After 12 years of catching touchdowns and tribulations, former Houston Cougars star Steven Dunbar Jr. has officially hung up his cleats. The WR announced his retirement from professional football on February 17. He leaves the game for good after a final season with the Edmonton Elks.

On February 17, the Cougars WR took to X to pen an emotional retirement note: “I’m officially retiring from football. Thank you God. Thank you to my family for all the sacrifices along the years of me playing. Thank you to my teammates and coaches throughout the journey… Thank you to myself for giving it all you had. Looking forward to what’s next.”

Although he never found a permanent home in the NFL, Cougar Nation knows precisely what he meant to them. Dunbar first made waves at the University of Houston, where he was a total workhorse from 2014 to 2017. He suited up for 51 games and finished his college days as one of the best to do it for the Cougars. He finished his college career ranked 10th all-time in program history for both catches and receiving yards.

His pro journey was one heck of a ride. Steven’s story is a classic “late bloomer” tale that started on the basketball courts of Louisiana rather than the football field. He didn’t even touch competitive football until late in his junior year of high school. That’s almost unheard of for someone who ends up going pro.

After going undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft, he basically hit every professional football league to keep his dream alive. After competing in the XFL and NFL, he joined the UFL before finding his home in the CFL. Even though Dunbar spent time with the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos, he really hit his stride in Canada. Playing for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Edmonton Elks, he became a dominant force, earning CFL All-Star honors twice in 2022 and 2024.

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One of the most famous names on this list is quarterback A.J. McCarron, who won back-to-back national titles at Alabama before spending nearly a decade in the NFL. He eventually became the face of the St. Louis Battlehawks in the UFL, even choosing the spring league over NFL backup jobs so his kids could see him play more often.

Notably, Dunbar’s performance improved late in his career, unlike players whose performance decreases as they head into the final arc of their careers; he has actually become more reliable with the ball in his hands. In his last two seasons, his catch percentage was 70%. In context, that would be an A+ level by NFL standards.

Perhaps the most impressive stat of his career: zero fumbles in 425 receptions. But Dunbar isn’t riding off into the sunset entirely; he’s already transitioning to the next phase of his football life. Word is he has already started his new gig.

Steven Dunbar’s new office

Steven Dunbar Jr. essentially traded his jersey for a whistle by joining Destined Athletics. Think of this place as a high-performance lab for football players in Edmonton, not just a standard gym.

In his new office (usually a turf field), Steven is the go-to expert for offensive training. His main duty is fine-tuning the next generation of wide receivers and running backs at the academy, which serves as a pipeline for serious talent.

The facility was actually a training ground for Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) standouts and collegiate players. By going through this process, they had a better chance of making the leap to the pros. The agency also ties into the ID Series, a national scouting initiative that makes it much easier for athletes across Canada to get noticed by scouts.

By transitioning immediately into coaching, Dunbar is ensuring his hard-won experience doesn’t go to waste, paving the way for the next generation of players to follow in his footsteps.