| Jonathan Hefney | |
| Birth Date: | 27 February 1985 |
| Birth Place: | Rock Hill, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Number: | 33 |
| Import: | yes |
| Position1: | Defensive Halfback |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 9 |
| Weight Lb: | 185 |
| High School: | Rock Hill (Rock Hill, South Carolina) |
| College: | Tennessee |
| Playing Team1: | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Playing Team2: | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Playing Team3: | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| Playing Team4: | Detroit Lions |
| Playing Years5: | – |
| Playing Team5: | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| Playing Years6: | – |
| Playing Team6: | Calgary Stampeders |
| Playing Team7: | Montreal Alouettes |
| Career Footnotes: | |
| Career Highlights: | |
| Cflallstar: | , |
| Cfleastallstar: | ,, |
| Honors: | 2009 CFL's East Rookie of the Year |
| Cfl: | 4021 |
| Nfl: | HEF704900 |
Jonathan Jerrod Hefney (born February 27, 1985) is a former Canadian football defensive back. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Tennessee.
Hefney has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions.
Hefney played high school football at Rock Hill High School in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He led his school to an undefeated record in 2002. Following his senior season, Hefney played at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia.[1]
Hefney was a four-year starter at either cornerback or safety during his time at Tennessee, starting every game except for the 2004 season opener against UNLV. Hefney also garnered attention as a punt return specialist.
Hefney was expected to be selected early in the 2008 NFL draft but instead he went undrafted, and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[2] On July 25, 2008, he was released from the Buccaneers. Hefney was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad on September 9, 2008.
Failing to make an NFL team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL signed Hefney on May 28, 2009.[3] He recorded 66 tackles and four interceptions his rookie season, earning Eastern Division Rookie of the Year and All-Star honors. However Hefney left the next year to play in the NFL again.
His time in the NFL that year was short however as Hefney was signed by the Detroit Lions on January 4, 2010, and released on September 4, 2010.[4] He was re-signed to the practice squad on September 6, and released on September 23.
He returned to the Blue Bombers four days after being released by the Detroit Lions.[5] The 2011 Winnipeg Blue Bombers season saw Hefney as part of the self-titled "Swaggerville" defence that was arguably tops in the league. That season, Hefney won his second nod as a CFL East Division all-star, and was then named to his second CFL All-Star team a short time later.[6] [7] Hefney was named a CFL East Division all-star again in 2012. Just prior to the start of June 2013 training camp, Hefney was charged with marijuana possession in his home state of South Carolina. He was released by the Bombers on June 15, 2013. Hefney played three full seasons and parts of a fourth with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
On June 18, 2013, 3 days after being released by Winnipeg, Hefney signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League[8] He was released by the Stampeders on May 21, 2014.[9]
| Regular season | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Tackles | Stt | Sacks | Int | Yards | Long | TD | Fumbles | Yards | Long | TD | |||
| 2009 | WPG | 66 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2010 | WPG | 25 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2011 | WPG | 76 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 11 | 0 | |||
| 2012 | WPG | 74 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |||
| CFL totals | 241 | 13 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 20 | 11 | 0 | ||||
In September 2019 Hefney was sentenced to nine years in jail for trafficking cocaine.[10]