Bryan Burnham Explained

Bryan Burnham
Number:16
Position:Wide receiver
Birth Date:3 April 1990
Birth Place:Moorestown, New Jersey, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:210
High School:Moorestown (NJ)
College:Tulsa
Undraftedyear:2013
Pastteams:
Status:retired
Highlights:

Bryan Burnham (born April 3, 1990) is a former American professional football wide receiver who played nine seasons for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 2014 to 2022. Burnham played college football at the University of Tulsa. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the BC Lions in 2014. He is from Moorestown, New Jersey.

College career

Burnham played college football for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, the only NCAA Division I school that recruited him.[1] After he developed a serious infection when he cut his arm in practice, he sat out his freshman year with redshirt status in 2008. He played as a defensive back in 2009 and 2010 before switching to the wide receiver position for his junior year. In his first year at that position, Burnham caught 54 receptions for 850 yards and a team-best nine touchdowns. Burnham was injured in the third quarter of the first game of the 2012 season against Iowa State.[2] [3] He suffered a torn ACL injury which ended his final year of NCAA eligibility.[4] Tulsa sought a waiver from the NCAA to allow Burnham to compete in his sixth-year given the early timing of his injury, but this request and its appeal were declined.[5]

Professional career

Burnham was signed as a free agent by BC Lions in May 2014 for the upcoming season. Initially playing on the practice squad, he made his pro debut in Week 13 against the Toronto Argonauts, in which he caught five passes for 90 yards and a touchdown.[6] His season was cut short one week later when he suffered a lacerated spleen.[7] [8] In his second season in the CFL Burnham played in 11 games catching 35 passes 423 yards with 2 touchdowns. Burnham had a breakout season in 2016, playing in all 18 games for the first time in his career he set personal bests in catches, yards and touchdowns. His 1,392 receiving yards was fourth highest in the league that year. Burnham was set to become a free agent in February 2017. On December 6, 2016, Burnham had a workout with the Minnesota Vikings,[9] and a workout with the New York Jets on December 15, 2016.[10] According to BC Lions head coach Wally Buono, Burnham had workouts with somewhere between 10 and 12 NFL teams between the end of the 2016 season and January 31, 2017, at which time pending CFL free agents were no longer allowed to work out with NFL teams until their contracts expired on February 14, 2017.[11] On February 10, 2017, Burnham and the Lions agreed to a two-year contract extension.[12] Over the following two seasons Burnham continued to be a key part of the Lions passing attack, catching over 148 passes for 2,231 yards with 16 touchdowns. Identically to two years prior, on February 10, 2019, Burnham and the Lions agreed to a two-year contract extension.[13] He had a career-high 100 receptions for 1,492 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns en route to being named a CFL All-Star.[14] Following the cancellation of the 2020 season Burnham and the Lions agreed to a new contract extension on February 1, 2021.[15] Burnham was once again named a CFL All-Star following the 2021 season, posting 67 receptions for 965 yards and five touchdowns. Burnham suffered a punctured lung and broken ribs on June 25, 2022, and it was announced he would miss the next 3-6 games.[16] Later in the 2022 season he suffered a fractured wrist.[17] He was placed on the six-game injured reserve list on September 26, 2022.[18] Burnham ended up missing half the season with injuries and caught only 41 passes, his lowest total since his second season in the league (2015) in which he caught 35 passes.

On December 6, 2022, Burnham retired from professional football after nine seasons with the Lions.

Season statistics

Receiving Regular season Playoffs
YearTeamGamesRecAttYardsAvgLongTDGamesNo.YardsAvgLongTD
2014BC261211318.8351Did not participate due to injury
2015BC11355342312.1472112424240
2016BC18791061,39217.6556259719.4341
2017BC16811251,20214.8537Team did not qualify
2018BC18671091,02915.4559133511.7120
2019BC17 1001461,492 14.9 56 11Team did not qualify
2020BCSeason cancelledSeason cancelled
2021BC14 67 93965 14.4 615Team did not qualify
2022BC9415956914.5534268714.5261
CFL totals105 476 7037,212 15.2 61 426 15 243 16.2 34 2

Personal life

Burnham's father, Lem Burnham, was a defensive lineman with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1977 to 1979. He also worked as the team psychologist for the Eagles, Philadelphia 76ers and Baltimore Orioles. His brother, Lewis, played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels.[19] He also has two sisters, the eldest Shannon, attended Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania on a basketball scholarship, Kara attended Montclair University in New Jersey where she played both basketball and volleyball. Bryan married his wife, Aubrey Burnham, in April 2018. They currently reside in Oklahoma.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Eagle-eyed sister celebrates Bryan Burnham's first TD with Lions . Beamish . Mike . 24 September 2014 . . 15 June 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150721151331/http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Eagle%2Beyed%2Bsister%2Bcelebrates%2BBryan%2BBurnham%2Bfirst%2Bwith%2BLions/10229663/story.html . 21 July 2015 .
  2. Web site: Tulsa's top receiver out with season-ending injury . Taylor . John . 4 September 2012 . NBC Sports . 15 June 2015.
  3. Web site: Bryan Burnham . Tulsa Hurricanes . 11 June 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150612101232/http://www.tulsahurricane.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/burnham_bryan00.html . 12 June 2015 .
  4. Web site: Athletes Face Long Recovery From Common ACL Injuries . Kuntz . Harold . News on 6 . 15 June 2015.
  5. News: NCAA rejects Bryan Burnham appeal . 11 June 2015 . ESPN.
  6. Web site: With injuries mounting, rookie WRs getting a chance with B.C. Lions . . 16 June 2015.
  7. Click highlights and college tabs at Web site: Bryan Burnham . BC Lions . 11 June 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150513085540/http://bclions.com/roster/show/id/7151 . 13 May 2015 .
  8. Web site: Andrew Harris out until CFL playoffs with dislocated ankle . Canadian Press . 29 September 2015 . . 16 June 2015.
  9. Web site: Vikings Worked Out 5 CFL Players Including DT Michael Brooks – NFLTradeRumors.co . nfltraderumors.co . 2016-12-08.
  10. Web site: Slew of CFL players worked out for New York Jets . Sportsnet . Justin DunkJustin Dunk was a five-year starter at quarterback for the University of Guelph He covers the league for . 3DownNation. . 2016-12-15 . 3DownNation . 2016-12-16.
  11. News: Mike Beamish: Lions have more than a passing interest in re-signing receiver Bryan Burnham . 2017-02-04 . The Province . en-US . 2017-02-04.
  12. News: Lions agree with Burnham on two-year deal – Article – TSN . 2017-02-10 . TSN . 2017-02-11.
  13. Web site: Lions reportedly re-sign Burnham; re-sign Lee - TSN.ca. TSN ca Staff. 2019-02-10. TSN. 2019-02-11.
  14. Web site: Stars Aligned: 2019 CFL All-Stars unveiled . Canadian Football League. 2019-11-27.
  15. Web site: The Canadian Press. 2021-02-01. BC Lions re-sign All-Star receiver Bryan Burnham, bring back LB Bo Lokombo for third stint - TSN.ca. 2021-02-01. TSN. en.
  16. Web site: TSN ca Staff . 2022-06-27 . Lions WR Burnham to miss the next 3-6 weeks - TSN.ca . 2022-06-28 . TSN . en.
  17. Web site: TSN ca Staff . 2022-09-25 . Lions' WR Burnham suffered fractured wrist in loss to Stampeders - TSN.ca . 2022-09-26 . TSN . en.
  18. Web site: 3Down Staff . 2022-09-26 . B.C. Lions place receiver Bryan Burnham on six-game injured list . 2022-09-27 . 3DownNation . en-US.
  19. Web site: LEWIS BURNHAM . goheels.com . July 20, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150721022526/http://www.goheels.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3350&ATCLID=205676628 . July 21, 2015.