Jeremaine Copeland to hitch former teammate Nik Lewis in Canadian Football Hall of Fame | USAEMALL.com

Jeremaine Copeland and Nik Lewis will soon be together again.

Copeland was named Thursday to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025, which also includes offensive linemen Bryan Chiu and Jovan Olafioye, defensive back Scott Flagel and linebacker Darryl Hall, along with former official Glen Johnson and longtime Regina Rams coach Frank McCrystal as builders.

All will be enshrined Sept. 19 in Hamilton.

Winnipeg Sun columnist Paul Friesen and Judy Owen of The Canadian Press will also be added to the Hall’s media wing.

Copeland and Lewis were teammates in Calgary from 2005 to 2009, helping the Stampeders win the 2008 Grey Cup. But they were also close off the field, often talking about wanting to lead the club to CFL greatness.

So it was only fitting that Lewis, a 2021 Hall of Fame inductee, delivered the news to Copeland via video call.

“We got really emotional but it was really worth it,” Copeland said. “It was a great time and it couldn’t have come any better, tell you the truth.”

But Lewis’ job wasn’t easy.

These days, Copeland, 48, works in construction and is often difficult to reach. So Lewis contacted Copeland’s older brother, who was able to connect with Copeland but remained coy regarding why.

“He’s my big brother and so I’m like, are there, you know, physical issues, is his health acting up?” Copeland said. “He asked me again, ‘When can we meet?’ and so I was like, ‘Let’s meet next week and get this thing done.’”

When Copeland and his brother finally met at their mother’s residence, Lewis and Stampeders president John Hufnagel were also participating in the video call, which Copeland noticed immediately.

“When I saw Nik and Huff, I asked if they (Stampeders) were looking for a new offensive co-ordinator,” Copeland said. “Once Nik started talking about my career, me being his big brother, how tight we are and what we’ve been through, well, I knew.

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“All of a sudden, we just both broke down crying like little kids, just happy with the situation of both of us being in (Hall of Fame). Nik was a big reason why I decided to come (to Calgary) because I knew I had another Ben Cahoon with me. That made it easier.”

Copeland spent his CFL career with Montreal (2001-2004), Calgary (2005-2009) and Toronto (2010-2011) before serving as a receivers coach with Hamilton (2012) and Saskatchewan (2015). He registered 622 catches for 10,037 yards and 75 TDs, becoming just the 15th player in league history to surpass 10,000 career yards.

Copeland also spent time with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys, and won a 2001 XFL championship with the Los Angeles Xtreme.

Chiu, 50, of Vancouver, spent his entire 13-year career with Montreal (1997-2009). A seven-time CFL all-star, Chiu was named the league’s top lineman in 2002.

Montreal amassed a stellar 152-81-1 record during Chiu’s tenure. The Als never missed the playoffs and won two Grey Cups in 2002 and 2009.

Chiu is currently the head football coach at Vancouver College, his alma mater.

“It has been so many years since I retired, and my life and path have taken me to a point where I get to coach high school kids,” Chiu said. “That’s really become my passion.

“So when I got the call, it was quite a surprise, but it was really fitting that it happened at Vancouver College, where I started my football career, and getting to share it with my team, my mom, my sisters, my family, it was heartwarming. I’m rarely speechless but definitely was that day.”

Olafioye was a model of consistency with B.C. (2010-2016, 2018) and Montreal (2017), playing a full 18-game schedule in eight seasons. The Detroit native was a six-time league all-star and a three-time nominee as top lineman, winning in 2012.

Olafioye, 37, won a Grey Cup in 2011 with B.C.

Flagel, 63, of Winnipeg, played 10 CFL seasons with the Bombers (1982-1987), Calgary (1988), Hamilton (1988-1989) and Ottawa (1989-1991). He registered 60 defensive take-aways (40 interceptions, 20 fumble recoveries) to sit 12th all-time and also blocked seven kicks.

A three-time CFL all-star, Flagel helped Winnipeg win the 1984 Grey Cup and was the league’s top Canadian in 1987.

“I just enjoyed playing the game and never really thought outside of that,” Flagel said. “I did think I wanted to be in Bombers Hall of Fame, which happened (2008,) and that was where I thought it would end.

“Big surprise … you could say it was the surprise of my life.”

Hall, 58, of Oscoda, Mich., revolutionized the linebacker spot during his time with Calgary (1990-1992, 1996-2000), possessing the ability to blitz but also drop back into coverage. In 143 career games, Hall recorded 546 total tackles (36 for loss), 23 sacks and 16 interceptions.

Twice a CFL all-star, Hall appeared in four Grey Cups, winning twice (1992, 1998). He also spent time in the NFL with Seattle (1989), Denver (1993-94) and San Francisco (1995).

Johnson, of Winnipeg, spent 24 years as a CFL official, working 416 games and 11 Grey Cups (five as head referee). He became the league’s vice-president of officiating in 2013 before being promoted to senior vice-president of football three years later, retiring in 2017.

McCrystal led the Rams to seven Canadian junior titles. He remained when the program transitioned to the collegiate ranks with the University of Regina in 1999, retiring after the 2014 season.

McCrystal was named top coach in both the CJFL (1993, 1998) and university ranks (2007). He’s also a member of the Regina Sports Hall of Fame.