The Calgary Stampeders have signed national kicker Rene Paredes to a contract extension. The five-time CFL all-star had been eligible to become a free agent next month.
The ten-year veteran was the West Division’s finalist for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award in 2021 and was named a division and league all-star for the fifth time in his career. He played all 14 regular season games for the Stamps and accounted for a league-leading 155 points, going 44-for-48 on field-goal attempts (91.7 percent) and 23-for-24 on extra points.
“Rene has consistently proven himself to be one of the most dependable kickers in the CFL and we’re pleased to have him back for another season,” said Stampeders’ president and general manager John Hufnagel in a press release.
Paredes became the tenth player in CFL history to make 400 career field goals in 2021 and set a new career single-game high by kicking six field goals in a win over the Edmonton Elks. He was successful on six field goals again in Week 11 against the B.C. Lions and in the process earned the CFL’s top-performer-of-the-week award.
“Calgary is home,” said Paredes. “My family and I are excited to be back and continue my football career with this amazing organization. After 10 years, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Time to get to work and bring the Cup back to Calgary.”
Paredes has played 175 career regular season games for the Red and White and 17 contests in the postseason. He is twelfth all-time in CFL history in regular season scoring and was the first player in CFL history to have four different seasons with a field goal success rate of at least 90 percent.
