Cauz: My favourite kick and punt returns so far in 2024

Matthew Cauz

CFL.ca

@mcauz56

At a time where we are a healthy Cody Fajardo away from cautiously proclaiming 2024 as the Year of the Quarterback (I know, I know, injuries happen. I hear you all yelling, ‘Hey Cauz don’t be an idiot throwing this out into the universe so early!’ but did you see that Stampeders-Bombers game on Friday or what Dru Brown did to Edmonton on Sunday?), I would like to give some love to all the brave souls who choose to return punts and kickoffs for a living, and I need to do this now before I’m swept away in Kalil Pimpleton mania.

As a humble servant to you, the reader (sorry about my picks by the way) I combed through the archives of our 2024 game highlights and with a little help from YouTube I have put together a list of some of the more memorable returns so far for the 2024 season.

DeVonte Dedmon, 49-yard punt return, Week 2 vs. Winnipeg

Fair to say our collective CFL lives are made better with the return (pun intended) of the 2021 CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award winner. Part of me feels bad showcasing this return as it just perpetuates the ugly stereotype that kickers can’t tackle but how I could leave out this nifty return? Several times it looked like Dedmon was going to pushed out of bounds but somehow manages to straddle the line. The best returners are the ones who make the most out of the least amount of space. That is clearly the case here.

Javon Leake, 56-yard kickoff return, Week 2 vs. Montreal

At a time where there isn’t the most positive news surrounding the Edmonton Elks how about this sneaky explosive play from the 2023 CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award winner? This return doesn’t scream explosive speed, but Leake made several defenders miss and turned around most of the Alouettes coverage unit.

Dedmon, 100-yard kickoff return touchdown, Week 3 vs. Montreal

Before we get to Dedmon let’s give some love to the phalanx of blockers who helped him find the end zone. This return was truly a team effort and not just about an individual moment of elite athleticism. Having said that, the moment that sticks out is the final 17 yards. The last line of defence for the Alouettes wasn’t some last man on the roster, special teams only player. Oh no, it was 2023 CFL All-Star Marc-Antoine Dequoy that Dedmon leapt over on his way to the goal line!

Janarion Grant, 84-yard punt return TD: Week 5 vs. Saskatchewan

There is a reason why Toronto Argonauts fans are not lamenting the loss of Javon Leake and it has nothing to do with Leake and everything to do with Grant, former Winnipeg Blue Bomber. This is a classic ‘I didn’t see that one coming’ touchdown returns as Grant charges right into a sea of Green and White defenders and somehow ends up on the other side nearly untouched. The “whoa” sound from the announcer is the classic trademark for the unexpected return touchdown.

James Letcher Jr., 43-yard punt return: Week 5 vs. Calgary

James Letcher Jr. puts on the jets for some solid return yardage! 💨#CFLGameday: LIVE on TSN, RDS, CBSSN
📲: Stream on CFL+ pic.twitter.com/sa6ZhigHbn

— CFL (@CFL) July 6, 2024

In the name of trying to be fair and balanced I am adding this return to highlight the incredible job by Calgary’s Bailey Devine-Scott. If most of this column is going to give all the glory to the return specialists, I should at least make a little space for the grunts who sacrifice their bodies in the name of stopping these incredible athletes. Instead of watching Letcher try to focus on No. 21 of the Stampeders coverage unit, Bailey splits an Alouette double team to trip up James before he has a chance to get into the open field. What an effort by a player with just 18 career tackles!

Davon Harris’ 61-yard kickoff return: Week 5 vs. the BC Lions

If I was going to highlight a positive moment for the 0-5 Elks, I figured I should do the same for the winless Hamilton Tiger-Cats. I dug up this Davon Harris quote from The Advocate explaining his running style and where he got the nickname “Smoke”: “I like math and I like angles. I try to take advantage of angles when I run. I got the nickname ‘Smoke’ when I was eight or nine years old. Whenever I ran, I used to stir up dust and people said it looked like smoke.”

When you watch the return by the Tiger-Cats rookie you can see him reading the excellent blocking he is getting downfield on his way into Lions’ territory.

Grant, 103-yard kickoff return touchdown, Week 6 vs. Montreal

Grant’s second touchdown of the season has it all! Some vicious blocking with both Thiadric Hansen and Jonathan Jones standing out. Two decisive cuts by Grant giving him plenty of space and then the Argonauts’ returner chooses the perfect time to hit the NOS button like he’s in the middle of a ‘Fast & Furious’ movie to speed past the rest of the Alouettes’ coverage unit. The mark of an impressive, everyone working in unison return touchdown is the fact that Grant, beyond a slight flutter on his right ankle, is not touched at all on this play.

Follow CFL