imported>Namiba: −Category:Players of American football from Oklahoma; ±Category:Sportspeople from Edmond, Oklahoma→Category:Players of American football from Edmond, Oklahoma using HotCat

2025-05-21T19:22:35Z

−Category:Players of American football from Oklahoma; ±Category:Sportspeople from Edmond, Oklahoma→Category:Players of American football from Edmond, Oklahoma using HotCat

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{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1985)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox Canadian Football League biography
| image = Brandon Whitaker.JPG
| image_upright = 0.95
| alt =
| caption = Whitaker with the Montreal Alouettes in 2013
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|9|7}}
| birth_place = [[Edmond, Oklahoma]], U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| team =
| number = 3
| import = yes
| position1 = Running back
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 10
| weight_lb = 196
| college = [[Baylor University|Baylor]]
| CFLDraftedYear = 2008
| CFLDraftedRound = Undrafted
| CFLDraftedPick =
| CFLDraftedTeam =
| playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|2008|2014}}
| playing_team1 = [[Montreal Alouettes]]
| playing_years2 = {{CFL Year|2015|2017}}
| playing_team2 = [[Toronto Argonauts]]
| career_highlights = 3× [[Grey Cup]] champion ({{CFL Year|2009}}, {{CFL Year|2010}}, {{CFL Year|2017}})
| CFLAllStar = {{CFL Year|2011}}
| CFLEastAllStar = {{CFL Year|2011}}, {{CFL Year|2014|2016}}
| CFL = brandon-whitaker/144023/
}}
'''Brandon Marcel Whitaker''' (born September 7, 1985) is an American former professional [[gridiron football|football]] [[running back]] who played for the [[Montreal Alouettes]] and [[Toronto Argonauts]] of the [[Canadian Football League]] (CFL). He was signed as an [[undrafted free agent]] by the Alouettes in 2008. He played [[college football]] for the [[Baylor Bears]], where he majored in communications. Whitaker is a three-time [[Grey Cup]] champion, winning back-to-back championships in [[2009 CFL season|2009]] and [[2010 CFL season|2010]] with the Alouettes, as well as the [[105th Grey Cup]] with the Argonauts under the leadership of former Alouettes' coach [[Marc Trestman]].The Argonauts did not extend Whitaker's contract with the team subsequent to the [[2017 CFL season]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cfl.ca/fa18/|title=Official 2018 Free Agent Tracker - CFL.ca|work=CFL.ca|access-date=2018-03-08|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Professional career==
===Montreal Alouettes===
In his first two seasons in the league Whitaker was used a rotational back. In [[2011 CFL season|2011]], he took over the starting role from [[Avon Cobourne]], and he made an immediate impact. Whitaker led the CFL in rushing with 1,381 yards on 226 carries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cfl.ca/statistics/list/year/2011 |title=Official site of the Canadian Football League |publisher=CFL.ca |access-date=2012-06-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110704025728/http://www.cfl.ca/statistics/list/year/2011 |archive-date=2011-07-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He also added 638 receiving yards to surpass 2,000 yards from scrimmage and had six-100 yard rushing games.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cfl.ca/roster/show/id/4319 |title=Official site of the Canadian Football League |publisher=CFL.ca |date=1985-09-07 |access-date=2012-06-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120630130626/http://cfl.ca/roster/show/id/4319 |archive-date=2012-06-30 }}</ref> Whitaker tore his ACL in September of the [[2012 CFL season|2012 season]], resulting in missing almost half the regular season.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/alouettes-running-back-whitaker-out-for-season/article4551228/|title=Alouettes running back Whitaker out for season|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=2017-03-30|language=en-ca}}</ref> Following the season Whitaker's contract expired and he attempted to sign with an NFL team, but eventually signed a new 3-year deal with the Alouettes in early June.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.lapresse.ca/sports/football/201306/03/01-4657032-brandon-whitaker-a-mis-une-croix-sur-la-nfl.php|title=Brandon Whitaker a mis une croix sur la NFL {{!}} Miguel Bujold {{!}} Football|work=La Presse|access-date=2017-03-30|language=fr-CA}}</ref> Early in the [[2013 CFL season]] Whitaker suffered another injury, this time a separated shoulder, which resulted in him missing 13 of the 18 regular season games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/football/2013/08/19/montreal_alouettes_roster_decimated_by_injuries.html|title=Montreal Alouettes roster decimated by injuries {{!}} Toronto Star|website=thestar.com|date=19 August 2013 |access-date=2017-03-30}}</ref> Whitaker played in the first 13 games of the [[2014 CFL season|2014 season]] before landing on the 6-game injured list with a foot injury to wrap up the season.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://o.canada.com/sports/montreal-alouettes-add-running-back-brandon-whitaker-to-6-game-injured-list|title=Montreal Alouettes add running back Brandon Whitaker to 6-game injured list|last=Reserved.|first=. All Rights|date=2014-10-10|work=canada.com|access-date=2017-03-30|language=en-US}}</ref> Prior to the injury he managed to cross 1,000 yards from scrimmage for the third time in his career; earning an East Division all-star award.

===Toronto Argonauts===
On June 21, 2015, Whitaker signed with division rivals the [[Toronto Argonauts]]. In his first season in Toronto Whitaker was the Argos lead running back, carrying the ball 121 times for 636 yards, while also contributing 53 receptions for 444 yards in the passing game. His efforts resulted in him being named an East Division all-star for the second consecutive season.

In his second season with the Argos Whitaker was named an East Division all-star again after racking up 1,009 yards and three touchdowns on 189 carries, becoming the 41st player in CFL history to rush for 5,000 career yards in the process. Following the season he was no re-signed and became a free agent on February 14, 2017. Nevertheless, Whitaker and the Argos agreed to a new contract on March 30, 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tsn.ca/argonauts-re-sign-all-star-rb-whitaker-1.710638|title=Argonauts re-sign All-Star RB Whitaker - Article - TSN|date=2017-03-30|work=TSN|access-date=2017-03-30}}</ref> Whittaker began the season as Toronto's starting running back, but was placed on the six-game injured list on July 4, 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2017/07/25/report-whitaker-placed-6-game/|title=Report: Whitaker lands on 6-game|date=2017-07-25|website=CFL.ca|access-date=2017-07-27}}</ref> Despite finishing the year on the injured list, and watching the rise of teammate [[James Wilder Jr.]], the [[CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award]] winner, Whitaker would still be a part of the championship team of 2017, which was Whitaker's third Grey Cup. His contract with the Argonauts expired February 14, 2018 at noon. The contract was not extended nor was he offered a new contract after Free Agency begun. Under the salary cap system and the restructuring of James Wilder Jr.'s contract in March 2018, the Argonauts were likely unable to extend an offer to Whittaker.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2018/03/03/argos-sign-james-wilder-jr-2019/|title=Argos sign James Wilder Jr. through 2019 - CFL.ca|date=2018-03-03|work=CFL.ca|access-date=2018-03-08|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Personal life==
He is the son of Denise Hill and Aaron Whitaker.

Whitaker appeared on the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]] program [[Hello Goodbye (TV series)|Hello Goodbye]] while awaiting for his is mother to arrive at the [[Pearson airport]].

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150622020316/http://www.argonauts.ca/roster/show/id/4319 Toronto Argonauts bio]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150417035145/http://en.montrealalouettes.com/roster/show/id/4319 Montreal Alouettes bio]

{{CFL rushing yardage leaders}}
{{98th Grey Cup}}
{{105th Grey Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitaker, Brandon}}
[[Category:1985 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football running backs]]
[[Category:Players of Canadian football from Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Baylor Bears football players]]
[[Category:Canadian football running backs]]
[[Category:Montreal Alouettes players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Edmond, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Toronto Argonauts players]]

Brandon Whitaker - Revision history

imported>Namiba: −Category:Players of American football from Oklahoma; ±Category:Sportspeople from Edmond, Oklahoma→Category:Players of American football from Edmond, Oklahoma using HotCat