Caleb Ham looking to follow in father’s footsteps

A Canadian Football League roster can resemble a revolving door during the off-season. Players you’ve never heard of coming and going, knowing full well that you’ll never hear from most of them again.

On Tuesday, the Argos signed one name that may register with CFL fans: Caleb Ham.

It’s not every day the son of a CFL legend signs in the league, and Ham is the son of Canadian Football Hall of Fame quarterback and 10th all-time leading passer Tracy Ham.

The elder Ham was one of the best quarterbacks ever to grace the three-down game, winning Most Outstanding Player in 1989 with the Edmonton Eskimos before eventually winning the Grey Cup — and the game’s Most Valuable Player — in 1995 with the Baltimore Stallions.

Ham was not only a great passer, leading the CFL with 36 passing touchdowns in 1990, he was also one of the best running quarterbacks the game has ever seen, reaching 1,000 yards and breaking the league’s single-season rushing total for a quarterback in 1990.

Those born later than the early ’90s can see what Ham was all about in his Hall of Fame induction video below:

Athleticism clearly runs in the family. Caleb’s brother, Tracy Ham Jr., played basketball for his dad’s Alma Mater, Georgia Southern.

We know that Caleb Ham has the pedigree to succeed in the CFL. What else can we say about the 22-year-old out of small-school Fordham University?

The 6-foot-1, 192-pound defensive back played 44 career games for Fordham, recording 186 tackles, seven interceptions and 23 pass deflections. He also helped in the return game, running 10 kickoffs for 128 yards and one punt for 11 yards. He was named First Team All-Patriot League and an ECAC All-Star in 2016 after making 11 starts at free safety as a junior.

Although not unprecedented, the father-son link is worth noting in the CFL. Luke Tasker and Duron Carter came from former NFL superstars Steve Tasker and Cris Carter. Jackson Jeffcoat, James Wilder Jr. and DaVaris Daniels are also current CFL players with NFL roots. A couple of years ago, the Alouettes had Jerry Rice Jr., the son of the NFL’s all-time receiving leader, on their roster for camp.

Tracy Ham, however, earned his fame on this side of the border.

In a couple of months, Caleb Ham will try to earn a roster spot with the Argos in mini-camp. Count him as one name that will stand out among the unknowns.

You can see some of Caleb’s college highlights here: