Jim Germany never intended to stick around in Edmonton.
In fact, if the Double-E hadn’t made him so upset, he never would have become one of the best tailbacks in franchise history and the primary surface weapon in the offensive arsenal of the CFL’s greatest dynasty.
Germany, a three-time 1,000-yard rusher who was the feature back on the Green and Gold teams that won five straight Grey Cups between 1978 and 1982, will take his place on the EE Wall of Honour Saturday when he is inducted as part of the Class of 2022 alongside former teammates Joe Hollimon and Ed Jones.
“I’m elated,” says Germany. “Any time you can have the team that you play for say that you’re one of the all-time greats, that’s very gratifying, and also just knowing the people in Edmonton. When I played football, I basically played for the people simply because they worked so hard and they motivated me to play as hard as I could.”
Jim Germany, a 3 time 1,000-yard rusher who won FIVE straight Grey Cups between 1978 – 1982, will take his place on the EE Wall of Honour Saturday when he is inducted as part of the Class of 2022.
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The New Mexico State University product first came to Edmonton in 1977, two years after he had been a second round NFL draft pick by the St. Louis Cardinals. A serious leg injury had derailed his pro career before it could even get started, and he was on the verge of hanging up the cleats when he got a call from then-EE head coach Ray Jauch offering a signing bonus to play north of the border.
Germany didn’t even know where Edmonton was, but he wasn’t about to turn down the money. So he took it and packed for training camp, even if playing in the Alberta capital wasn’t something he really seriously considered.
“I only had one bag with a pair of shorts, a pair of jeans and a t-shirt because I was coming up there to get cut,” Germany says.
“I came up there expecting to get cut, and the very first thing when I came in was huge mountain of snow, and I’m like wait a minute, what in the heck is going on? Snow? In May? And I’m like, ‘Woah. I’m definitely going to make sure that I get cut really quick’.”
That all changed, however, when Germany got to training camp and looked at the depth chart.
They put me in line with the other running backs, and they had my listed as running back No. 15, and then my ego got involved and I’m like, ‘What the hell? do they know who they’re messing with? I was the 33rd player picked and they got me 15?’”
So upset by this perceived slight was Germany that he proceeded to outperform the other backs in training camp. He started the 1977 season at fullback, became Edmonton’s top running back in 1978. He was a CFL All-Star in 1979 and 1981 and played until 1983, finishing his career with 5,730 rushing yards in Green and Gold, 65 rushing touchdowns, and, of course, the five championship rings.
“History from that point forward,” Germany says.