Ryan Thelwell
Encyclopedia
Ryan Thelwell is a professional Canadian football
wide receiver
for the BC Lions
of the Canadian Football League
. He is known to the Lions' fans as "Automatic" (because of his ability to always catch the ball). Thelwell played college football
with the University of Minnesota
. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers
of the National Football League
in the 1998 NFL Draft
in the seventh round with the 215th overall pick.
In 2004
, Thelwell was elected to the West Division
's All-Star Team.
Thelwell was a member of the BC Lions
' 2006 Grey Cup
championship team before being picked up as a free agent by the Calgary Stampeders
in the 2007
off-season. Ryan Thelwell originally wore jersey #3 for the Lions. He won his 2nd Grey Cup
in 2008
with Calgary.
On January 25, 2011, Thelwell announced his retirement from professional football.
Due to an injury sustained by Akeem Foster
, the Lions brought Thelwell out of retirement and signed him on October 25, 2011.
Thelwell moved to London, Ontario
when he was four years old.
Ryan Thelwell also made an appearance at the William Aberhart Trojans 2007 football banquet in Calgary on November 16, 2007.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He is known to the Lions' fans as "Automatic" (because of his ability to always catch the ball). Thelwell played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
with the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
in the 1998 NFL Draft
1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 18-19, 1998...
in the seventh round with the 215th overall pick.
In 2004
2004 CFL season
The 2004 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 51st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 47th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2004:...
, Thelwell was elected to the West Division
Canadian Football League West Division
The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.-Pre-1936:...
's All-Star Team.
Thelwell was a member of the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
' 2006 Grey Cup
94th Grey Cup
The 94th Grey Cup game took place on November 19, 2006, at Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba before 44,786 fans. Ticket prices ranged from $141 and $275.The game decided the championship of the 2006 Canadian Football League season...
championship team before being picked up as a free agent by the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
in the 2007
2007 CFL season
The 2007 CFL season was the 54th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 50th season of the league, and many special events were held to commemorate the event. Regular-season play began on June 28, 2007 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario and concluded on...
off-season. Ryan Thelwell originally wore jersey #3 for the Lions. He won his 2nd Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
in 2008
96th Grey Cup
The 96th Grey Cup was held in Montreal, Quebec at Olympic Stadium on November 23, 2008. The Eastern Division Champion Montreal Alouettes hosted the Western Division Champion Calgary Stampeders. The Stampeders won the game 22-14, with quarterback Henry Burris winning the MVP award...
with Calgary.
On January 25, 2011, Thelwell announced his retirement from professional football.
Due to an injury sustained by Akeem Foster
Akeem Foster
Akeem Foster is a professional Canadian football wide receiver for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted 25th overall by the Lions in the 2010 CFL Draft and signed a contract with the team on May 25, 2010. He played college football for the St. Francis Xavier...
, the Lions brought Thelwell out of retirement and signed him on October 25, 2011.
Thelwell moved to London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
when he was four years old.
Ryan Thelwell also made an appearance at the William Aberhart Trojans 2007 football banquet in Calgary on November 16, 2007.