Nick Callender

{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1994)}}

{{Infobox CFL biography

|name=Nick Callender

|team=Montreal Alouettes

|image=2024, 62, Nick Callender.jpg

|image_upright=1

|caption=Callender with the Montreal Alouettes in 2024

|status=Active

|import=yes

|position1=Offensive tackle

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1994|6|16}}

|birth_place=Berkeley, California, U. S.

|number=62

|college=Colorado State

|high_school=St. Mary's

|Height_ft=6

|Height_in=6

|Weight_lbs=321

|playing_years1={{NFL Year|2018}}

|playing_team1=Seattle Seahawks*

|playing_years2={{NFL Year|2018}}

|playing_team2=Indianapolis Colts*

|playing_years3={{AAF Year|2019}}

|playing_team3=Salt Lake Stallions

|playing_years4={{NFL Year|2020}}

|playing_team4=Houston Roughnecks

|playing_years5={{CFL Year|2021}}–present

|playing_team5=Montreal Alouettes

|career_footnotes=*Offseason and/or practice squad member only

|CFLAllStar=

|CFLEastAllStar={{CFL Year|2023}}, {{CFL Year|2024}}

|career_highlights=

Grey Cup champion (2023)

|CFL=1501801/163866/

}}

Nick Callender (born June 16, 1994) is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

College career

After using a redshirt season in 2012, Callender played college football for the Colorado State Rams from 2013 to 2016.{{cite web|url=https://csurams.com/sports/football/roster/nick-callender/921 |title=Nick Callender |publisher=Colorado State Rams |access-date=November 12, 2023}} He played in 37 games for Rams and started in 21 of them.

Professional career

=Seattle Seahawks=

Callender ruptured his Achilles tendon shortly after his college career and was not drafted in 2017 NFL draft.{{cite web|url=https://coltswire.usatoday.com/2018/08/02/indianapolis-colts-nick-callander-3-things-to-know/ |title=3 things to know about Colts OL Nick Callender |publisher=coltswire.usatoday.com |date=August 2, 2018}} Following his recovery, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Seattle Seahawks on May 7, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.colts.com/news/roster-move-colts-sign-guard-nick-callender |title=Roster Move: Colts Sign Guard Nick Callender |publisher=Indianapolis Colts |date=August 2, 2018}} However, he was waived prior to the preseason on June 12, 2018.

=Indianapolis Colts=

On August 2, 2018, Callender signed with the Indianapolis Colts. However, he was released among the final roster cuts on September 1, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.colts.com/news/colts-announce-final-2018-roster-cuts |title=Colts Announce Final 2018 Roster Cuts |publisher=Indianapolis Colts |date=September 1, 2018}}

=Salt Lake Stallions=

Callender played in six games for the Salt Lake Stallions in 2019.{{cite web|url=https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/montreal-alouettes-re-sign-left-tackle-nick-callender/ |title=Montreal Alouettes Re-Sign Left Tackle Nick Callender |publisher=cflnewshub.com |date=February 23, 2023}} The league ceased operations in April 2019 and his contract was terminated.{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26957796/inside-short-unhappy-life-alliance-american-football |title=Inside the short, unhappy life of the Alliance of American Football |publisher=ESPN |date=June 13, 2019}}

=Houston Roughnecks=

Callender next played for the Houston Roughnecks in 2020, but he had his contract terminated when the league suspended operations on April 10, 2020.{{cite news |author=Condotta, Bob |title=XFL suspends operations, terminates all employees, but Jim Zorn says he has hopes league will continue |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/xfl-suspends-operations-terminates-all-employees/ |website=SeattleTimes.com |date=April 10, 2020 |access-date=July 17, 2020}}

=Montreal Alouettes=

On June 30, 2021, it was announced that Callender had been signed by the Montreal Alouettes.{{cite web|url=https://en.montrealalouettes.com/2021/06/30/dupuis-arrives-schleuger-returns/ |title=Dupuis arrives, Schleuger returns |publisher=Montreal Alouettes |date=June 30, 2021}} Following training camp, he began the 2021 season on the practice roster, but made his professional debut on October 16, 2021, against the Ottawa Redblacks, as a backup.{{cite web|url=https://cdn.ticats.ca/app/uploads/ticats/2021/11/27105806/2021_CFL_Gm_Notes_64_Mtl_at_Ham_ESF.pdf |title=Games Notes |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=November 12, 2023}} He played in five regular season games in his rookie year, starting in two.

In 2022, Callender began the year on the injured list, but played and started in the last 16 games of the regular season.{{cite web|url=https://cdn.ticats.ca/app/uploads/ticats/2022/11/05104750/2022_CFL_Gm_Notes_91_ESF_Mtl_vs_Ham.pdf |title=Games Notes |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=November 12, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://en.montrealalouettes.com/2023/01/11/3-players-that-improved-in-2022/ |title=3 players that improved in 2022 |publisher=Montreal Alouettes |date=January 11, 2023}} He signed a two-year contract extension on February 23, 2023.{{cite web|url=https://en.montrealalouettes.com/2023/02/23/nick-callender-extends-his-stay-in-montreal/ |title=Nick Callender extends his stay in Montreal |publisher=Montreal Alouettes |date=February 23, 2023}} In the next season, he played and started in all 18 regular season games at left tackle.{{cite web|url=https://cdn.ticats.ca/app/uploads/ticats/2023/11/02223013/2023_CFL_Gm_Notes_91_Mtl_vs_Ham_ESF.pdf |title=Games Notes |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=November 12, 2023}} For his strong season, he was named an East Division All-Star.{{cite web|title=In the Stars: 2023 Division All-Stars unveiled |url=https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/02/in-the-stars-2023-division-all-stars-unveiled/ |publisher=Canadian Football League | date=November 2, 2023}}