Shawn Lemon extends his stay in the nest

Montreal, December 7, 2023 – The Montreal Alouettes announced Thursday that defensive end Shawn Lemon has signed a one-year contract for next season.

The Charleston, SC native arrived in Montreal during the 2023 season and had an immediate impact on the team’s defense.In just 13 games, the American made 26 defensive tackles, nine sacks and four knockdowns. The 35-year-old also earned two interceptions and a forced fumble that he returned for a major.

In 148 CFL games, he earned 257 defensive tackles, 101 sacks and 31 forced fumbles. He played in Saskatchewan, Toronto and Calgary before arriving in the nest.

“Shawn had an immediate impact on our defense and he did a great job making it harder on opposing quarterbacks,” said Alouettes general manager Danny Maciocia. “He arrived in the middle of the season and adapted to the team’s chemistry instantly. He has been a great veteran for our young players, and he fully deserves what’s happened to him. We’re happy to have him back.”

In the Grey Cup game against Winnipeg, he made three defensive tackles and had a sack to help the Alouettes win their eighth title in franchise history. Against Hamilton in the Eastern semifinal, he collected two sacks and five defensive tackles to set the tone for the team early in the playoffs. He also had a strip sack in the East Final against the Argos.