Former Calgary football player Burke Dales has been in the news because he died suddenly at the age of 46 under mysterious circumstances with his cause of death not known
Burke Dales, a former punter for the Calgary Stampeders who was instrumental in the club’s 2008 Grey Cup triumph, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday at the age of 46.
Who is ex-Calgary football player Burke Dales as he passes away, cause of death, obituary, bio, age, family
After playing football, Dales moved to Calgary from his hometown of Collingwood, Ontario. He made a lasting impression on the field, winning league accolades twice (2010–2011) and four times (2006, ’09, 2010–2011) as a West Division all-star. He previously played with the Montreal Alouettes (2003, 2013) and the Edmonton Elks (2012–2013) before retiring in May 2014.
Since then, many people have taken to social media to express their final condolences to him. Reflecting on Dales’ contributions, Stampeders president John Hufnagel remarked,
Burke excelled during his career with the Stampeders, and he brought an uncommon level of competitiveness to his position.
He added,
We offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends.
Due to this, Burke has become the talk of the town, with many people trying to know more about him. So, here’s what we know about him:
Who was Burke Dales?
Burke Dales was a renowned professional Canadian football punter. He has been in the news because he died suddenly at the age of 46 under mysterious circumstances.
He was born on 16 February 1977 in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada. At the time of his death, he was 46 years old. While not much is known about his family, it is known that he has a sister named Stacey, who is a former Women’s National Basketball Association player. Additionally, he has a cousin named Jason Arnott, who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League.
After completing his schooling, he attended Concordia University.
His height was 6 feet 3 inches, or 191 cm and his weight was 225 lbs, or 102 kg. He died on 7 January 2024 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and had a net worth of $1-5 million.
It is with great sadness the Calgary Stampeders learn of the death of Burke Dales.
A member of the Stampeders’ 2008 Grey Cup-championship team, Dales was 46. 💔 pic.twitter.com/5cTS9mu6S0
— Calgary Stampeders (@calstampeders) January 7, 2024
His career
Following his time as a player at Concordia University, Burke Dales went after NFL opportunities. He was particularly notable for being a kick-off specialist at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2002 training camp, where he displayed a straight-on placekicking technique not seen in the NFL since the 1980s.
After a brief stay with the Montreal Alouettes, Dales made the switch to the CFL and signed with the Calgary Stampeders in 2005. After exploring NFL interest, he finally returned to the Stampeders in 2009, despite receiving offers, including a contract, before Calgary’s 2008 Grey Cup victory.
Dales switched clubs, signing with the Edmonton Eskimos in 2012 and then playing a brief stint with the Montreal Alouettes again in 2013. He finally retired in May 2014, ending his career as a member of many CFL teams.
Burke Dales’ cause of death
The news of his death was shared by his team. However, the reason behind his death has not been made public.