Brian Harelimana (born December 16, 1995) is a Rwandan-Canadian professional football linebacker for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played U Sports football for the Montreal Carabins and was a fourth round draft pick by the Montreal Alouettes in 2020.
| No. 26 Toronto Argonauts | |
 Harelimana with the Toronto Argonauts in 2024 | |
| Born: | December 16, 1995 Rwanda |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Status | Active |
| CFL status | National |
| Position(s) | Linebacker |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| University | Montreal |
| High school | Vanier High School |
| CFL draft | 2020, round: 4, pick: 33 |
| Drafted by | Montreal Alouettes |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 2020–2023 | Montreal Alouettes |
| 2023 | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 2023–present | Toronto Argonauts |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Career stats | |
| Games played | 39 |
| Def Tackles | 18 |
| ST Tackles | 13 |
| Sacks | 3 |
| |
Early life
editHarelimana was born on December 16, 1995, in Rwanda.[1] His family moved to Canada when he was young, and Harelimana attended Vanier High School. He played U Sports football for Montreal, ranking second on the team with 37 tackles in 2019.[1]
Professional career
edit
Montreal Alouettes
editHarelimana was selected in the fourth round (33rd overall) of the 2020 CFL Draft by the Montreal Alouettes.[2] The 2020 season was cancelled, but Harelimana returned to the team in 2021 and made the final roster. He appeared in eight games during the season, making five total tackles.[3] He recorded two tackles on defense, three on special teams.[4] In 2022, he played in all 18 regular season games, including three starts, where he recorded 12 defensive tackles, six special teams tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble. He played in one regular season game with the Alouettes in 2023 before being released on June 17, 2023.[5][6]
Saskatchewan Roughriders
editOn June 21, 2023, it was announced that Harelimana had signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.[7] He played in 12 regular season games where he had four defensive tackles and four special teams tackles.[6] At the conclusion of the Roughriders' season, Harelimana was released on October 29, 2023.[8]
Toronto Argonauts
editOn October 31, 2023, Harelimana signed with the Toronto Argonauts.[6] With the regular season over, he played in he team's East Final loss to the Montreal Alouettes. On February 1, 2024, it was announced that Harelimana had signed a contract extension with the Argonauts.[9]
Personal life
editHis brother, Kean Harelimana, had a brief stint in the CFL with the Ottawa Redblacks.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c Barry, Martin C. (August 11, 2021). "Alouettes linebacker Brian Harelimana learned to love football in Laval". Laval News.
- ^ Pereira, Nicholas (March 18, 2021). "Opportunité montréalaise pour Brian Harelimana". Courrier Laval (in French).
- ^ "Harelimana is gaining momentum". Montreal Alouettes. November 18, 2021.
- ^ "Brian Harelimana Stats". Pro Football Archives.
- ^ "Alouettes release Canadian linebacker Brian Harelimana". 3DownNation. June 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Argos sign National linebacker Brian Harelimana". Canadian Football League. October 31, 2023.
- ^ "Riders bring back DB Kosi Onyeka, sign LB Brian Roughriders". Canadian Football League. June 21, 2023.
- ^ "Riders release Canadian LB Brian Harelimana". 3DownNation. October 29, 2023.
- ^ "Argos extend Canadian LB Brian Harelimana". Toronto Argonauts. February 1, 2024.
External links
edit- Toronto Argonauts profile
Media related to Brian Harelimana at Wikimedia Commons
