Ottawa Redblacks defensive back Antoine Pruneau announced his retirement on Thursday after an eight-year career. He spent all eight seasons with the Redblacks since its inception in 2014.
“Antoine Pruneau is synonymous with Redblacks football,” said Head Coach Bob Dyce. “The passion he brought to the field was unmatched. He took great pride in wearing the “R” and it was evident in his leadership and play. I know he will bring the same energy to the next chapter of his career. We thank him and wish he and his family nothing but the best.”
The Redblacks drafted Pruneau in the first-round (4th pick) in the 2014 CFL Draft. In his rookie season, Pruneau made 79 tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble in 18 games.
In eight seasons with the Redblacks, Pruneau made 448 tackles, four sacks, ten interceptions, one touchdown, and four forced fumbles in 122 games. Pruneau released a statement on his retirement. He was part of the 2016 Grey Cup championship team and was named a CFL East All-Star in 2016.
“I had the best job in the world and I will forever be grateful to the people that accompanied me during this journey! To RNation: Thank you for your unconditional support throughout my career. Through the great moments and the tougher ones, you were incredible towards me and I will never forget this moment spent at your side.
“To my coaches: Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for the countless hours. Mostly, thank you for all the conversations that led me to be a better man. You were all great mentors! To my teammates: Thank you for being so inspirational. I am going to miss our time on the field but I’ll miss the time away from the game with you all even more. FrenchMafia! Thank you for all the fun, all the jokes, and all the wild times. Details on a succession plan to come.
To my family and friends: I truly believe that I am surrounded by the best people. You have been by my side from the very beginning and the influence you have had on me has allowed me to live my dream for nine beautiful years. I love you.”
Collegiately, Pruneau played four seasons at the University of Montreal (2010-13) with 127.5 tackles, 4.5 sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and 14 pass breakups in 35 games for the Carabins.
“Antoine Pruneau has shown remarkable leadership and dedication to this organization which will be tough to replace,” said Redblacks General Manager Shawn Burke. “We congratulate him on a job well done, a great career and wish him all the best in what comes next. He will always be a Redblack.”
