Canadian running back Dahrran Diedrick, who led Nebraska to an NCAA championship berth and later won three Grey Cup titles over a 10-year CFL career, passed away early Saturday morning after bravely battling cancer. He was just 44 years old.
The Montreal Alouettes, the team with which Diedrick won two of his Grey Cups, confirmed his passing. Anthony Calvillo, a Hall of Fame quarterback and the current offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the CFL team, was a teammate of Diedrick’s for eight seasons and expressed his sorrow over the loss. Calvillo said, “I won two championships with Dahrran, and he was a crucial part of our team. He had a positive attitude and got along with everyone in the locker room. It’s devastating to lose him so young, and my thoughts are with his loved ones.”
Born in Jamaica and raised in Toronto, the six-foot, 225-pound Diedrick made history as the first Canadian-born scholarship recruit to play for the University of Nebraska. In 2001, he started for the Cornhuskers and had an outstanding season, rushing for a Big 12-leading 1,299 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Diedrick played a significant role in helping Nebraska reach the 2002 Rose Bowl, which also served as the NCAA national championship game. Despite their best efforts, the Miami Hurricanes emerged victorious with a score of 37-14.
Not only was Diedrick successful on the field, but he also excelled academically at Nebraska. In 2002, he was one of five Cornhuskers who played that season while already holding their degrees. Diedrick earned his undergraduate degree in criminal justice and maintained an impressive cumulative GPA of 3.165. Throughout his collegiate football career, he racked up 2,745 rushing yards on 502 carries and scored 26 touchdowns.
Edmonton selected Diedrick in the third round of the 2002 CFL draft. However, he decided to return to school before signing with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent the following year. He also had brief stints with the Green Bay Packers and Washington Commanders, playing one game in 2004.
In 2005, Diedrick finally joined the Edmonton team, where he earned his first Grey Cup. He then moved on to Montreal, playing for the Alouettes from 2006 to 2013 and winning Grey Cups in 2009 and 2010. After a short time with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2013, he returned to the Alouettes for his final season in 2014.
Sadly, during the 2014 campaign, Diedrick was diagnosed with hepatosplenic gamma-delta T-cell lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer. He retired at the end of the season but later served as the strength coach for the Toronto Argonauts in 2017, earning his fourth Grey Cup ring that year.
Over the course of his CFL career, Diedrick played 130 regular-season games, rushing for 872 yards on 179 carries and scoring six touchdowns. His former teammate, Eric Deslauriers, Montreal’s senior director of football operations, described Diedrick as a powerful player who was incredibly difficult to tackle. Deslauriers expressed his deep sadness over his friend’s passing, saying, “My thoughts are with his loved ones and his family. My heart is heavy right now.”
The football community mourns the loss of Dahrran Diedrick, a talented and beloved player who left an indelible mark on the sport. His legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew him, and his contributions to the game will never be forgotten.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
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