as the Saskatchewan Roughriders take on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in CFL action in Regina, SK, August 3, 2024. Photo Electric Umbrella/Liam Richards
Mario Alford’s latest birthday present arrived 20 days early — in the form of a new contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“I just turned 33 on Tuesday and I get a lot of people saying, ‘How do you feel playing at such a high level at your age?’ ” says Alford, who has scored a franchise-record eight return touchdowns over three seasons with the Green and White.
“It’s a beautiful thing to still be able to do something that you love. You don’t call it work. You call it fun — and you get paid to do what you love to do. That’s pretty danged awesome.”
The same can be said of Alford’s performance since being acquired by Saskatchewan in a July 3, 2022 trade with the Montreal Alouettes.
In just 13 games as a first-year Roughrider, he scored on four returns — two kickoffs, one punt and one missed field goal — en route to being named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player in 2022.
He also became just the fifth player in CFL history to return for the cycle (scoring in three different ways) in a season. It was a first-time feat for a Roughrider.
Alford followed up in 2023 by scoring on three punt returns, including two in one game. He tied Roughriders single-season records in both categories.
In 2024, he took a kickoff return 101 yards to the house and became the first Roughrider to score at least one return TD in three consecutive regular seasons.
(Curtis Mayfield registered a hat trick over the 1997, 1998 and 1999 campaigns, but his 1997 special teams TD was in the playoffs.)
“I’m blessed … knock on wood,” Alford says. “I’ve been able to be pretty injury-free. My whole professional career, I’ve only had one major injury. I broke my ankle back in 2021. There are little nicks here and there, but that’s normal.
“I just try to keep my body healthy. I go to do my yoga every week. I go to my stretching class. I eat well enough to be able to do this.
“At this age, I know what I’m supposed to do and what’s right for me to keep my body right. I do everything in my power just to keep moving and keep going.”
As a result, he keeps moving up the CFL’s list.
Alford is seventh all-time in return touchdowns, with 11 (eight with Saskatchewan and three with Montreal).
Henry (Gizmo) Williams leads the way with 31 return TDs, followed by Bashir Levingston (15), Brandon Banks (13), Keith Stokes (12), Earl Winfield (12), Janarion Grant (12) and Alford (11).
Among those players, Grant has played the fewest regular-season games (57), followed by Alford (64).
Alford (eight) and Corey Holmes (six) are the only players with more than three return TDs as a Roughrider.
“Individual accolades don’t matter to me,” Alford states. “I want to win. As far as where I’m at in my career, it’s about winning a championship.
“That’s the main goal for me — to win games and win a championship. Then everything else will fall into place.”
Alford saw that process unfolding last year, when the Roughriders rebounded from back-to-back 6-12-0 seasons and went 9-8-1 — finishing second in the West, earning a home playoff game and advancing to the division final.
“That’s another reason I signed back,” he says. “We’ve pretty much got the same pieces put in place.
“It’s awesome to keep the team together. That’s how you win championships. The guys know each other. You already know all about each and every one of them. Everyone will go to war for each other and battle and fight.
“We’re close, man. We’ve just got to hit the ground running and get it done.”
With the deal done, Alford looks forward to running at his accustomed high speed once again as a Roughrider.
“I’m very excited,” he says. “I’ve been around for a while and know the game and love playing for the Riders and love playing for that province.
“It was automatic, man. Saskatchewan has been good to me. It’s only right that I come back.”
