Arthur Ward/CFL.ca
OTTAWA – The Ottawa REDBLACKS announced on Tuesday that the football club has released returner DeVonte Dedmon. Dedmon was scheduled to become a free agent in February.
Dedmon earned the CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award in 2021 after leading the league in punt return yards (737), kickoff return yards (1,223), punt return touchdowns (two) and kickoff return touchdowns (one). That season, he was also named All-CFL, East Division All-CFL and the REDBLACKS’ nominee for Most Outstanding Player.
“DeVonte is a playmaker who accomplished great things during his time here,” said Shawn Burke, REDBLACKS vice president of football operations. “He truly embraced the Ottawa community and was an important part of our organization since arriving in 2019. We’re grateful for everything he brought to the team and wish him all the best moving forward.”
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The College of William & Mary product played 42 regular season games and one playoff game over his six seasons with the REDBLACKS (2019-25), posting 128 kickoff returns for 3,347 yards and three touchdowns with 151 punt returns for 1,985 yards and three touchdowns. The 30-year old also contributed on the offensive end, posting 25 receptions for 226 yards with one touchdown and 18 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown.
After originally signing with the Ottawa in May of 2019, Dedmon quickly established himself as one of the league’s biggest threats in the return game, seeing action in five games and posting 16 kickoff returns for 542 yards and a touchdown with 22 punt returns for 339 yards and one touchdown. In addition to his tenure in Ottawa, Dedmon also spent time in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins in 2022 before returning to the REDBLACKS later that year.
