Yardbarker
x
Ottawa Redblacks Re-Sign CFL All-Star Punter Richie Leone
© David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports

Special teams continue to play an increasingly critical role in football. With this idea in mind, the Ottawa Redblacks are securing their punting ace to a new contract.

CFL All-Star punter Richie Leone and the Redblacks agreed to a one-year extension, the team announced Monday.

“Punting footballs at TD Place is my absolute favorite thing to do and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue doing it with the REDBLACKS,” Leone said in a statement Monday. “I love this city and this organization and I’m counting down the days until we’re back on the field. Until then, see you on the canal!”

Leone is a veteran in the CFL after first joining the league back in 2014 with the BC Lions. He has been named an All-Star five times in his career, the past five seasons of which he has spent with the Redblacks.

Last year, Leone had an average length per punt of 47.6 yards, which was tied for the second-highest in the CFL. He finished the season as a CFL East All-Star and a CFL All-Star.

In between CFL contracts, Leone has also done brief stints in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals.

Ottawa finished the regular season tied for league-worst with a 4-14 overall record, missing the playoffs for the fourth-straight year after three Grey Cup appearances from 2015-18.

This article first appeared on CFL on FanNation and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

+

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.