Brandon Alexander
 Alexander with the Blue Bombers in 2021 | |
| Born: | September 27, 1993 Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Status | Active |
| CFL status | American |
| Position(s) | Defensive back |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| College | Central Florida |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 2015* | Atlanta Falcons |
| 2017–2024 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| *Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| CFL All-Star | 2021 |
| CFL West All-Star | 2021, 2023 |
| Career stats | |
| Games played | 90 |
| Def. tackles | 268 |
| ST tackles | 20 |
| Interceptions | 8 |
| Quarterback sacks | 0 |
| Forced fumbles | 7 |
| |
Brandon Alexander (born September 27, 1993) is an American professional football defensive back who is a free agent. He most recently played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a two-time Grey Cup champion after winning with Blue Bombers in 2019 and 2021.
College career
Alexander played college football for the UCF Knights from 2011 to 2014.[1]
Professional career
Following his collegiate career, Alexander was undrafted in the 2015 CFL draft, but had a mini-camp tryout with the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL).[2][3]
On April 17, 2017, Alexander signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.[4] After earning a starting position following training camp, he played and started in 15 regular season games while missing three due to injury.[5] He had 52 defensive tackles, four special teams tackles, four pass knockdowns, two forced fumbles, and one interception that he returned for a touchdown.[5] For his outstanding season in 2017, Alexander was the team's nominee for the most outstanding rookie in the CFL.[6]
In 2018, Alexander played and started in 14 regular season games where he recorded 36 defensive tackles, four special teams tackles, four pass knockdowns, two forced fumbles, and three interceptions.[5] In the 2019 season, he played in just ten regular season games where he had 38 defensive tackles, four special teams tackles, and four pass knockdowns.[5] He played in all three of the team's post-season games, including his first Grey Cup appearance.[5] Alexander won the 107th Grey Cup with the Blue Bombers when they defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33–12.[7] He had an interception early in that game when he picked Dane Evans' first pass of the game, which was one of seven turnovers created by Winnipeg.[7]
Alexander did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the 2020 CFL season. He signed a one-year contract extension with the Blue Bombers on January 11, 2021.[8] Throughout the 2021 season, Alexander continued to build his reputation as a hard hitting safety for the Blue Bombers. While being named both a CFL West All-Star and CFL All-Star at safety for the first time, Alexander helped solidify the Blue Bombers' secondary and recorded 36 defensive tackles, two interceptions, and one forced fumble as part of a defence that allowed a league-low 12.9 points per game.[5][9] He made a second appearance in the Grey Cup when the team qualified for the 108th Grey Cup against the hometown Hamilton Tiger-Cats.[5] Alexander would go on to contribute two defensive tackles before suffering a knee injury as the Bombers would go on to win their second consecutive Grey Cup in overtime by a score of 33–25.[5][10][11]
After recovering from a knee injury sustained in the 108th Grey Cup game, Alexander missed the first 13 games of the 2022 season.[11] He played in the final five regular season games where he had eight defensive tackles and a forced fumble.[5] He also played in the 109th Grey Cup where he recorded four defensive tackles in the loss to the Toronto Argonauts.[5] In 2023, Alexander played in 17 regular season games where he had 41 defensive tackles, one pass knockdown, and two interceptions.[5] He also played in both post-season games, including the 110th Grey Cup where he had three defensive tackles and one forced fumble in the loss to the Montreal Alouettes.[5]
Alexander played in 16 regular season games in 2024 where he had a career-high 57 defensive tackles and one forced fumble.[12] He played in his fifth consecutive Grey Cup game where he had three defensive tackles and one special teams tackle in the Blue Bombers' 111th Grey Cup loss to the Argonauts.[13] He became a free agent upon the expiry of his contract on February 11, 2025.[14][15]
Personal life
Alexander's father, Derrick, played at defensive end for five years in the NFL.[2]
References
- ^ "Brandon Alexander". UCF Knights. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
- ^ a b "Brandon Alexander | Emerging Leader". Winnipeg Blue Bombers. May 27, 2019.
- ^ "UCF's Brandon Alexander 'grateful' for upcoming tryout with Atlanta Falcons". Orlando Sentinel. May 6, 2015.
- ^ "Transactions – Football Player Trades and Signings". Canadian Football League. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "2024 CFL Guide" (PDF). Canadian Football League. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
- ^ "Harris, Randle, Bryant, Medlock and Alexander also up for CFL awards". Winnipeg Sun. November 1, 2017.
- ^ a b "5 game-changing moments from 107th Grey Cup between the Bombers and Ticats". CBC Sports. November 24, 2019.
- ^ "Winnipeg Blue Bombers agree to terms on one-year extension with safety Brandon Alexander". BlueBombers.com. January 11, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ "Hard-hitting Winnipeg safety Brandon Alexander doesn't care about his reputation in opposing locker rooms". 3DownNation. December 9, 2021.
- ^ Dan Ralph (December 12, 2021). "Blue Bombers defeat Tiger-Cats 33-25 in OT to repeat as Grey Cup champions". CBC Sports.
- ^ a b "All-star safety Brandon Alexander to make first appearance of 2022 for the Bombers". 3DownNation. September 16, 2022.
- ^ "Brandon Alexander". Canadian Football League. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
- ^ "Play-by-Play, 111th Grey Cup". Canadian Football League. November 17, 2024.
- ^ "Transactions – Football Player Trades and Signings". Canadian Football League. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
- ^ "Official 2025 Free Agent Tracker". Canadian Football League. Retrieved February 21, 2025.