Christian Albright
{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox CFL biography
| name = Christian Albright
| team =
| image =
| caption =
| import = yes
| position1 = Defensive lineman
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|3|29}}
| birth_place = Acworth, Georgia, U.S.
| college = Ball State (2017–2021)
| high_school = North Cobb (Kennesaw, GA)
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lbs = 240
| playing_years1 = {{NFL Year|2022}}
| playing_team1 = Chicago Bears*
| playing_years2 = {{CFL Year|2023}}–{{CFL Year|2024}}
| playing_team2 = Saskatchewan Roughriders
| playing_team3 = Ottawa Redblacks*
| playing_years3 = {{CFL Year|2025}}
| career_footnotes =
| career_highlights = * Second-team All-MAC (2020)
- Third-team All-MAC (2018)
| CFL = christian-albright
}}
Christian Albright (born March 29, 1999) is an American former professional football defensive lineman who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Ball State. He was also a member of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) and the Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL.
Early life
Albright was born on March 29, 1999, in Acworth, Georgia. He played high school football at North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, Georgia, and was a four-year letterman. He recorded 77 tackles, 12 sacks and two interceptions his senior year, earning Atlanta Journal-Constitution first-team all-state honors.{{cite web | url=https://ballstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/christian-albright/9626 | title=Christian Albright | publisher=ballstatesports.com | accessdate=August 30, 2024}} He originally committed to UNC Charlotte, but later switched after receiving an offer from Ball State.{{cite web | url=https://www.cjme.com/2023/10/13/christian-albright-hoping-to-shine-with-riders/ | title=Christian Albright hoping to shine with Riders | publisher=cjme.com | date=October 13, 2023 | accessdate=August 30, 2024 | author=Gray, Britton}}
College career
Albright played college football for the Ball State Cardinals from 2017 to 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www.ckom.com/2023/09/26/christian-albright-relishing-opportunity-with-roughriders/ | title=Christian Albright relishing opportunity with Roughriders | publisher=ckom.com | date=September 26, 2023 | accessdate=August 30, 2024}}
Albright played in 12 games, starting three at defensive end, his freshman year in 2017, totaling 26 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble, one interception, and two pass breakups. He started all 12 games at linebacker in 2018, accumulating 67 tackles, 5.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, one interception, and three pass breakups while garnering third-team All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) recognition. He led the team in sacks and forced fumbles that season.
Albright started all 12 games at linebacker again in 2019, recording 71 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and four pass breakups. He led the team in forced fumbles for the second consecutive season. He started all eight games at linebacker during the COVID-19–shortened team's 2020 season, recording 31 tackles, three sacks, one pass breakup, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown during the MAC Championship Game victory over the Buffalo Bulls. Albright was also named second-team All-MAC in 2020.
He started all 13 games during his fifth season of college football in 2021, recording 65 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and three pass breakups.{{cite web | url=https://ballstatesports.com/news/2022/5/9/football-cardinals-ink-nfl-deals#:~:text=Albright%20started%20all%2013%20games,loss%2C%20during%20the%20last%20season. | title=Cardinals ink NFL deals | publisher=ballstatesports.com | date=May 9, 2022 | accessdate=August 30, 2024}} Albright started 48 straight games during his college career.
Professional career
=Chicago Bears=
After going undrafted in the 2022 NFL draft, Albright signed with the Chicago Bears on May 9, 2022.{{cite web | url=https://www.footballdb.com/players/christian-albright-albrich01/transactions | title=Christian Albright | publisher=footballdb | accessdate=August 30, 2024}} He was waived/injured on August 6 and reverted to injured reserve the next day. On August 11, 2022, he was waived from injured reserve with an injury settlement.{{cite web | url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/christian-albright-reaches-injury-settlement/ | title=Christian Albright: Reaches injury settlement | publisher=cbssports.com | date=August 11, 2022 | accessdate=August 30, 2024}}
=Saskatchewan Roughriders=
Albright was signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on February 6, 2023.{{cite web | url=https://leaderpost.com/sports/football/cfl/saskatchewan-roughriders/saskatchewan-roughriders-sign-defensive-end-christian-albright | title=Saskatchewan Roughriders sign defensive end Christian Albright | publisher=leaderpost.com | date=February 6, 2023 | accessdate=August 30, 2024}}{{cite web | url=https://3downnation.com/2023/02/06/saskatchewan-roughriders-sign-ball-state-standout-christian-albright/ | title=Saskatchewan Roughriders sign Ball State standout Christian Albright | publisher=3downnation.com | date=February 6, 2023 | accessdate=August 30, 2024}} He was moved to the practice roster on June 4, and was promoted to the active roster on September 21. Albright made his CFL debut on September 22 against the Ottawa Redblacks, and totaled two tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble.{{cite web | url=https://leaderpost.com/sports/football/cfl/saskatchewan-roughriders/sports-riders-albright-two-sacks-in-cfl-debut | title=Roughriders' Christian Albright alright with CFL debut | publisher=leaderpost.com | date=September 26, 2023 | accessdate=August 30, 2024 | author=Shire, Taylor}} For his performance in his CFL debut, he was named the CFL run defender of the week for Week 16 by Pro Football Focus.{{cite web | url=https://www.pff.com/news/cfl-week-16-pff-team-of-the-week-player-awards-2023 | title=CFL Week 16: PFF Team of the Week & Player Awards | publisher=pff.com | date=September 27, 2023 | accessdate=August 30, 2024 | author=Vesnaver, Bryson}} Overall, he dressed in four games, starting three, for the Roughriders in 2023, recording four defensive tackles, two special teams tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble before being placed on injured reserve on October 20, 2023.{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/a/albr00750.html | title=Christian Albright | publisher=profootballarchives.com | accessdate=August 30, 2024}}
Albright dressed in the first four games of the 2024 season, posting two defensive tackles and one special teams tackle, before being placed on the six-game injured list on July 12, 2024.
= Ottawa Redblacks =
On February 11, 2025, it was announced that the Ottawa Redblacks had signed Albright to a one-year contract.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-11 |title=REDBLACKS ink American defensive lineman Christian Albright |url=https://www.ottawaredblacks.com/2025/02/11/redblacks-ink-american-defensive-lineman-christian-albright/ |access-date=2025-02-12 |website=Ottawa REDBLACKS |language=en}} He retired on May 9, 2025.{{cite web | url=https://www.ottawaredblacks.com/2025/05/09/redblacks-transactions-may-9-2025/ | title=REDBLACKS TRANSACTIONS: MAY 9, 2025 | publisher=Ottawa Redblacks | date=May 9, 2025 | accessdate=18 May 2025 | author=Maki, Brandon}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Albright, Christian}}
Category:American football linebackers
Category:American football defensive linemen
Category:Canadian football defensive linemen
Category:Ball State Cardinals football players
Category:Chicago Bears players
Category:Saskatchewan Roughriders players
Category:Ottawa Redblacks players
Category:Players of American football from Cobb County, Georgia
Category:Players of Canadian football from Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Players of American football from Kennesaw, Georgia