Mike "Pinball" Clemons
| No. 31 Toronto Argonauts | |
 |
|
| Date of birth | January 15, 1965 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Dunedin, Florida |
| Career information | |
| CFL status | International |
| Position(s) | RB/SB/KR/PR |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg) |
| College | William & Mary |
| High school | Dunedin |
| NFL draft | 1987 / Round: 8 / Pick: 218 |
| Drafted by | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Career history | |
| As administrator | |
| 2001–2002 | Toronto Argonauts (President) |
| 2008–present | Toronto Argonauts (Vice-Chairman) |
| As coach | |
| 2000–2007 | Toronto Argonauts (HC) |
| As player | |
| 1987 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1988 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers* |
| 1989–2000 | Toronto Argonauts |
| *Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| CFL All-Star | 1990, 1997 |
| CFL East All-Star | 1990, 1994, 1997 |
| Awards | 1990 Jeff Russel Trophy 1990 CFL MOP 1993 Tom Pate Memorial Award 1996 Tom Pate Memorial Award |
| Honours | |
| Retired #s | 31 (Toronto Argonauts) |
| Records | CFL Most Combined Yards, All-Time Regular Season: 25,438 CFL Most |
| Career stats | |
| Receptions | 682 |
| Receiving yards | 7015 |
| Receiving TDs | 46 |
| Rushing yards | 5341 |
| Rushing TDs | 31 |
| Total TDs | 85 |
Michael Lutrell "Pinball" Clemons OOnt (born January 15, 1965) is an American-Canadian Vice-Chair for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Clemons played with the Argos for twelve seasons, and twice served as their head coach. His no. 31 jersey is one of only four that have been retired by the Argos. He is one of the most famous former Argos players, and is also one of the most popular professional athletes in the history of Toronto. Clemons has stated that he feels CFL football is the best football in the world. Clemons is 5 ft 6 in (167 cm) tall and weighs 170 pounds (77 kg).
Clemons graduated with a degree in economics from the College of William & Mary where he played running back and return specialist on the football team, as well as playing soccer for a year. In his four-year college football career, he compiled 4,778 all-purpose yards and was named a Division I-AA all-American.
In 1987, Clemons was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. During the 1987 NFL season, Clemons played in eight games, predominantly as a punt returner, where he collected 19 returns for 162 yards.
When Clemons first joined the Toronto Argonauts in 1989, guest running backs coach Tom Cudney nicknamed him "Pinball" because of his running style. His diminutive size and extraordinary balance allowed him to bounce between defensive players much like a pinball inside a pinball machine. During home games, The Who song "Pinball Wizard" would play on the P.A. each time Clemons was involved in a great play. In his first game with the Argonauts, Clemons was named the player of the game. In 1990, Clemons received the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award after setting a single season record for all-purpose yards (3,300). The following year, Clemons won his very first football championship as his Argonauts defeated the Calgary Stampeders to win the Grey Cup. Clemons went on to win two more Grey Cups as a player when Doug Flutie led Argonauts won back-to-back titles during the 1996 & 1997 seasons. In 1997, Clemons surpassed his own single season all-purpose yards record from 1990 by recording 3,840 all-purpose yards. This mark stood until 2012, when it was broken by Chad Owens. On September 15, 2000, Clemons played his last ever game as an Argonaut. During his 12-year playing career with the Argonauts he set many team records including career pass receptions (682), punt return yards (6,025), punt returns (610), punt return touchdowns (8), kickoff return yards (6,349), and kickoff returns (300). He also set single season single-season punt return yards (1,070 in 1997), punt returns (111 in 1997), and kickoff returns (49 in 1997). Clemons also amassed a career 25,438 combined yards during the regular season, a CFL record.
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