Former FAMU's Printers serves up completions and contradictions

There is a wariness to Casey Printers born out of an unshakable belief that he's been plagued throughout his turbulent football career by the ill-formed perceptions of others. It's why, we suspect, that when approached after a long practice the other day by a reporter with whom he has no prior experience, he does not lay down his helmet and orange jersey-covered shoulder pads. No point it seems in conveying an "I've got time, ask away" message.

So he keeps shifting his equipment from hand to hand as the questions come and his arms tire. And even as he relaxes a bit and begins to let his guard down slightly as he surprisingly allows the minutes to tick on, he never does let the equipment drop. The 29-year-old Texan with the diamond stud earrings and engaging smile is about to embark on the first full season of his second stint with the B.C. Lions. And he remains as complex and contradictory, as puzzling and presumptuous, as ever.

Deciphering Printers is like peeling an onion. One layer gives way to another. The core of who he is remains buried. Few people in life get a second go-round as intriguing as the one Printers has been handed.

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Photo: Former Florida A&M quarterback Casey Printers will try to jump start his CFL career with the extra baggage of being the highest paid player in the Canadian Football League for the lowly Hamilton Ti-cats.

We expect to be right in there competing with them," Taaffe said. "We played very competitively most of the time. That's part of the growing process. When you've got a chance to win in the fourth quarter, that's the next step, learning how to close the deal."

The feeling is having Casey Printers at quarterback from the start of the season (he joined the Cats mid-2007) could go a long way to this team's return to the post-season. But will an improved Printers be enough to make up for weaknesses throughout the roster?

That's where veteran CFL talent guru Bob O'Billovich enters the picture, taking over as Hamilton's GM. Known for unearthing talent, most recently for the B.C. Lions, O'Billovich has also been forced to address a losing climate in Steeltown.

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Casey Printers mania grips CFL Tiger-Cats fans

Former Florida A&M University quarterback Casey Printers is the CFL highest paid player and the starting QB for the Hamilton Tiger- Cats.

The new face of the Hamilton Tiger-Cat franchise has filled soup bowls for the poor, built houses for the homeless, phoned season-ticket subscribers and yesterday drove the lane to score points in a charity basketball game.

Actually scoring points is what Casey and his sunshine band of Ticat promotional, media and community staff have been doing a lot of. During and after a Cops and Cats charity basketball tilt yesterday against the Hillfield-Strathallan Trojans, quarterback Casey Printers was mobbed by throngs of smiling school kids.

Printers said he has a few more trips to Hamilton planned from his home in Houston before camp.

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Printers transferred to FAMU in 2002, from Texas Christian University where he led the Horned Frogs to three straight BCS bowl games. He was attracted to playing in FAMU's high powered 'Gulf Coast Offense' under legendary Coach William "Billy Joe."

After graduating from FAMU, Printers signed with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, where he rose from third-string quarterback in 2003, to be named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2004 season, leading the Lions toward an appearance in the 92nd Grey Cup. The CFL MVP threw for 5,088 yards, 36 touchdowns in 2004.

Printers left Canada in 2006, and signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. He spent the 2006/07 seasons on the Chiefs practice squad, never getting activated to play in a regular season game.

In September 2007, the Tiger-Cats put an offer on the table that lured Printers back to the CFL. Printers said good bye to Herm Edwards and the K.C. Chiefs practice/developmental squad, and then signed a three contract worth $500,000 per season that includes an option for a fourth year and makes him the highest-paid player in the league.

Casey Printers and Quinn Gray (Houston Texans) are the only FAMU quarterbacks currently playing at the major level of professional football. Both played under Coach Billy Joe and his famous Gulf Coast Offense.

Casey is 26 years old and a native of DeSoto, Texas.

Website: http://www.ticats.ca/

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It's Final! Former MEAC QB highest paid player in CFL

Photo: Quarter-back Casey Printers as former member of Kansas City Chiefs

Congratulations are in order for former Florida A&M University and MEAC quarterback Casey Printers. The former NFL quarterback returned to the CFL and inked a three year deal today, worth roughly $500,000 a season, with a fourth option year with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

"I'm well-compensated," Printers said at a news conference. "I don't know if I'm the highest-paid, but I am happy and that's the most important thing."

Casey Printers Joins Ti-Cats, Becomes CFL's Highest-Paid Player.

After assuming their perennial position at the bottom of the CFL's East Division for yet another year, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will try just about anything, and on Thursday that anything was throwing a whole bunch of money at Casey Printers.

The hard-luck club inked the former NFLer Thursday, with the two agreeing to terms on a three-year deal worth roughly $500,000 a season.

In U.S. football terms that might not be a lot of dough, but the deal makes Printers the highest-paid player in the CFL, surpassing Edmonton Eskimos quarterback Ricky Ray, who earns about $460,000.

Printers became a viable option for CFL clubs after the 26-year-old was released by the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs ahead of the start of the NFL season. But in Canada Casey is still mighty, and there was no shortage of interest north of the border for the league's outstanding player in 2004.

Printers put up monster numbers that season, throwing for 5,088 yards and 35 touchdowns with the B.C. Lions.

Five CFL teams reportedly were interested in securing Printers, with Hamilton, Montreal and the Toronto Argonauts believed to be the frontrunners. Printers was reportedly ready to fly to Montreal and join the Als, but that was before the Ticats made him an offer he couldn't refuse, especially after spending last season on the Chiefs practice roster.

Coincidentally, Printers is the second ex-Chief to rejoin the CFL in the last week, after lanky slotback Marc Boerigter joined the Argos.

Printers said he thinks Hamilton was the best fit for him.

"The people here are hard-working, and that's the way I am," Printers said.

At first glance, the B.C. Lions seemed to be the most logical landing spot for Printers. However, he did ruffle the organization's feathers in '05 when there was a constant quarterback controversy regarding whether Printers or veteran Dave Dickenson would play. Also, Printers turned down a three-year, $1-million contract extension from the B.C. club before the start of the 2005 season, opting instead of leaving Vancouver in the off-season to sign a three-year deal with the Chiefs.

However, Printers never made an impact with the Chiefs, spending most of last year on the club's practice roster.

--Canadian Press, CityNews, ca and beepbeep

Former FAMU QB Casey Printers now highest paid player in CFL

The report coming out of Canada this afternoon indicates that former Florida A&M University and MEAC quarterback Casey Printers has returned to the Canadian Football League to continue his pro football career. Printers had signed in February 2006 with the NFL Kansas City Chiefs and had remained on the practice squad. He was cut this past Saturday and was offered an opportunity to resign with the Chiefs as a practice squad player for the current season at about $200,000 annually. He was only activated for one game at the number three QB spot for the Chiefs during last season.

Printers gave the Chiefs a kindly good bye and was being courted by five of the seven CFL teams. It is reported that Printers has signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at about $500,000 per season, making him the highest paid player in the CFL. Hamilton out-bid both Montreal and Toronto for the services of the 26-year veteran quarterback.

Printers player previously for the British Columbia Lions from 2003 to 2005 and was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2004. He is considered a franchise player in both skills and the ability to put butts in seats in the CFL.

For more information on this developing story, please check back later.

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