BY PERRY LEFKO
sportsnet.ca

The Calgary Stampeders have signed a player who is listed as a sexual offender in the United States because they say they have done extensive due diligence on his background and believe he deserves a chance to compete for a job on their team.

The Stamps announced on Saturday the signing of Tony Washington, a 25-year-old offensive lineman who pled guilty eight years ago to having consensual sex with his biological sister, Caylen when he was 16 and she was a year younger.

"The truth is he’s a very nice, outstanding young man," Stamps general manager/head coach John Hufnagel told Sportsnet.ca. "He’s a good person and potentially a good player. There have been some players for some reason or another that you have to help make sure (their) affairs are settled and you still hold your breath on whether or not they can get into the country. When we get into a free-agent history, the checklist is ‘What is his history?’ If he does have a history and does fall into that category of second chance, then we want to find out more about that person ‘s background."

According to a recent article in Sports Illustrated, Caylen said she was coerced into admitting the incest relationship with her brother, but not in the way it was being presented to her by the police. Washington was prosecuted, sentence to jail for four months and then registered as a sex offender. His family has stood by him.

Washington, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 311 pounds, excelled playing youth football and attended a community college in Texas. He later transferred to Abilene Christian and was named a two-time Division II All-American.

He did well at the NFL Combine this year in strength and agility drills.

Mike Mayock of the NFL Network opined: "There's no real way to tell how much this (sexual offence history) could affect Washington's draft stock because he made the mistake so long ago. Based on sheer ability, Washington would project as a probable first-round pick."

But no team was willing to draft him.

Players who have been rejected or outlawed in the NFL for various reasons – be it something as simple as size or something more complicated involving disciplinary or health issues – have found their careers restored north of the border.

This situation is believed to be unique.

Hufnagel said the Stamps did extensive due diligence prior to making the signing. He talked to Washington several times over the phone, conversed with people who previously coached him, school authorities at Abilene Christian, police and then invited him to a tryout camp in Florida, where he met face to face for the first time and had further conversations.

The publicity that has already been created when word spread of the potential signing a few days ago created an immediate reaction as various websites have already posted articles with the headline Stamps Sign Sex Offender.

"We’re sensitive to public opinion," Hufnagel said. "I can only say I’m comfortable having Tony be in training camp competing to try and win a job. When this first came out obviously it was a topic on our website. From the first post of ‘what’s going on’ to then being able to read and understand the full story I’d say the majority of them were hoping he’d get into the country and would have a second chance. The Calgary Stampeders are not the first team that has allowed him to try and continue with his dream of playing football."

Washington had to provide extensive documents to immigration authorities to receive entry into Canada.

He was playing for the Chicago Rush of the Arena League most recently, and was allowed out of his contract to sign with the Stamps, who were pursuing him for a year.

"This is a start," Washington was quoted in the Calgary Sun after his first practice Saturday morning. "I feel this is the break I needed to get to show people I can play football. I’m just trying to play football and live my life. In my locker room people are understanding and in other locker-rooms, not so much. The locker rooms I’ve been in they take care of their guys and I’ve never heard anything bad from any team since I was out of high school."

"I’ve dealt with it," he added. "My family has moved on and I’ve moved on. I’m taking it step by step and I hope that people see that. I try to be proactive when I come to a new community and show people that you have nothing to worry about. I’m just a guy playing pro football, raising his kids and living his life."