Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca
MONTREAL — The Montreal Alouettes have made a late off-season splash, announcing Thursday they’ve signed national linebacker Henoc Muamba to a three-year contract.
The Als were long rumoured to be in the running for Muamba’s services after the Riders’ 2017 Most Outstanding Canadian was released after the start of free agency.
Thursday’s signing marks Muamba’s second stint in Montreal, after the 29-year-old also played with the team in 2015.
“Henoc is a very talented and versatile player that will solidify our defensive squad,” said Montreal Alouettes’ General Manager Kavis Reed. “He brings great leadership to our team and his addition improves the quality of our national player depth.”
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Henoc Muamba was one of the CFL’s top defensive stars during a strong 2017 campaign (Matt Smith/CFL.ca)
Muamba, a 6-foot, 230-pound linebacker, started his career in the CFL in Winnipeg in 2011, where he played three seasons with the Blue Bombers after being selected first overall in the CFL Draft. He left the Bombers to sign a deal with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, where he made six tackles in 13 games with the Colts in 2014 before signing with the Alouettes in September 2015.
Following a stint with the Dallas Cowboys, he joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he spent the last two seasons. In 17 games in 2017, he made 82 defensive tackles and 11 on special teams. He also picked off two passes and forced three fumbles.
Muamba was drafted first overall by the Blue Bombers in the 2011 CFL Canadian Draft. In 73 CFL games, he amassed 267 defensive tackles and 74 on special teams. He also made six sacks, four interceptions, one touchdown and forced 11 fumbles. Following his last season in Winnipeg, Muamba was unanimously voted the team’s Most Outstanding Player, Defensive Player and Canadian Player.
Born in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Muamba grew up in Montreal before his family moved to Ontario. He played his Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) football with the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men. Muamba was named the Atlantic University Sport Defensive Player of the Year in both 2008 and 2010. He received the President’s Trophy in 2010 as the top defensive player in CIS. He was a three-time CIS All-Canadian.
