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John Macdonald

John Macdonald

Mohawk

Induction Category:

Year Inducted

Athlete

2025

John Macdonald grew up in the Southern Ontario town of Simcoe, not far from extended family on Six Nations. Being gifted with a rare combination of size and speed, he quickly found his way onto the football field.  He also played rugby, track & field, soccer, and ice hockey and was voted “Most Outstanding Male Student” in his senior year of high school.

John was heavily recruited to play defensive line at many Canadian universities, but decided to attend McGill University. After five years, he left McGill as an all-star, an All-Canadian, and held the school record for tackles for loss in a career.  

He was selected in the first round, seventh overall by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 2002 Canadian Football League (CFL) draft. He played three years for Hamilton and was a starter in 2003.

He was very active in the community and continued his education during his CFL career with the goal of becoming a teacher. After retiring from pro football in 2004, John began teaching English, Native Studies, and Physical Education.

He’s been the head football coach of the Pauline Johnson Thunderbirds in Brantford, Ontario since 2019, winning a league championship in 2022. John has also been a guest coach at McGill University and the University of Guelph. He coached hockey, rugby, and field lacrosse in and around Brantford and Six Nations, winning provincial championships with two Six Nations Girls’ Field Lacrosse teams in 2013 and 2015.  

John helped build the S.O.A.R. Elite Athletic program at Pauline Johnson that prepared athletes to compete in NCAA and Canadian university sport.  

John has won many awards for his contributions to education, sport, and Indigenous advocacy including a Norfolk Sports Hall of Recognition Induction in 2017, a Dreamcatcher Charitable Foundation Education Award in 2018, and the CFL Alumni Association Indigenous Champion Award in 2023.   

John has supported Indigenous initiatives for McGill University, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Alumni Association, the CFL Alumni Association, and the CFL.

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