ACQUIRED: Via trade with Montreal in July 2022; signed extensions in November 2022 and January of 2024.

YEARS WITH ROUGHRIDERS: 4

YEARS IN CFL: 8

2025: Signed new contract, Feb. 5 … four kickoff returns for 120 yards, plus a 60-yard missed field goal return, on June 5 vs. Ottawa.

2024: Returned opening kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown, Aug. 3 vs. Edmonton; fourth-fastest TD in Roughriders history (14 seconds) … Became the third Roughrider with 5,000-plus total return yards, Aug. 16 vs. Montreal … 75-yard missed field goal return, Sept. 28 vs. Ottawa … 40-yard punt return, Oct. 5 at Edmonton … six kickoff returns for 137 yards in Western Final, Nov. 9 at Winnipeg … finished the season with 79 punt returns for 801 yards (10.1-yard average) and 45 kickoff returns for 1,077 yards (23.9-yard average) and one TD.

CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

• CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: 2022
• League leader in return touchdowns: 2022
• Fifth player in league history to return for the cycle (a touchdown from a punt return, kickoff return and missed field goal return) in a season (2022)
• First-ever Rider to return for the cycle (2022)
• Broke the Roughriders’ record for return touchdowns in a season (4)
• West Division All-Star: 2023
• Tied Roughriders’ records for punt-return touchdowns in a game (two) and a season (three).
• Set Roughriders record for punt returns in a season (89 in 2023).

2023: Earned West Division All-Star honours after returning three punts for a touchdown. He scored twice against the visiting Calgary Stampeders on July 15. On Sept. 22 in Ottawa, he took off for a 107-yarder that tied him for the third-longest punt return in Roughriders history. That score increased Alford’s Club career record for return TDs (seven).

PRO: Played 13 games with the Green and White in 2022 after being acquired via trade with Montreal. Went on to have an historic season, recording four return touchdowns — the most in the league and a Roughrider record. He also became the fifth player in CFL history to return for the cycle (a touchdown from a punt return, kickoff return, and missed field goal return) in a season. In total, he recorded 43 punt returns for 524 yards (12.2-yard average) and one touchdown, 37 kickoff returns for 937 yards (25.3 average) and two touchdowns, and three missed field goal returns for 129 yards (43.0 average) and another major in 2022 … In 2021, he played in five games for the Alouettes, recording one catch for 14 yards. He took 17 punt returns for 268 yards and a touchdown as well as returning 16 kickoffs for 320 yards. In 2019, Alford saw action in three games for Montreal. He had nine punt returns for 218 yards and two touchdowns and six kickoff returns for 117 yards. Prior to joining the Alouettes, he played six games for the Toronto Argonauts, making seven catches for 57 yards and gaining 170 yards off eight kickoff returns.

COLLEGE: Alford played two seasons (2013-14) at West Virginia, suiting up for 22 games as a Mountaineer. He caught 92 career passes for 1,497 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also returned 37 kickoffs for 972 yards (26.3-yard average) and two touchdowns. In 2014, he led the NCAA in return touchdowns (two) and he led the Big-12 in receiving touchdowns (11). Prior to attending West Virginia, Alford was a running back with the Georgia Military Bulldogs (2011-12) and, in his second season, led the team with 541 yards rushing and six touchdowns.

FAST FACT: Alford farms near Sistersville, W. Va., during the off-season.

MEDIA

• VIDEO: Aug. 17, 2022 interview
• VIDEO: Sept. 13, 2022 interview
• VIDEO: Oct. 26, 2022 interview
• March 26, 2023: Roughriders’ Mario Alford returns to the farm every off-season
• Aug. 3, 2023: Life on the farm is kinda laid-back for Roughriders’ Mario Alford
• July 16, 2023: Super Mario’s meteoric rise in the record book
• VIDEO: Sept. 8, 2023 interview
• VIDEO: Sept. 22, 2023 post-game
• Nov. 2, 2023: Alford, Dean, Korsak named West Division All-Stars
• April 17, 2024: Mario Alford has travelled a long distance in a short time
• June 14, 2024: “The story is Mario Alford”: Riders returner still has afterburners
• June 21, 2024: Roughriders’ Alford revels in return to receiving roots
• VIDEO: Aug. 3, 2024 post-game
• Aug. 7, 2024: Key blocks and starting blocks: Dissecting Mario Alford’s latest return TD
• Feb. 5, 2025: Alford re-ups with Riders
• Feb. 27, 2025: Alford “excited” to sign new contract