Ed Hervey Explained

Ed Hervey
Image Upright:1
Birth Date:4 May 1973
Birth Place:Houston, Texas, U.S.
Team:Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Import:yes
Position1:General Manager
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:195
High School:Compton (Compton, California)
College:Southern California
Nfldraftedyear:1995
Nfldraftedround:5
Nfldraftedpick:166
Nfldraftedteam:Dallas Cowboys
Administrating Team1:Edmonton Eskimos (West Coast Scout)
Administrating Years1:
Administrating Team2:Edmonton Eskimos (Head scout)
Administrating Years2:
Administrating Team3:Edmonton Eskimos (GM)
Administrating Years3:
Administrating Team4:BC Lions (GM)
Administrating Years4:
Administrating Team5:Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Assistant GM)
Administrating Team6:Hamilton Tiger-Cats (GM)
Administrating Years6:–present
Playing Years1:1995
Playing Team1:Dallas Cowboys
Playing Years2:1997
Playing Team2:Oakland Raiders
Playing Years3:1998
Playing Team3:Denver Broncos
Playing Years4:1998
Playing Team4:Oakland Raiders
Playing Years5:
Playing Team5:Edmonton Eskimos
Career Highlights:
Cflallstar:,
Cflwestallstar:,

Edward Hervey (born May 4, 1973) is an American former professional football wide receiver and is currently the general manager for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played in the CFL for the Edmonton Eskimos for eight years and also served as general manager of the Eskimos from 2013 through 2016, winning the 103rd Grey Cup to conclude the 2015 CFL season. He was later the general manager for the BC Lions from 2017 to 2020. He played college football at the University of Southern California.

Early life

Hervey attended Compton High School, where he played as a quarterback and wide receiver. He was selected to the All-Moore League team as a senior. In track, he helped the school win the California state 4 × 400 metres relay competition.

College career

He moved on to Pasadena City College, where he played as a quarterback. As a freshman, he posted 12-of-28 completion for 116 yards and one touchdown, while rushing for 137 yards on 26 carries.

Hervey became a starter in 1992, registering 78-of-143 completions for 919 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 791 rushing yards on 169 carries and 8 rushing touchdowns on his way to a 10–1 record. He was named the MVP of the Rose City Classic Bowl, as he ran for one touchdown and passed for another in a 28–27 win over the College of the Desert. He also received Junior College All-State and All-Mission Conference honors.

In track, he finished second in the 1992 California state community college 200 metres with 20.99 seconds and400 metres with 46.41 seconds. As a sophomore, he recorded 20.65 seconds in the 200 metres and 46.02 seconds in the 400 metres, receivingSouth Coast Conference Track Male Athlete of the Year honors, after winning both events at the conference championships.

He transferred to the University of Southern California after his sophomore season and was converted into a wide receiver. He was considered the team's fastest player, with head coach John Robinson (also former coach of the Los Angeles Rams), saying Hervey was the fastest player he had seen on a football field, including ex-Ram and Olympic 4 × 400 metres relay gold medalist Ron Brown.[1]

As a junior he was named a starter, but tallied only 22 receptions for 219 yards and a 15-yard touchdown pass, after suffering a sprained left ankle that forced him to miss 2 games and would limit him the rest of the season. The next year, he suffered a right knee sprain in the season opener and would only play in 8 games (4 games missed and 5 starts), finishing his college career with 41 receptions for 482 yards and 3 touchdowns. He was a teammate of All-American wide receivers Johnnie Morton and Keyshawn Johnson.

In track as a senior, he earned All-American honors in three events at the NCAA Track and Field Championships. He finished fifth in the 200 metres with 20.53 seconds; his best was a 20.40 seconds time at the Pac-10 championships, where he was third. He also ran the second leg on both the 4 × 100 metres and 4 × 400 metres relay teams that finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Hervey was selected in the fifth round (166th overall) of the 1995 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys.[2] As a rookie, he was leading the team in kickoff returns during the preseason (8 for a 24.4-yard average), until fracturing his left fibula in the final week of training camp.[3] Although he returned on September 6, he was declared inactive for every game during the season, as the Cowboys went on to win Super Bowl XXX. He was waived on August 20, 1996.[4]

Oakland Raiders (first stint)

In 1997, he signed with the Oakland Raiders and was waived on August 24.[5]

Denver Broncos

On February 13, 1998, he was signed by the Denver Broncos and released before the season started.[6]

Oakland Raiders (second stint)

In 1998, he was signed by the Raiders and waived on August 26.[7]

Edmonton Eskimos

Hervey played eight seasons for the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League, and was a CFL all star in 2001 and 2003.

Over the course of his career Hervey posted 6715 yards receiving with 476 receptions in 118 career CFL games. In 2001, he had his best season stats-wise, when he registered 1447 yards on 77 receptions with 12 touchdowns. He was also a part of two Grey Cup winning teams. In 2006, he received the David Boone Memorial Award in recognition for his contributions to the community. On March 20, 2007, Hervey officially announced his retirement from professional football.

Front office career

Edmonton Eskimos

After his playing career, Hervery served as the Eskimos' head scout until December 10, 2012, when he was named as the club's general manager.[8] In 2015, the Eskimos won the Grey Cup. On April 7, 2017, the Eskimos held a press conference to announce the termination of Hervey's contract.[9]

BC Lions

On November 30, 2017, Hervey was named the general manager of the BC Lions.[10] Hervey's 2019 Lions missed the playoffs, and Hervey's handpicked head coach, DeVone Claybrooks, was fired after his first season on the job.[11] Furthermore, Hervey's conduct during the season was criticized. His handling of the release of fan favorite and star linebacker Solomon Elimimian drew criticism from Elimimian's agent for its timing, as did Hervey's justification that he knew when a player's time was up;[12] Elimimian still earned divisional All-Star honours for the season, and recorded a sack in each game he played against BC. Also during the season, Hervey was called out by the press for his refusal to shake the hand of Edmonton wideout Kenny Stafford.[13] During the cancelled 2020 year, it was announced that Hervey had resigned from his position for personal reasons.[14] [15] Roughly one month later, TSN reported that when Hervey signed marquee free agent quarterback Mike Reilly to the highest ever CFL contract in early 2019 (4 years, $2.9 million CND total),[16] Hervey had, contrary to league rules, signed a separate document outside of the contract, guaranteeing $250,000 of Reilly's yearly salary. However this separate document was never submitted to the league. With the cancelled 2020 season, Reilly had not received the guaranteed payment and filed a grievance in October, prior to Hervey's resignation. Neither BC Lions team president Rick Lelacheur nor owner David Braley (who died in between Hervey's resignation and the TSN report) were aware of Hervey's guarantee to Reilly until the grievance .[17]

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

After a year away from the CFL, Hervey was named the assistant general manager and senior advisor to the president of football operations for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on December 24, 2021.[18] He spent two years in that capacity before being promoted to general manager on December 5, 2023.[19]

CFL GM record

Team Year Regular Season Post Season
WonLostTiesWin %FinishWon Lost Result
EDM20134140.2224th in West Division - - Failed to Qualify
EDM20141260.6662nd in West Division 1 1 Lost in West Final
EDM20151440.7771st in West Division 2 0 Won Grey Cup
EDM20161080.5553rd in West Division 1 1 Lost in East Final
BC2018990.5004th in West Division 0 1 Lost in East Semi Final
BC20195130.278 5th in West Division - - Failed to Qualify
Total54540 .500 1 Division
Championship
4 3 1 Grey Cup

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Coming On Fast : Injuries Have Sidelined USC's Ed Hervey, but Now He's Ready for Stretch Run . . 11 November 1994 . February 19, 2023.
  2. Web site: 1995 NFL Draft Listing . February 19, 2023 . Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  3. Web site: Transactions . 10 September 1995 . February 19, 2023.
  4. Web site: Transactions . 21 August 1996 . February 19, 2023.
  5. Web site: Transactions . 25 August 1997 . February 19, 2023.
  6. Web site: Transactions . 14 February 1998 . February 19, 2023.
  7. Web site: Transactions . 27 August 1998 . February 19, 2023.
  8. Web site: Eskimos name former receiver Ed Hervey GM . February 19, 2023.
  9. News: Eskimos fire general manager Hervey. TSN.ca. April 7, 2017. TSN. May 1, 2023.
  10. Web site: LIONS NAME HERVEY GM; BUONO TO COACH LAST SEASON IN 2018 . cfl.ca . November 30, 2017 . May 1, 2023.
  11. Web site: B.C. Lions fire DeVone Claybrooks after 5-13 season. TSN.ca. November 6, 2019. May 1, 2023.
  12. Web site: Lions GM ed Hervey on Solomon Elimimian: 'We know when a players' time is up' | 3DownNation. May 1, 2023.
  13. Web site: The ex-Eskimo Way? Former GM ed Hervey turns handshake into cold shoulder. May 1, 2023.
  14. News: Ed Hervey steps down as Lions GM, cites personal reasons. October 16, 2020. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. May 17, 2023.
  15. News: Hervey steps down as Lions' general manager. October 16, 2020. Canadian Football League. May 17, 2023.
  16. Web site: B.C. Lions sign free-agent QB Mike Reilly to big-money deal. May 1, 2023.
  17. Web site: Mike Reilly files grievance against BC Lions reportedly over an unpaid guarantee. TSN.ca. 9 November 2020. May 1, 2023.
  18. Web site: Ticats expand Steinauer's role, announce operations staff . . December 24, 2021. May 1, 2023.
  19. Web site: Tiger-Cats announce new football operations structure . . December 5, 2023.