Ticats’ Lawrence doesn’t mind being hated
HAMILTON — Simoni Lawrence is good with being public Enemy No. 1 across most of the Canadian Football League.
Like him or not, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ colourful linebacker is a leading contender for the league’s outstanding defensive player award.
The eight-year veteran, who leads the CFL in tackles this season with a career-high 91, was a finalist for the top defensive player award in 2015 — Adam Bighill, then of the B.C.
Lions, won it. In 2015, Lawrence had 78 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
On Sept. 27 of this year, Lawrence had a CFL-record 17 tackles in a 33-13 win over Winnipeg. But the 30-year-old native of Upper Darby, Pa., cares far more about being a key cog on a Ticats squad that has registered a club-record 13 wins with two games left.
Hamilton (13-3) chases a 14th win Saturday in Montreal versus the Alouettes (9-7). Both teams have clinched playoff berths but could meet again in the East Division final Nov. 17 at Tim Hortons Field.
“I feel like I’m always going to be a productive player,” Lawrence said. “But I feel like I’m more proud of the whole picture this year.
“We’re 13-3, (with) all the adversity I faced early and just being able to keep pushing forward.”
The six-foot-one, 231-pound Lawrence received a two-game suspension for a high hit on then Saskatchewan starting quarterback Zach Collaros in
Hamilton’s season-opening 2317 win. Collaros, who was subsequently dealt to Toronto and then Winnipeg, suffered a concussion on the play.
Lawrence has been fined twice since, including a max penalty for hitting Edmonton quarterback Logan Kilgore in the neck and head Sept. 20. That prompted Lawrence’s skeptics to compare him to Vontaze Burfict, the controversial Oakland Raiders linebacker who was suspended for the remainder of the NFL season following a helmet-to-helmet hit.