Saskatchewan Roughriders Mario Alford is the 5th player in CFL history to attain the returner hat trick in one season.
A return trifecta is a score on a punt return, kickoff return and missed field goal return.
He joins an elite company that includes Dominique Dorsey (Toronto Argonauts, 2007), Bashir Levingston (Argos, 2004), Marcus Thigpen (Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 2010) and Gizmo Williams (Edmonton Eskimos, 1990).
“I had (the accomplishment) in mind. Even though we were down — there was like 50-some seconds left on the clock — I just never quit and just showed what I was about and what type of player I am (on that punt return),” Alford said Wednesday after he was named the team’s nominee for the CFL award for most outstanding special-teams player. “I knew I had it once I broke those two tackles.
“I work hard and grinded for my time to come. Like I’ve said, if I stay healthy for a whole season, I’m a dangerous guy.”
“The thing about Mario is, he’s got a nose for the endzone,” head coach Craig Dickenson assessed. “I’ve coached a lot of guys over the years that can break tackles. They might go and they get tackled, but Mario, when he gets that sniff of the endzone it seems like he finds that extra gear and he gets it there.”
The talented returner no doubt increased his stock with the outstanding season he has had and should draw interest from plenty of teams if the Riders don’t get him signed to a contract extension.
“We will see where the cards play. I want to be back here and we will see how the off-season goes and go from there,” Alford said.
“I’m sure a lot of other teams would like to have me also. I’ll just sit down with my family, make a decision and go from there.”
