Los Angeles Rams Canadian kicker Lirim Hajrullahu has been boosting his field goal range during COVID-19 isolation training.
Throughout his CFL career, Hajrullahu has hit a number of kicks from 50-plus yards with a career long of 56. Hajrullahu signed a three-year contract with the Rams in April.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats released Hajrullahu in January to pursue NFL opportunities. L.A. had an opening at placekicker after Greg Zuerlein left for the Dallas Cowboys in free agency. Hajrullahu was hitting three-pointers on Canadian soil from nearly 80 yards.
Born in Kosovo, Hajrullahu and his family fled the region when he was a nine-year-old as Serbian forces attacked their town. More than a million ethnic Albanians were displaced and 11,000 were killed in a war that lasted 18 months in the late 1990s.
The family ended up in a refugee camp in neighbouring Macedonia. The family bypassed a chance to immigrate to the U.S. and opted for Canada instead, ultimately settling in the St. Catharines area. He didn’t even know what football was until coming to Canada.
The 30-year-old Hajrullahu uses the sacrifices his family made as motivation and it’s paying off. Lirim the Leg is upgrading his ability as a kicker in preparation for NFL training camp. Hitting kicks from 75 and 77 yards is sure to garner the attention of Rams head coach Sean McVay.
