Arthur Ward/CFL.ca
REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American defensive back Ed Gainey to a one-year contract extension, the team announced on Monday.
Gainey was set to become a free agent in February and was ranked No. 10 on CFL.ca’s top 30 pending free agents list.
The five-foot-11, 193-pounder will return for 2021 after initially signing with the Green and White in 2016. The 30-year-old played all 18 regular season games for the Club in 2019 earning 56 defensive tackles – a career high – and two interceptions. He added two more tackles in the Western Final.
Over eight CFL seasons, Gainey has played in 114 career games and has made 272 defensive tackles, 34 special teams tackles, one sack, 20 interceptions, four touchdowns and four forced fumbles.
Noted for his skill as a ball hawk, in 2017 Gainey became the first CFL player since 1986 and ninth all-time to record four interceptions in a single game. He went on to make 10 interceptions that season and was named a CFL All Star and the Riders nominee for Most Outstanding Defensive Player. Gainey followed that all-star season up with another in 2018.
Prior to the Riders, the North Carolinian played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Montreal Alouettes, making his CFL debut in July of 2012.
Collegiately, he played four seasons at Appalachian State (2008-11) and collected 168 defensive tackles, five interceptions and 59 pass breakups. Gainey was named Second Team All-Southern in 2009 and 2010.
