Mario Alford facts for kids
Alford with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2024
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| No. 2 – Saskatchewan Roughriders | |||||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | February 25, 1992 Greenville, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 177 lb (80 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Greenville | ||||||||
| College: |
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| NFL Draft: | 2015 / Round: 7 / Pick: 238 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||
| CFL status: | American | ||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Career CFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
| Player stats at CFL.ca | |||||||||
Mario Alford is an American professional football player. He plays as a wide receiver and a return specialist for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was born on February 25, 1992. Before playing professionally, Mario was a star college player for the West Virginia Mountaineers. In 2014, he was even named a first-team All-American, which means he was one of the best college players in the country!
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Mario's Professional Football Journey
Mario Alford has played for several teams in both the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is known for his speed and ability to return kicks and punts.
Playing for the Cincinnati Bengals
Mario was chosen by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2015 NFL Draft. He was picked in the seventh round. In his first year with the Bengals, he played in one game. He made one catch for 15 yards. The Bengals released him from their team in September 2016.
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Time with the New York Jets
In November 2016, Mario joined the New York Jets' practice squad. A practice squad is where players train with the team but are not on the main roster. He was released by the Jets in December 2016.
Joining the Cleveland Browns
Mario then signed with the Cleveland Browns' practice squad in December 2016. Soon after, he was moved to the Browns' main team roster. He stayed with the Browns until September 2017.
Brief Period with the Chicago Bears
In September 2017, Mario Alford signed with the Chicago Bears' practice squad.
Moving to the CFL: Toronto Argonauts
In June 2018, Mario started playing in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He signed with the Toronto Argonauts. During his time in Toronto, he played in six games. He caught seven passes for 57 yards. He also returned eight kick-offs and five punt returns. He left the Argonauts in May 2019.
Playing for the Montreal Alouettes
Mario joined the Montreal Alouettes in September 2019. He played with them for parts of three seasons. While with the Alouettes, he was a key player for returns. He had 24 kickoff returns and 26 punt returns. He even scored three touchdowns from punt returns!
Success with the Saskatchewan Roughriders
In July 2022, Mario was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. This is his current team. He had a fantastic season in 2022. He returned 38 kickoffs for 990 yards and two touchdowns. He also returned 44 punts for 530 yards and one touchdown. He even scored a touchdown from a missed field goal return!
For his amazing performance in 2022, Mario was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Special Teams Player. This award recognizes the best player on special teams in the CFL. In 2023, he continued to shine. He had over 2,200 combined yards from returns. He scored three touchdowns from punt returns, including two in one game against the Calgary Stampeders. In January 2024, Mario signed a new contract to stay with the Roughriders.
