VANCOUVER — Marcus Sayles is capable of delivering a pick-six or a kick-six.
Most recently, he returned an interception 54 yards for a touchdown to help the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeat the visiting Toronto Argonauts 30-23 on July 4.
It was the second CFL touchdown for Sayles, who took a pick to the house from 45 yards away to help the B.C. Lions win a 40-32 shootout with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Oct. 15, 2022.
The latter game was played at BC Place, where the Roughriders are to oppose the B.C. Lions on Saturday (5 p.m., TSN, CKRM).
Upon arrival in Vancouver on Friday, the always-cheerful Sayles was delighted to discuss his two CFL majors, plus a touchdown from 2015 that must be seen to be believed — several times, it is recommend, and ideally in slow-motion.
As a kick-blocker nonpareil for the University of West Georgia Wolves, Sayles scored a nine-yard TD against the Clark Atlanta Panthers on Sept. 26, 2015 after a punt travelled two, perhaps three, millimetres and conveniently hit him in stride.
“He kicked it right into my stomach,” Sayles said with a laugh. “I was able to catch it and score a touchdown. It was crazy. I didn’t really notice that I had (the football) at first.
“It was just fun. My coach was able to get me off the edge a lot of times in college. When everybody’s able to do their thing, plays like that happen.”
That touchdown resulted from one of the school-record seven — yes, seven — kicks Sayles blocked in 14 games as a junior at West Georgia.
Overall, he blocked 13 kicks during his time as a collegian in Carrollton, Ga.
Although the special teams success became a matter of routine, there wasn’t anything conventional about the aforementioned score against Clark Atlanta.
ESPN showed the play as part of a top-10 compilation.
Sayles’ blink-and-you’ll-miss-it punt-block was also a sensation on social media and YouTube.
“I never thought I could have made something like that, but it was fun,” Sayles said.
Sayles arrived at West Georgia with a reputation as a multi-purpose playmaker.
He celebrated his 16th birthday in grand style by scoring on a 66-yard fumble return while representing the Cougars of Chattahoochee High School on Oct. 1, 2010.
As a high school senior in Alpharetta, Ga., he caught a 78-yard touchdown pass on Oct. 27, 2011.
Sayles marked his college football debut, as a redshirt freshman, by blocking a punt — teammate David Singleton returned that one for a 19-yard TD — and making an interception against the Mars Hill Lions on Sept. 7, 2013. Gulf South Conference player-of-the-week honours followed.
Sayles’ first NCAA pick-six took place on Oct. 15, 2016, when he stepped in front of a West Alabama Tigers pass and sprinted 81 yards to six points.
Upon graduation, he spent time in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams in 2017 before joining the Blue Bombers the following year.
With Winnipeg in 2019, he became a West Division All-Star and a Grey Cup champion.
Sayles tried out for the Minnesota Vikings in 2020 before spending the next three seasons with B.C.
In 2022, he was named a CFL and West Division All-Star after intercepting a career-high four passes, one of which was a pick-six at the expense of then-Blue Bombers quarterback Dru Brown.
“That was fun, too, because I was going against guys I had played with before as well,” Sayles said.
“It’s all fun to me. Playing with Saskatchewan and the Riders, it almost feels like playing with the Lakers.
“I just have fun every single day. I love coming to work. I love working with these guys. They just make it easy for me to play here.”
He joined the Roughriders on June 4, just two days after being released by the Lions.
“It caught me off-guard,” said Sayles, who had signed a two-year contract extension with B.C. in early February. “I just didn’t see it coming.
“At the same time, God blessed me with another opportunity to play football and that’s the biggest thing that I want to do. I want to keep playing. I still feel like I have a lot to give to the game.
“Unfortunately, I wasn’t a part of what they were trying to build, but Sask was able to pick me up and I’m ready to go here.”
Sayles made his debut with the Roughriders only 12 days after his signing was announced by the team.
Most recently — in his third game in green and white — he scored what proved to be the game-winning TD by snapping a 20-20 tie with 6:26 remaining in the fourth quarter against Toronto.
“I haven’t had too many pick-sixes in my career, but it was fun,” said Sayles, who registered two pass knockdowns versus the Argonauts before snaring an overthrow and taking off down the right sideline.
“Credit to everybody else for doing their job. It wasn’t even really my play to make, but I was in a good place at a good time.
“Credit to the defence. We’re flying around and hopefully we can get the ball in everybody’s hands, too.”
