Cody Jamieson is Driven By Championships, Not Milestones

When the Halifax Thunderbirds make their way into a conversation of NLL fans, inevitably, there is one man who comes to mind above all others: a lacrosse luminary named Cody Jamieson. Competing in his 14^th NLL season, the 2010 first overall selection of the original Rochester Knighthawks (relocated to Nova Scotia in 2019) is nothing short of an institution of the Curt Styres-owned organization.

Last weekend, the 37-year-old added yet another point of emphasis to his resume when notching career goal 350. While this milestone may have garnered a bevy of attention around the League, Jamieson himself doesn’t pay much attention to personal accomplishments.

Goal No. 350 for Cody Jamieson! 🎯 A true NLL great keeps adding to his legacy! 👏🔥 pic.twitter.com/Tjpj4FTMV3

— NLL (@NLL) March 2, 2025

“Honestly, I wouldn’t even have known about it if somebody hadn’t told me the day before. I don’t play this game for those things. It’s been a while since I won a championship in the NLL, and that’s kind of all I focus on,” shared Jamieson.

Jamieson goes for number 351 when the Thunderbirds host the Toronto Rock during Week 15’s NLL Friday Night on TSN telecast.

In the wake of scoring the game-winning goal for the Syracuse Orange field lacrosse program during sudden death in the 2010 NCAA title game, the Six Nations of the Grand River product continued his winning ways at the professional level, serving as an integral member of Rochester’s back-to-back-to-back championship run from 2012-2014.

Eleven years removed from savoring the sweet taste of championship glory, Jamieson’s Thunderbirds are playing as well as any team in the league, owning a 7-4 record courtesy of a five-game winning streak. While the 2014 NLL MVP likes the direction his team is heading, Jamieson strongly believes that there is significant work to be done. There is absolutely zero resting on one’s laurels in the locker room that Jamieson is a member of.

“It doesn’t feel like a five-game winning streak,” explained Jamieson. “It’s been hard. There have been many mid-game struggles. Maybe instead of only playing for 32 minutes the way we want to play, maybe now we’re playing for 42, maybe that’s the difference. We’re playing a little bit more of our style for longer in the game. But I don’t think we’re anywhere close to what we’re capable of being. We still haven’t put together even 50 or 55 minutes of a lacrosse game.”

“Hey Siri, show me perfect ball movement. Has Damude spinning like a dreidel.” – @PGreggy

Jamieson finishes it off for @HFXThunderbirds pic.twitter.com/hXvfGNnCMY

— NLL (@NLL) February 15, 2025

The lefty forward later noted, “sometimes the offense is rolling, but the defense kind of struggles. Or when the defense is rolling, the offense kind of struggles. So, we haven’t seen a complete game from the two sides at one time yet, plenty of things to improve on.”

With pedal firmly planted to metal, Jamieson and his teammates are not merely chasing championship glory for one another. Every man from Jamieson on down feels a responsibility to reciprocate the level of support conveyed by a Halifax fan base breathlessly thirsty for a title. Taking the field in year six of their Nova Scotia existence, Jamieson is not shy in expressing the unique circumstances that come with playing home games on Canada’s serene East Coast.

Halifax Thunderbirds vs Vancouver Warriors on January 31, 2025 at the Scotiabank Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Thunderbirds)

“Halifax is a big-time sports town with a small-town feel,” said the prolific scorer. “It’s very intimate. It’s not the biggest arena, but it’s perfect, right on the hill downtown, looking over the water. Everybody walks to the games. There’s not very much parking. So pregame and postgame you’re walking through, you get recognized, and told good luck on your way in. And that’s awesome. Once you get inside the building, the atmosphere is great. It’s electric, it’s loud.”

Jamieson beamed when contemplating late springtime lacrosse in Nova Scotia’s largest municipality.

“A long playoff run is exactly what the city of Halifax needs. I think this team is capable of doing it.”

This season, Jamieson has posted a stat line of seven goals and nine assists, coming off a 2023-2024 effort that featured a highly respectable output of 22 scores and 41 helpers. Eight years removed from a series of ACL-related issues, the wily veteran entertains fleeting thoughts of walking away from the game he loves. To date, those inclinations have all been cast aside like an erstwhile defender, as both body and mind remain fully capable of taking the field and pursuing the next goal.

NO…WAY…Cody Jamieson you are INSANE.
Jamieson nets a one-handed through the legs beaut top shelf 🤯#SCTop10 Call em’ up! ☎️ pic.twitter.com/was0lyvRUp

— NLL (@NLL) February 10, 2024

“Thoughts regarding my future come and go particularly when you have a bad game, or when you’re sore the next day, or the day after,” he contemplated. “I take it year by year… At the start of that tenure, the first contract I signed, I hoped I could make it through this, and I almost didn’t with those injuries. Everything is now just a bonus. I’m thankful that I’m still able to play the game at this level and I’m still having fun. I’m trying to stay healthy enough to finish this season off and hopefully win the championship. We’ll see what I feel like come next training camp.”

With more yesterdays than tomorrows prevailing as the stark reality of a professional athlete born in 1987, Jamieson’s long and storied career has prompted an interesting perspective on life in the NLL, particularly related to those he competes against, along with the groups of people who play the most important roles in the co-existing games of lacrosse and life.

“I think it’s all about my enjoyment. I think that’s it. Playing the game of lacrosse is fun. I wouldn’t still try to keep up with these young guys, fresh out of college, if I wasn’t having fun. I remain thankful for my wife, who still supports me playing. It’s important to show my kids that they could do whatever the heck they want to do in life. That’s what pushes me. And obviously, the locker room, playing the game itself, and hanging out with the boys. That’s the best.”

Tune in on March 7 at 6:30pm ET for NLL Friday Night on TSN as the Toronto Rock take on the Halifax Thunderbirds. Watch on TSN, TSN+, ESPN+, & NLL+.