Patrice Rene

Patrice Rene
No. 24     BC Lions
Rene with the BC Lions in 2024
Born: (1997-11-19) November 19, 1997 (age 27)
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Career information
StatusActive
CFL statusNational
Position(s)Defensive back
Height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight206 lb (93 kg)
UniversityRutgers
North Carolina
High schoolEpiscopal High
CFL draft2021, round: 3, pick: 21
Drafted byWinnipeg Blue Bombers
Career history
As player
2022Winnipeg Blue Bombers
2023–presentBC Lions
Career stats

Patrice Rene (born November 19, 1997) is a Haitian professional Canadian football defensive back for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

College career

Rene originally committed to playing for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in 2016, but changed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after Rutgers underwent a coaching change prior to his arrival.[1][2] He played college football for the Tar Heels from 2016 to 2020, while using a redshirt season in 2019 due to an ACL injury.[2][3][4] He played in 45 games, starting in 26, where he had 103 total tackles, two interceptions, and one forced fumble.[5]

After finishing his degree, Rene transferred to Rutgers University, as he originally intended, to complete a master's degree.[1][2] While playing for the Scarlet Knights, he dressed in five games and recorded eight tackles.[5]

Professional career

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Rene was drafted in the third round, 21st overall, by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 2021 CFL Draft.[1] However, he completed his college eligibility that year and signed with the team for the following season on May 4, 2022.[6] Following training camp in 2022, he began the season on the team's practice roster.[7] He then made his professional debut in Week 12, on August 25, 2022, against the Calgary Stampeders, but was injured on a kickoff and was out for the remainder of the season.[5][8] He was later released shortly after the end of the season on December 2, 2022.[9]

BC Lions

On May 5, 2023, Rene signed with the BC Lions.[10] He made the team's opening day active roster in 2023, primarily playing on special teams.[11] He played in 16 regular season games where he recorded 12 special teams tackles.[4] Rene earned a starting defensive role for BC in 2024, and recorded his first career sack on Edmonton Elks quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson on June 27, 2024.[12] In 17 regular season games, Rene recorded 36 defensive tackles and 14 special teams tackles.[4] On December 28, 2024, Rene signed a two-year contract extension with BC.[13]

Personal life

Rene was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to parents Marie and Pierre and has three brothers and one sister.[1] His family later moved to Ottawa, Ontario, where he grew up.[14] Rene played his high school football at Episcopal High School in Virginia where he played for head coach Panos Voulgaris.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Draft Profile | Patrice Rene". Winnipeg Blue Bombers. May 13, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Patrice Rene's 'full circle' journey finally brings him to Rutgers". Rutgers Scarlet Knights football. June 7, 2021.
  3. ^ "Patrice Rene". Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "Patrice Rene". BC Lions. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "B.C. Lions sign Canadian cornerback Patrice Rene, four others". 3DownNation. May 5, 2023.
  6. ^ "Bombers sign trio of players including '21 Draft pick Patrice Rene". Canadian Football League. May 4, 2022.
  7. ^ "Bombers trim down roster, name practice squad ahead of Week 1". Winnipeg Blue Bombers. June 4, 2022.
  8. ^ "Bombers sign trio of players including '21 Draft pick Patrice Rene". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. May 4, 2022.
  9. ^ "Bombers cut Canadian defensive backs Malcolm Thompson, Patrice Rene". 3DownNation. December 2, 2022.
  10. ^ "Lions sign five including former Winnipeg draft pick Patrice Rene". BC Lions. May 11, 2022.
  11. ^ "Game Notes" (PDF). Canadian Football League. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  12. ^ "He was NFL-bound until he wasn't. Now Patrice Rene is back on track with the B.C. Lions". The Province. July 7, 2024. Archived from the original on July 8, 2024.
  13. ^ "Rene Stays In Black And Orange Through 2026". BC Lions. December 28, 2024.
  14. ^ "5 Ottawa-raised players set to blitz NFL draft". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. February 12, 2022.