Attending Calgary Stampeders games will never be quite the same when you spot #26 on the field and it's not Rob Cote.
Yet the memories, the hard-fought battles and the honours collected along the way in a decisively dominant decade of Stamps football will live on for Rob Cote, who officially hung up his cleats this week after an 11-year storybook CFL career.
The decision had been contemplated for a few years by the Stamps fullback and leading up to the 2017 Western Final against the Edmonton Eskimos, he knew it would be his last appearance at McMahon Stadium.
"The thing I’ll remember forever is this last Western Final at McMahon Stadium," says Rob Cote. "At that point, I pretty well knew that would be my last game at McMahon Stadium and it was such an emotional ride.
"It was a great win, we were going to a Grey Cup and there were all the emotions of a career coming to an end and then you add to it the atmosphere at McMahon. It was just pumping. That was a really special day,"
Cote says his swan song may have come the season previous with a Grey Cup win against Ottawa, but the Red Black ruined that plan so he stayed one more season to take a final shot at getting ring number three, only to was denied by Ricky Ray and the blue and white.
There are many more special moments with the club; far too many to recount in a few hundred words.
"Then all the little days in-between. The practices, the routine of going to work with 60 other guys all trying to accomplish one goal, that’s what I think I’ll remember the most."
A series of fortunate events surround Cote's career and he knows it.
"It’s not lost on me how rare it is to play these many years, first of all, this many years for one team is another thing, that many years for my hometown team, which is amazing, and to stay fairly healthy. I had no major surgery, I had no concussion issues.
"I’ve been so, so lucky and I kind of joked at some point you have to stop pushing your luck, just be thankful for what I just did and start the rest of your life."
Cote has used his good fortune to give back and it's very much part of the CFL culture that he has embraced.
For the past decade, he was the Stamps' representative for the Calgary Hospice and besides playing a major role in their annual spring hike he regularly visited youth at the two Calgary care centres, offering support and mentorship. Through the years in Cochrane, he has lent his support to youth causes and most recently spoke at the Leaders of Tomorrow awards night last May. He's been involved in numerous other causes supported by the Stamps.
"One of the biggest joys of my career was being able to give back in a meaningful way to so many causes. That’s something that was really special to me. To be able to do that in a way that people cared because of the jersey that I’d wear on the weekend got my foot in the door and allowed me to contribute to many great causes."
"There are so many people doing great work in Calgary and especially in Cochrane. The work is not easy and it’s not always appreciated and I was very, very happy to help out those people."
Now he goes on to a career with the Calgary Construction Association, continuing to volunteer as a regular Joe and is especially happy to know his summers will be open to spend with his wife and two young children.
"All through the summer, I've had to put myself first before my family. I have had to prioritize myself and football ahead of them a lot of times because I had to in order to prepare. So I’m really excited and happy to not have to do that and put them first, which is how it should be."
He's uncertain as to how it will feel to be in the stands for Stamps games and so far is committing himself to attend one home game this coming season.
"I’m going to get to one home game this year and see how I feel. As much as I’ll be cheering for the boys all summer, I don’t know how it’s going to feel to be at the games when I’m not playing. So, I’ll see how it feels, but I’m looking forward to not scheduling my summer around Stampeder football games."
The numbers, etc.
At 20, Cote signed with the Stamps in 2007 and first played for head coach Tom Higgins. He went on to appear in 179 regular season games, tying Nik Lewis in eighth as most ever by a Stampeder.
He finished his career with 113 catches for 1,160 yards and 13 touchdowns, 40 carries for 143 yards and 82 special teams tackles. What is not measured is the key blocks he made to make room for Stamps runningbacks like Joffrey Reynolds and Jon Cornish to march upfield. He was a game changer in junior ball with the Victoria Rebels and was one of the key offensive players for both the Cochrane Cobras and Cochrane Lions.
He appeared in 12 Western division playoff games and four Grey Cups and was part of the 2008 and 2014 championship teams. Besides the championship ring's he was also a two-time recipient of the Stamps' President's Ring and in 2013 was the recipient of the Herm Harrison Memorial Award for community service.
Rob Cote's 11-Year CFL Dream Career Started Here
Mon, May 6, 10:15 AM
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