Josh Bourke stood out on a football field for reasons beyond his hulking six-foot-seven, 315-pound frame.

Over the course of 10 seasons in the Canadian Football League, he developed into one of the game’s most proficient offensive linemen. Bourke spent the majority of his career with the Montreal Alouettes where he was described as an “anchor” of the offensive line and a “team leader both on and off the field.”

 Bourke’s work at offensive tackle made him a perennial East Division All-star from 2008 through 2014.

He was named CFL Lineman of the Year in 2011 and was a two-time winner of the Leo Dandurand Award as the East Division’s Lineman of the Year (2011, 2012). He earned CFL All-star honours those same two seasons.

Bourke helped the Alouettes win the Grey Cup in 2009 and 2010. When his contract expired in February 2013, the Alouettes re-signed him just two hours into free agency for a then league-record amount for a non-QB salary at $215,000 per season.

After nine years in Montreal, Bourke played one final, injury-plagued season with the Toronto Argonauts in 2016. The 34-year-old announced his retirement the following spring.

The Windsor native played high school football for St. Mary’s Preparatory in Orchard Lake Village, Mi. before moving on to Grand Valley State. He played for the GVS Lakers from 2000-2005 where he was named a first-team conference all-star and conference lineman of the year following the 2005 season.

The Alouettes selected Bourke in the third round of the 2004 draft but he returned to Grand Valley for his senior year. He signed as a free agent with the Green Bay Packers of the NFL in 2006 but never played in a regular-season game. Bourke now lines up as a deserving member of the Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame.