The Hamilton Tiger-Cats re-signed wide receiver Shemar Bridges to a contract extension and signed wide receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. to a two-year contract through the 2027 season on Thursday.
Shemar Bridges is six foot four and weighs 208 pounds. The 28-year-old from Jacksonville, Florida, made 34 catches for 361 yards and two touchdowns in 18 games in 2025.
The Baltimore Ravens signed Bridges as an undrafted free agent on May 6, 2022. In 2022, he made six catches for 78 yards and one touchdown in three preseason games. The Ravens released him on August 30, 2022, and they re-signed him to the practice squad on November 30, 2022. The Ravens re-signed him on January 16, 2023. In 2023, he played in two preseason games. The Ravens released him on August 25, 2023.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats signed Bridges on January 22, 2024. In 2024, he made 83 catches for 933 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games. He was named a CFL East All-Star and earned East Division Most Outstanding Rookie honors.
Collegiately, Bridges played two seasons at Tusculum College (2017-18) with one catch for nine yards in six games for the Pioneers. Then, he transferred to Fort Valley State University (2019-21) with 92 catches for 1,358 yards, seven touchdowns, one carry for five yards, and two tackles (2 solos) in 16 games for the Wildcats.
Kurleigh Gittens Jr. is five foot eleven and weighs 191 pounds. The 28-year-old from Ottawa, Ontario, made 62 catches for 777 yards, four touchdowns, one carry for five yards, and one punt return for seven yards in 17 games for the Elks in 2025.
The Toronto Argonauts drafted Gittens in the third round (23rd pick) in the 2019 CFL Draft. In his rookie year, Gittens made one catch for three yards, 14 kick returns for 230 yards, two punt returns for eight yards, and one missed field goal return for 12 yards in 13 games.
In 2022, Gittens Jr. made 81 catches for 1,101 yards, five touchdowns, five carries for 21 yards, and 17 punt returns for 307 yards in 18 games, helping them win the 109th Grey Cup over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. In 2023, he made 35 catches for 416 yards, one touchdown, and one kick return for eight yards in ten games.
The Argonauts traded Gittens Jr. and a 2024 seventh-round draft pick to the Edmonton Elks on January 15, 2024, for defensive lineman Jake Ceresna and the rights to running back Khalan Laborn.
In four seasons in Toronto. Gittens has made 167 catches for 2,132 yards, ten touchdowns, eight carries for 14 yards, 32 kick returns for 545 yards, two punt returns for eight yards, and one missed field goal return for 12 yards in 54 games. He is a two-time CFL East All-Star (2021-22) and a CFL All-Star in 2022.
In 2024, Gittens Jr. made 85 catches for 847 yards, five touchdowns, and four carries for 31 yards in 17 games.
Collegiately, Gittens played four seasons at Wilfrid Laurier University (2015-18) with 205 catches for 2,682 yards, 15 touchdowns, three carries for 45 yards, 44 kick returns for 1,081 yards, one touchdown, and four punt returns for 101 yards in 32 games for the Golden Hawks.
Gittens was a three-time OUA Men’s Football First Team All-Star, two-time U SPORTS Men’s Football First Team All-Canadian, and was part of Wilfrid Laurier’s 2016 Men’s Football OUA Championship team.
