Jon Cornish, Canadian football player
Jon Cornish (born November 5, 1984) is a former Canadian football running back who played nine seasons with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Cornish was drafted 13th overall in the 2006 CFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Kansas. Cornish announced his retirement from the CFL on December 2, 2015.While at Kansas, Cornish set the KU single-season rushing record with 1,457 yards and was selected First Team All-Big XII in his senior year. During his collegiate career, he was also selected Team Offensive MVP in both his junior year and senior year.
Professionally, after taking over starting duties from Calgary's all-time leading rusher Joffrey Reynolds midway through 2011, Cornish rushed for 611 yards in the final seven games of the season, averaging 7.7 yards per carry. In the Stampeders only 2011 playoff game versus the Edmonton Eskimos, he ran for 128 yards and a touchdown while averaging 9.2 yards per carry. Those eight games were enough to garner him the 2011 Calgary Booster Club Male Athlete of the Year award and a CFL West All-star selection.In his first full year as a starter, Cornish led the CFL in rushing with 1,457 rushing yards on the ground. Cornish also broke Normie Kwong’s 56-year-old single-season rushing record for Canadians. This led to him being selected 2012 Most Outstanding Canadian as well as being the runner-up for the Most Outstanding Player award. Cornish was again selected for Calgary's Male Athlete of the Year award. He bettered this in 2013, rushing for 1813 yards and winning both the Most Outstanding Canadian and the Most Outstanding Player awards. Soon after, Cornish was awarded the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's top athlete for 2013.
In 2014, Cornish led the CFL in rushing for the third time with 1,082 yards, an average of 7.8 yards per carry. This was despite only playing in 9 games, half of the regular season. He was a member of the 2014 Grey Cup Champion Calgary Stampeders.
His career achievements were recognized in 2018 when the award for the top Canadian in NCAA Division One football was named the Jon Cornish Trophy honouring his career as a high school and professional player in Canada, and a college player in the NCAA.