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Guelph's Jake Reinhart hangs up his CFL cleats

Toronto Argonaut is retiring and will become a firefighter in Kitchener
20160530 ARGOS MAIN 8 ts
Guelph native and former Guelph Gryphon star Jake Reinhart at the team's CFL training camp at the U of G. Tony Saxon/GuelphToday file photo

Jake Reinhart is calling it a career.

The Toronto Argonauts long snapper, Guelph native and former University of Guelph Gryphon has decided to retire from the Canadian Football League.

Reinhart was the longest serving member of the Argonauts.

He was signed as an undrafted free agent coming out of the U of G in 2014. Reinhart was an ironman early in his career, starting all 18 regular season games each of his first five seasons, eventually playing 117 regular season games, two playoff games and one Grey Cup, a win over Calgary in 2017, reads a press release form the team.

The former Guelph Gryphon also chipped in with 35 special teams tackles over his eight-year career. As consistent and reliable as they come across the CFL in delivering pin point accurate snaps and a teammate everyone loved having around, Reinhart suffered an elbow injury eight games into the 2021 season that almost resulted in the long snapper having to have his arm amputated. With a scar ranging from his wrist to his elbow, Reinhart showed his determination and dedication to his craft by overcoming the significant injury and playing seven games in 2022 before re-injuring the same elbow and being forced out for the remainder of the season.

He has accepted a job with the Kitchener Fire Department and will transition from the field to the firehouse.

“Today is the worst, good day of the year as Jake Reinhart, our longest serving player is officially retired,” said Argos General Manager Michael Clemons in the release.

“If you don’t recognize the name, that is a good thing because long snappers only get noticed when something goes wrong. Not only is he one of the most consistent players to don the Double Blue, player for player would adamantly affirm that he is one of the best teammates they’ve ever had. He is leaving as a role model to become a hero. His new position will have even more pressure, as a firefighter he will serve and protect the lives of fellow Canadians at the risk of his own. This is not goodbye, Jake Reinhart will always be a Toronto Argonaut.”


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