Mario Alford
{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1992)}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Mario Alford
| image = 2024, 02, Mario Alford.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Alford with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2024
| current_team = Saskatchewan Roughriders
| number = 2
| position = Wide receiver
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|2|25|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Greenville, Georgia, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 8
| weight_lbs = 177
| high_school = Greenville
| college = {{ubl|Georgia Military (2011–2012)|West Virginia (2013–2014)}}
| draftyear = 2015
| draftround = 7
| draftpick = 238
| pastteams =
- Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|2015}})
- New York Jets ({{NFL Year|2016}})*
- Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|2016}})
- Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|2017}})*
- Toronto Argonauts ({{CFL Year|2018}})
- Montreal Alouettes ({{CFL Year|2019|2022}})
- Saskatchewan Roughriders ({{CFL Year|2022}}–present)
| status = Active
| cflstatus = American
| highlights =
- John Agro Special Teams Award ({{CFL Year|2022}})
- CFL West All-Star ({{CFL Year|2023}})
- First-team All-American (2014)
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 1
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 15
| statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue3 =
| pfr = A/AlfoMa00
| cflstatlabel1 = Receptions
| cflstatvalue1 = 8
| cflstatlabel2 = Receiving yards
| cflstatvalue2 = 71
| cflstatlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| cflstatvalue3 =
| cflstatlabel4 = Return yards
| cflstatvalue4 = 2,834
| cflstatlabel5 = Return touchdowns
| cflstatvalue5 = 7
| cfl = mario-alford/161183/
}}
Mario Alford (born February 25, 1992) is an American professional football wide receiver and return specialist for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers, earning first-team All-American honors in 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/rankinfile/2014/08/28/wvu-wr-mario-alford-very-familiar-with-sec-football/14761821/|title=WVU WR Mario Alford very familiar with SEC football|author=Duane Rankin, Montgomery Advertiser|date=August 28, 2014|work=The Montgomery Advertiser|access-date=July 8, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://wvmetronews.com/2014/03/07/no-longer-pressing-to-be-the-next-tavon-alford-proves-dynamic-at-new-spot/|title=WV MetroNews – No longer pressing to be the next Tavon, Alford proves dynamic at new spot|work=WV MetroNews|date=March 7, 2014 |access-date=July 8, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://wvmetronews.com/2014/08/03/upbeat-alford-going-to-ball-out-in-his-senior-season/|title=WV MetroNews – Upbeat Alford 'going to ball out' during senior season|work=WV MetroNews|date=August 3, 2014 |access-date=July 8, 2015}}
Professional career
=Cincinnati Bengals=
Alford was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round, 238th overall, in the 2015 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=2015 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2015/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He played in one game his rookie year with the Bengals registering one catch for 15 yards. On September 3, 2016, he was released by the Bengals.{{cite web|title=Bengals Roster 2016: Cincinnati's 53-man roster is set|url=http://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/9/3/12780588/bengals-roster-2016-cincinnati-53-man-roster-is-set-every-player|author=Toback, Rebecca|website=CincyJungle.com|date=September 3, 2016|access-date=November 16, 2016}}
=New York Jets=
On November 16, 2016, Alford was signed to the practice squad of the New York Jets.{{cite web|title=Jets Sign WR Mario Alford to Practice Squad|url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-sign-wr-mario-alford-to-practice-squad-18093629|author=Lange, Randy|website=NewYorkJets.com|date=November 16, 2016}} He was released by the team on December 6, 2016.{{cite web|title=Jets Waive C.J. Spiller and Jeremy Ross|url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-waive-c-j-spiller-and-jeremy-ross-18216420|author=Allen, Eric|website=NewYorkJets.com|date=December 6, 2016}}
=Cleveland Browns=
Alford was signed to the Cleveland Browns' practice squad on December 13, 2016.{{cite web|title=Browns promote DL Gabe Wright to active roster|url=http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/Browns-promote-DL-Gabe-Wright-to-active-roster-/feb402d2-9253-4d84-a7dd-41ca98454116|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809040938/http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/Browns-promote-DL-Gabe-Wright-to-active-roster-/feb402d2-9253-4d84-a7dd-41ca98454116|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 9, 2017|website=ClevelandBrowns.com|date=December 13, 2016}} He was promoted to the active roster on December 17, 2016.{{cite web|title=Browns promote WR Mario Alford to active roster|url=http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/Browns-promote-WR-Mario-Alford-to-active-roster-/b9d0e1f4-a5a5-4b9c-b74e-b991f05ff004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809040713/http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/Browns-promote-WR-Mario-Alford-to-active-roster-/b9d0e1f4-a5a5-4b9c-b74e-b991f05ff004|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 9, 2017|website=ClevelandBrowns.com|date=December 17, 2016}}
On September 1, 2017, Alford was waived by the Browns during roster cutdowns.{{cite web|title=Browns reduce roster to 65|url=http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/Browns-reduce-roster-to-65/32007e2d-6e64-41c2-867d-3b1be2879e16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313182329/http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/Browns-reduce-roster-to-65/32007e2d-6e64-41c2-867d-3b1be2879e16|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 13, 2018|website=ClevelandBrowns.com|date=September 1, 2017}}
=Chicago Bears=
On September 12, 2017, Alford was signed to the Chicago Bears' practice squad.
=Toronto Argonauts=
On June 3, 2018, Alford signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). In his lone season in Toronto, Alford appeared in six games and caught seven passes for 57 yards, returned eight kick-offs for 170 yards, had five punt returns for seven yards, and rushed the ball once for 10 yards.{{cite web|title=Mario Alford |url=https://www.cfl.ca/players/mario-alford/161183/ |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=November 18, 2022}} He was released on May 25, 2019.
=Montreal Alouettes=
On September 24, 2019, it was announced that Alford had signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL.{{cite web|url=https://en.montrealalouettes.com/2019/09/24/alouettes-transactions-16/|title=Alouettes transactions|publisher=Montreal Alouettes|date=September 24, 2019}} He was signed for the 2021 season on December 15, 2020.{{cite news |title=Als extend pending FAs David Menard & Mario Alford |url=https://www.cfl.ca/2020/12/15/als-extend-pending-fas-david-menard-mario-alford/ |website=CFL.ca |date=December 15, 2020 |access-date=December 17, 2020}} Over parts of three seasons, Alford played in nine games with the Alouettes where he had 24 kickoff returns for 477 yards, 26 punt returns for 486 yards and three touchdowns, and two missed field goal returns for 45 yards.
= Saskatchewan Roughriders =
On July 3, 2022, Alford was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2023 CFL Draft.{{Cite web |author=TSN ca Staff |date=2022-07-03 |title=Roughriders acquire WR/KR Alford in trade with Alouettes - TSN.ca |url=https://www.tsn.ca/saskatchewan-roughriders-montreal-alouettes-mario-alford-trade-1.1820594 |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=TSN |language=en}} He played in 13 regular season games for the team where he had 38 kickoff returns for 990 yards and two touchdowns, 44 punt returns for 530 yards and one touchdown, and three missed field goal returns for 129 yards and one touchdown. For his strong season, he was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Special Teams Player in 2022.{{cite web|title=Back to back: Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros wins most outstanding player |url=https://press.cfl.ca/back-to-back-blue-bombers-quarterback-zach-collaros-wins-most-outstanding-player |publisher=Canadian Football League |date=November 17, 2022}}
On November 15, 2022, the Roughriders announced that Alford had signed a contract extension with the team.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-15 |title=Riders sign Mario Alford to contract extension |url=https://www.cfl.ca/2022/11/15/riders-sign-mario-alford-to-contract-extension/ |access-date=2024-02-05 |website=CFL.ca |language=en}} In 2023, he had 2,266 combined yards (978 punt return, 1,181 kickoff return, 107 missed field goal return). Alford added three touchdowns on punt returns, including two on July 15 against the Calgary Stampeders.
On January 4, 2024, the Roughriders announced that Alford had signed a one-year contract extension with the team.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-04 |title=Run it Back: Alford, Riders agree to one-year extension |url=https://www.cfl.ca/2024/01/04/run-it-back-alford-riders-agree-to-one-year-extension/ |access-date=2024-02-05 |website=CFL.ca |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons}}
- [https://www.riderville.com/players/mario-alford/161183/ Saskatchewan Roughriders bio]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20150526024647/http://www.wvusports.com/profile.cfm?sport=football&id=102865 West Virginia Moutaineers bio]
{{Saskatchewan Roughriders roster navbox}}
{{Bengals2015DraftPicks}}
{{John Agro Special Teams Award}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alford, Mario}}
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Canadian football wide receivers
Category:Chicago Bears players
Category:Cincinnati Bengals players
Category:Cleveland Browns players
Category:Georgia Military Bulldogs football players
Category:Montreal Alouettes players
Category:New York Jets players
Category:Saskatchewan Roughriders players
Category:Toronto Argonauts players
Category:West Virginia Mountaineers football players
Category:People from Greenville, Georgia
Category:Sportspeople from the Atlanta metropolitan area
Category:Players of American football from Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Players of Canadian football from Georgia (U.S. state)