Burnham’s back, and solely focused on the Lions
The NFL took a pass on 27-year-old, so now he’s catching them — lots of them — in the CFL
Despite putting up some impressive numbers in 2016, Bryan Burnham’s head was often in two places at once.
The B.C. Lions slotback wanted to do everything in his power to help the team succeed, but he also had an eye on the stats sheet, knowing his next move would be to take a shot at playing south of the border.
“Last year it was a bit of, not selfishness, but ‘I have to perform so I can show off for the NFL scouts,”’ Burnham said after a Lions practice this week.
“At the same time, you want to win.”
He kept up both ends of the bargain, finishing fourth in the CFL with 79 catches for 1,392 receiving yards to go along with three touchdowns as the Lions went 12-6 and won a playoff game for the first time in five years.
Burnham then packed his bags and went on month-and-a-half-long NFL odyssey that included tryouts for at least 10 clubs — he lost count by the end — looking for a job that never materialized.
“It was tough,” said the 27-yearold, who had a league-high 15 catches over 30 yards last season.
“There was a lot of travelling, and to not have the outcome you were hoping for definitely hurt a little bit.”
But the native Moorestown, N.J. — a suburb of Philadelphia where his father ended his pro career on the defensive line with the Eagles — said taking his chance was worth the heartache.
“That’s what you work for your whole life,” Burnham said. “That was the dream, to play in the NFL. My dad played, so I wanted to follow in his footsteps.
“But I’m lucky and honoured to play in this league.”
Burnham has picked up right where he left off among B.C.’s talented receiving corps after signing a two-year contract in February. The University of Tulsa product has 25 catches for 372 yards in 2017, including a one-handed TD grab two weeks ago against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
“That’s probably the best individual catch I’ve ever pulled the trigger on,” Lions quarterback Travis Lulay said. “It was just awesome.”
As an example of how deep the Lions (4-1) are at the moment, Burnham had only nine yards that night before racking up 149 on six catches in Friday’s wild 45-42 home victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for B.C.’s fourth straight win.
“He’s learned how to play at a fast clip, how to work defenders,” Lions head coach and general manager Wally Buono said. “He continually amazes you with some of the catches.”
Lulay, who has been thrust back into the starting role after Jonathon Jennings hurt his shoulder on B.C.’s first play from scrimmage against Hamilton, remembers Burnham’s arrival back in 2014.
The veteran QB was rehabbing a throwing shoulder and would work out after formal team sessions with the club’s practice squad.
“What stood out was the same thing that stands out now — Bryan was really good at making contested catches,” said Lulay, who has thrown for more than 400 yards the last two weeks. “He’s got a big catch radius. You can throw it all around him.”
Set to start a second straight game in Friday’s battle for first in the West Division against Edmonton (4-0), which beat B.C. at home in Week 1, Lulay also recalled another story from Burnham’s first season.
Lulay had re-injured his shoulder and was back on the sidelines by that September, but made a comment on his weekly radio call-in show that fans should watch for a rookie receiver making his first start.
Burnham would finish with five catches for 90 yards and a touchdown.
“He made me look good,” Lulay said with a smile.