After 14 illustrious seasons in the CFL, defensive lineman Charleston Hughes announced his retirement.
Hughes took to social media Friday to announce his retirement with a statement reflecting on his career and the people who helped him along the way.
“I had the opportunity to celebrate my 40th Bday but let’s be real, I’ll be 39 for life. In 2008, I was blessed and forever thankful to have been discovered by John Murphy," Hughes wrote on social media. "This sport called football has taken me on a journey that I truly didn’t believe was possible for myself. The relationships I have created over the years will be my brothers and friends for life. After 14 years of CFL football and 136 surfboard sacks, it is time to retire and put closure to an absolutely amazing journey."
The 40-year-old defensive lineman started his CFL career back in 2008 with the Calgary Stampeders where he spent 10 of his 14 seasons there. He had a career-best 18 sacks in 2013.
His last four seasons would be spent with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2018, 2019, and 2022 while also playing for the Toronto Argonauts in 2021. He was still able to produce 37 sacks in his last four seasons playing in the CFL.
Hughes finishes his career with 519 defensive tackles, 39 special teams tackles, 19 forced fumbles, 13 fumble recoveries, three interceptions, and three defensive touchdowns. He is fifth on the CFL’s all-time sack leader list with 136. Hughes had seven seasons with 10 or more sacks in a year.
Hughes figures to be a no-doubt inductee into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame as one of the greatest pass rushers in CFL history.
Hughes' career highlights are numerous, including leading the CFL in sacks four times: 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2019. He was a six-time CFL, his last in 2019, and a CFL West All-Star eight times. He won the Norm Fieldgate Trophy as the CFL West Division’s best defensive player in 2013. He won two Grey Cups with the Calgary Stampeders in 2008 and 2014.
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