Due to a coaching decision to rest Davis prior to the playoffs, Amerson started in the final game of the regular season against the
BC Lions The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lions compete in the West Division (CFL), West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and play their home games at BC Place. The Lions playe ...
. According to ''
The Province ''The Province'' is a daily newspaper published in Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid format in British Columbia by Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network, alongside the ''Vancouver Sun'' broadsheet newspaper. Together, they ...
'', the Tiger-Cats "rode Amerson's coattails" on their way to a 24–14 win against the Alouettes in the Eastern Semi-Final. He finished with 250 all-purpose yards, a receiving touchdown, and a punt return touchdown. His 94-yard punt return touchdown set a team record. Amerson received widespread praise for his performance in the game, and ''The Hamilton Spectator'' described him as the "Ticat hero who almost got away". The Tiger-Cats lost to the
Winnipeg Blue Bombers The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division (CFL), West division. They play thei ...
in the East Final the following week. Amerson's most significant play of the East Final was a "leaping" catch in the third-quarter, but it was called back due to an offensive holding penalty.


2002 season

After
Mike Morreale Mike Morreale (born August 10, 1971) is a Canadian former football player and current sports executive. He was an award-winning receiver in the Canadian Football League (CFL) before becoming the commissioner of the Canadian Elite Basketball League ...
left the Tiger-Cats in free agency, the team moved Amerson to the slotback position. The change of position placed him consistently on the starting roster for the first time in his career. Amerson's first receiving touchdown of the season tied a July game against the Stampeders, which the Tiger-Cats later won 34–31 in overtime. Two weeks later, he caught nine passes for 221 yards against the
Ottawa Renegades The Ottawa Renegades were a Canadian Football League franchise based in Ottawa, Ontario founded in 2002, six years after the storied Ottawa Rough Riders folded. After four seasons, the Renegades franchise was suspended indefinitely by the league d ...
. By the beginning of August, Amerson had emerged as "the top of the pile of Hamilton Tiger-Cats receivers" (ahead of Hall of Famer
Darren Flutie Darren Paul Flutie (born November 18, 1966) is an American former Canadian football wide receiver for the BC Lions, Edmonton Eskimos, and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He is the Canadian Football League (CFL)'s fifth all-time leader in catches, beh ...
) and was second in the league for receiving yardage. After an injury to starting running back Troy Davis in September, the Tiger-Cats utilized Amerson both as their starting slotback and backup running back, as they lacked a third-string running back. The majority of his production continued to come as a slotback. He recorded 147 receiving yards in the first game after being listed as a running back on the roster, including a touchdown catch in overtime to win 35–28 against the Montreal Alouettes. In early October, Amerson missed a game with a leg injury but returned the following week to catch two touchdowns against the Argonauts. Amerson finished the season with 970 yards on 61 catches with six touchdowns. The Tiger-Cats did not make the playoffs after losing in the final week of the season.


2003 season

Amerson was re-signed by the Tiger-Cats in January 2003 to a deal that involved "substantially more" than the $45,000 he received the previous season. The Tiger-Cats lost several receivers to retirement or trades, and Amerson was one of only two starting receivers left on the team from the previous year. Through the first half of the season, the Tiger-Cats receivers struggled. Amerson led the team in receiving yards, but he often was double-covered by opposing teams and struggled to get open. Amerson was also criticized for dropping passes in important situations. He recorded 960 receiving yards and four touchdowns during the regular season. The Tiger-Cats finished the season with a 1–17 record amid controversy after the owners of the team failed to pay players, including Amerson. While the CFL took over the team and paid players their full salaries as recorded with the league, Amerson reportedly lost $40,000 in expected salary due to a portion of his contract being unregistered with the league.


2004 season

During the offseason, Amerson remained in Canada for the first time during his career to train with incoming receivers' coach Paul LaPolice. The Tiger-Cats receivers, including Amerson, started the season more successfully than the previous year. Through the first three games, Amerson was ninth in the CFL in receiving yards with 224 yards on eight catches. Amerson caught 47 passes for 894 yards and five touchdowns through fourteen regular season games. In October, an injury forced Amerson to undergo surgery to repair the torn cartilage in his knee. He returned in the Tiger-Cats' semi-final loss to the Argonauts.


Retirement

Prior to the 2005 season, Amerson signed a two-year contract extension with the Tiger-Cats, and he was expected to feature heavily among their receivers. Shortly before the start of training camp, Amerson experienced nerve issues in his left leg which prevented him from running. While the prognosis was initially optimistic, the media considered his season to be "compromised" by the start of the regular season. The source of the injury was a
herniated disk A disc herniation or spinal disc herniation is an injury to the intervertebral disc between two vertebrae, usually caused by excessive Strain (injury), strain or trauma to the Vertebral column, spine. It may result in back pain, pain or sensatio ...
which pressed against nerves and caused
muscle atrophy Muscle atrophy is the loss of skeletal muscle mass. It can be caused by immobility, aging, malnutrition, medications, or a wide range of injuries or diseases that impact the musculoskeletal or nervous system. Muscle atrophy leads to muscle weakne ...
throughout Amerson's left leg. Amerson remained out for the entire season and was released by the team on January 31, 2006. As of his retirement, Amerson was one of the most prolific receivers in Tiger-Cats history, ranking third in receptions, fourth in receiving yards, fifth in kickoff return yards, and sixth in touchdowns.


Season statistics


Personal life

Amerson is the son of Archie Amerson Sr., who played minor league baseball for teams associated with the
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
and the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
of
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
. He was born in
San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
, where he returned in the offseason during his CFL career. Amerson's brother, Andrew, played college football for
Cal State Northridge California State University, Northridge (CSUN or Cal State Northridge), is a public university in the Northridge, Los Angeles, Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. With a total enrollment of 36,848 students (as o ...
and Troy State. Andrew Amerson briefly signed with the Toronto Argonauts but did not play in any games. After retiring from football, Amerson taught classes at a gym owned by his father in San Diego. In August 2006, he ran a summer camp for children interested in football. The camp was affiliated with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amerson, Archie 1974 births Living people American football running backs Canadian football running backs Canadian football slotbacks Dixie State Rebels football players Hamilton Tiger-Cats players Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football players Toronto Argonauts players Walter Payton Award winners Players of American football from San Diego Players of Canadian football from San Diego