Jason Pottinger

Jason Pottinger (born June 29, 1983) is a Canadian former professional football linebacker who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted second overall by the BC Lions in the 2006 CFL draft. He played CIS football for the McMaster Marauders.

Early life In Grade 11, Pottinger began to receive recruitment letters from several American Division I and II schools, as well as Canadian universities from coast to coast. Jason opted to attend McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario and played CIS football for the McMaster Marauders as a starting Linebacker from 2002 to 2005. In both 2004 and 2005, Jason was named a Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) First Team All-Canadian – an honour given to the best Canadian football players in the CIS – and awarded the President’s Trophy as the defensive MVP of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) league. He was named an Ontario University Athletics All-Star three times.

Jason played his early years of football with the Oshawa Hawkeyes city football club, receiving numerous team MVP awards. In 2002, he was selected to represent Ontario in the prestigious Canada Cup tournament, held that year in the nation’s capital. Team Ontario defeated Team Manitoba in the championship game and Jason was awarded Most Valuable Defensive Player of the tournament. Jason played football with the Oshawa Hawkeyes from age 9 until he began playing for McMaster University. Jason continues to stay in touch with Durham Region youth football programs, and is a big supporter of youth football everywhere.

Professional career Pottinger was drafted in the first round, second overall in the 2006 CFL draft by the BC Lions. In his first season, the 2006 BC Lions season, he recorded 6 tackles and 19 special teams tackles in all 18 games for the Lions and was part of the Lions 94th Grey Cup victory. In his three seasons with the Lions, Pottinger recorded 115 combined tackles and one sack over 54 games.

On March 23, 2009, it was announced that Pottinger was traded to the Toronto Argonauts in exchange for a first round pick in the upcoming 2009 CFL draft. He won his second Grey Cup championship with the Argonauts after their 100th Grey Cup victory in November 2012.

On December 16, 2013, Pottinger was drafted by the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2013 CFL Expansion Draft. He played all 18 games for the REDBLACKS in 2014, providing veteran leadership in Ottawa’s inaugural season. He announced his retirement on May 29, 2015.

During his CFL career Pottinger dedicated much of his time to his charitable initiative, Tackles 4 Toilets (T4T), which raises money to build new latrines for rural grade schools in Kenya and has sent over 200 underprivileged Toronto youth to Argonauts games.

Pottinger joined the Board of the Toronto Argonauts Alumni Association in 2023. He was voted President in 2024.

Personal life In 2014, Pottinger completed his M.B.A. at the Schulich School of Business. Pottinger resides in the GTA with his wife Elizabeth and two daughters Quinn and Reese.