Hamilton Tiger-Cats sign Kenny Lawler to rich contract extension

Photo courtesy: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed Kenny Lawler to a contract extension through 2028, the team announced on Tuesday. The deal is worth $1 million over three years, sources have confirmed to 3DownNation. TSN was first to report the financial details.

The 31-year-old led the CFL with 14 receiving touchdowns last season. He ranked second behind Keon Hatcher with 1,443 receiving yards and tied for third in receptions with 86.

“We’re thrilled to sign a long-term extension for one of the great playmakers in CFL history,” said president of football operations Orlondo Steinauer in a statement.

“His ability to impact the game is unique, and he has quickly become an important leader on our football team. His involvement within the community and the respect he has earned within the organization and our city are what we are all about with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.”

In 81 career regular-season CFL games, Lawler has recorded 342 receptions for 5,551 yards with 39 touchdowns. He was an All-CFL selection in 2021 and 2025, and earned West Division all-star honours in 2022.

The six-foot-one, 180-pound target also played an integral role in two Grey Cup wins with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2019 and 2021.

Prior to arriving in the CFL, the University of California product was selected in the seventh round, 243 overall during the 2016 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks, spending parts of two seasons on the practice roster.

Lawler originally signed with the B.C. Lions in 2018 but failed to crack the roster, landing on Winnipeg’s practice squad later that same year.

This would mark the third time Lawler has become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the CFL. In 2022, he signed with the Edmonton Elks and earned $305,000 and he collected $300,000 in Hamilton in 2025.

The Tiger-Cats opened training camp on Sunday, May 10. The team lost 20-10 in its first preseason game against the Toronto Argonauts. Hamilton will finish the preseason against Toronto on Friday, May 29. Final roster cuts are due on Saturday, May 30, after which the team will play its first regular-season game against the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday, June 4.

The Ticats selected Louisiana Tech offensive lineman Jonathan Denis with their first-round pick in the 2026 CFL Draft. The team’s other major offseason additions include quarterback Tre Ford, receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr., and linebacker Wynton McManis.

In 2025, the Tiger-Cats finished first in the East Division standings with an 11-7 record, though the team lost the East Final to the Montreal Alouettes.