Former Football Standout Charleston Hughes Inducted Into Canadian Football Hall of Fame
TORONTO – Charleston Hughes, a former standout for the Northwood University football team, has been inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
The announcement was made Wednesday (July 8).
Hughes played for 14 seasons and 202 games in the Canadian Football League (CFL), playing from 2008-22. After playing linebacker in his time at Northwood, Hughes made the switch to defensive end in the CFL. In his career with Calgary, Saskatchewan and Toronto, he led the league in sacks on five occasions and currently sits fifth all-time in league history (136). Hughes ended his professional career with 526 defensive tackles, 16 defensive takeaways, three defensive touchdowns and 52 tackles for a loss. He is tied for the most sacks in Calgary history (99). A finalist for Most Outstanding Defensive Player honors in 2013, Hughes was named to six All-CFL Teams and six All-CFL Divisional Teams. He reached the postseason 11 times, advancing to four Grey Cup games and winning the 96th championship with Calgary.
In his time at Northwood, Hughes was a two-time All-American, Hughes earned All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference four times in his career. The Saginaw, Michigan native led Division II in solo tackles in 2006, finishing the season with 81. Northwood won the GLIAC Championship in 2004 and earned three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament in his final three seasons as a Timberwolf. Hughes was inducted into the Northwood Athletic Hall of Fame in 2024.