Mike Edem
{{short description|Professional Canadian football defensive back}}
{{Infobox CFL biography
| name = Mike Edem
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|07|11}}
| birth_place = Lagos, Nigeria
| death_date =
| death_place =
| team =
| number = 15
| status =
| import = no
| position1 = Defensive back
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 200
| high_school = St. Edmund Campion Secondary
| CFLDraftedYear = 2013
| CFLDraftedRound = 1
| CFLDraftedPick = 3
| CFLDraftedTeam = Montreal Alouettes
| playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|2013}}–{{CFL Year|2015}}
| playing_team1 = Montreal Alouettes
| playing_years2 = {{CFL Year|2015}}
| playing_team2 = Hamilton Tiger-Cats
| playing_years3 = {{CFL Year|2016}}
| playing_team3 = BC Lions
| playing_team4 = Saskatchewan Roughriders
| playing_years4 = {{CFL Year|2017}}–{{CFL Year|2022}}
| career_highlights =
| CFLEastAllStar = {{CFL Year|2013}}
| CFLWestAllStar = {{CFL Year|2019}}
| CFL = mike-edem/159712/
}}
Anie-Ebiet Michael Edem (born July 11, 1989) is a Nigerian-Canadian former professional football defensive back who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). After the 2012 CIS season, he was ranked as the tenth best player in the Canadian Football League’s Amateur Scouting Bureau final rankings for players eligible in the 2013 CFL Draft and sixth by players in Canadian Interuniversity Sport.[https://www.cfl.ca/cfl-scouting-bureau-april–2013 CFL Scouting Bureau – April 2013] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029190816/http://www.cfl.ca/cfl-scouting-bureau-april-2013 |date=2013-10-29 }} Edem was drafted in the first round, third overall by the Montreal Alouettes and signed with the team on May 27, 2013.{{Cite web |url=http://cfl.ca/article/alouettes-ink-three-from-2013-draft-class |title=Alouettes ink three from 2013 Draft class |access-date=2013-05-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826181342/http://cfl.ca/article/alouettes-ink-three-from-2013-draft-class |archive-date=2013-08-26 |url-status=dead }} He played CIS football for the Calgary Dinos and McGill Redmen.
Early life
Edem was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and moved to Brampton, Ontario when he was 13.{{cite web | url=https://montrealgazette.com/sports/football/cfl/from-no-electricity-in-nigeria-to-a-thriving-cfl-career-for-riders-edem | title=From no electricity in Nigeria to a thriving CFL career for Riders' Edem | publisher=montrealgazette.com | date=September 14, 2019 | accessdate=August 15, 2024}}
Professional career
=Montreal Alouettes=
Edem was drafted by the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League with the 3rd overall selection in the 2013 CFL Draft. Edem played in all 18 games of the regular season, including 15 starts at safety. He finished the season with 49 tackles, nine special teams tackles, five sacks, three interceptions and four fumble recoveries en route to being named an East Division All-Star. Following the season, he was nominated as the Als Most Outstanding Canadian and Most Outstanding Rookie.Outstanding Canadian [http://en.montrealalouettes.com/article/cox-edem-brodeur-jourdain-and-townsend-named-alouettes-players-of-the-year COX, EDEM, BRODEUR-JOURDAIN AND TOWNSEND NAMED ALOUETTES PLAYERS OF THE YEAR] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141206083205/http://en.montrealalouettes.com/article/cox-edem-brodeur-jourdain-and-townsend-named-alouettes-players-of-the-year |date=2014-12-06 }} He dressed in 17 games in 2014 while only starting one, registering five tackles and one interception. Edem then dressed in only four games in 2015.
=Hamilton Tiger-Cats=
Edem was traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on October 14, 2015 for a sixth round 2016 CFL Draft pick and a conditional seventh round 2017 CFL Draft pick.[http://en.montrealalouettes.com/2015/10/14/alouettes-trade-mike-edem-to-tiger-cats/ Alouettes trade Mike Edem to Tiger-Cats] He played in four regular season games and both playoff games.
=BC Lions=
Edem became a free agent on February 9, 2016 and signed a two-year contract with the BC Lions that same day.[http://www.bclions.com/2016/02/09/40650/ Lions land Canadian free agent DB Mike Edem] In one season with the Lions Edem played in all but one of the 18 regular season games recording 37 defensive tackles and 2 interceptions.
= Saskatchewan Roughriders =
On May 11, 2017 the Lions traded Edem and a conditional selection in the 2018 CFL Draft to the Saskatchewan Roughriders for a conditional selection in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2017/05/11/riders-acquire-safety-mike-edem-trade-lions/|title=Riders acquire safety Mike Edem in trade with Lions|date=2017-05-11|website=CFL.ca|access-date=2017-05-11}} After only contributing in a back-up and special teams role in 2017, Mike Edem had a breakout year with the Roughriders in 2018, contributing with a career high 61 defensive tackles, 10 special teams tackles, and two interceptions. On January 31, 2019 Edem and the Roughriders agreed to a two-year contract extension.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/riders-ink-s-edem-to-two-year-extension-1.1249974|title=Riders ink S Edem to two-year extension - TSN.ca|author=TSN ca Staff|date=2019-01-31|website=TSN|access-date=2019-02-01}} He re-signed to a one-year contract extension with the team on December 16, 2020.{{cite news |title=Edem, Riders agree on one-year extension |url=https://www.cfl.ca/2020/12/16/edem-riders-agree-one-year-extension/ |website=CFL.ca |date=December 16, 2020 |accessdate=December 17, 2020}} Edem started the first five games of the 2021 season at safety for the Riders, contributing with 11 defensive tackles and one forced fumble. He suffered a broken wrist in the Banjo Bowl match against the Blue Bombers.{{Cite web|title=Canadian DB Mike Edem placed on Riders six-game injured list with dislocated wrist {{!}} 3DownNation|url=https://3downnation.com/2021/09/17/canadian-db-mike-edem-placed-on-riders-six-game-injured-list-with-dislocated-wrist/|access-date=2021-10-28|language=en-US}} In late October it was announced that he would miss the remainder of the 2021 season.{{Cite web|title=Riders officially rule out Mike Edem for rest of season {{!}} 3DownNation|url=https://3downnation.com/2021/10/27/riders-officially-rule-out-mike-edem-for-rest-of-season/|access-date=2021-10-28|language=en-US}} He became a free agent after the 2022 season.{{cite web | url=https://3downnation.com/2023/02/12/2023-cfl-free-agent-rankings-defensive-backs/ | title=2023 CFL free agent rankings: defensive backs | publisher=3downnation.com | date=February 12, 2023 | accessdate=August 15, 2024}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160216050304/http://www.bclions.com/players/mike-edem/737169/ BC Lions bio]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20150926115211/http://en.montrealalouettes.com/roster/show/id/5833 Montreal Alouettes bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edem, Mike}}
Category:Players of Canadian football from Brampton
Category:Canadian football linebackers
Category:Calgary Dinos football players
Category:Hamilton Tiger-Cats players
Category:McGill Redbirds football players
Category:Montreal Alouettes players
Category:Saskatchewan Roughriders players
Category:Nigerian emigrants to Canada
Category:Sportspeople from Lagos