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Rider's Mario Alford proving he never ‘lost it' after stunning performance against Argonauts

Rider's Mario Alford proving he never ‘lost it' after stunning performance against Argonauts

CTV News25-06-2025
WATCH: The Saskatchewan Roughriders remain undefeated. Efforts by kick returner Mario Alford helped the team beat out the Argonauts. Jacob Carr reports.
WATCH: The Saskatchewan Roughriders remain undefeated. Efforts by kick returner Mario Alford helped the team beat out the Argonauts. Jacob Carr reports.
Riders' do-it-all specialist Mario Alford doesn't have the time of day for any doubters or naysayers. There were plenty coming into the 2025 season, saying the 33-year-old had lost a step, and his job as a punt and kick returner for the team was up for grabs.
Alford has shined this season, particularly in the kickoff return game, where he is averaging over 30 yards per return through three games.
His latest spectacular play, a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown to seal a win for Saskatchewan, helped the Riders improve to 3-0 on the season.
'Once I got through the hole and I set up my blockers and I saw green, I said 'I'm gone' and I just knew it then,' Alford said.
Last season was a down year by Alford's standards, averaging a hair under 24 yards per kickoff return and just 10 yards per punt return.
But the CFL veteran, who's now in his seventh year, has never lost faith in his abilities.
'I don't pay [critics] no attention, I don't hear the noise, the media, I don't even read that stuff. I didn't even know that was being said, I had people come and tell me about it, but again I know what type of player I am. I know what I can do, been doing it for a long time.'
It has been a long time, as mentioned, seven years now in the CFL ranks.
Alford was popping long return touchdowns going back to his college days as a West Virginia Mountaineer. In 2014, in the first game of the season, Alford recorded a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Fast forward to 2025 and the Riders are glad to have Alford rushing the length of the field for their team.
'I think our kickoff team has been outstanding this entire year and it was only a matter of time [before they broke one]. So, I'm just so happy for those guys because they work their tails off,' Alford added.
One guy working his tail off or at least trying to find a dirty shirt to block during Alford's touchdown return was Riders' defensive lineman Lake Korte-Moore. Alford joked about Korte-Moore nearly putting the kibosh on his game-clinching run.
'Yeah, he was kind of standing because he didn't have no one to block. So, he was just in the way, so I pushed him out the way and I just went up the sideline,' he laughed.
Alford's next chance to electrify Rider Nation will come at home on Saturday when they host the B.C. Lions.
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