Watch: Mario Alford Returns Another Kickoff in CFL

Death, taxes and Mario Alford return kickoffs for touchdowns. And the former Mountaineer did it again in the CFL Saturday night.

Alford took the opening kickoff all the way for a score in his Saskatchewan Roughriders on the board first against the Edmonton Elks. Alford’s return went for 101 yards.

SUPER MARIO‼️

Mario Alford gets this one started in style with his third career kickoff return TD! #CFLGameDay 📺: @TSN_Sports 🇨🇦 & @CBSSportsNet 🇺🇸 📲: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/GrOz86vGqP

— CFL (@CFL) August 3, 2024

Watching Alford score touchdowns has become the norm for CFL fans. His latest kickoff return is the 10th total touchdown return of his CFL career and third via a kickoff.

Alford made history in 2023, becoming the Roughriders’ all-time leader in special teams touchdowns by returning two punts in one game.

Alford is now in a tie for second place on the CFL’s all-time career touchdown returns list. He’s only two more away from breaking the current record.

Watch: WVU Product Mario Alford Makes History in CFL with Punt Return TD

At WVU, Alford became one of only five players in the history of WVU football program to return multiple kickoffs for a score.

Alford played for WVU for two seasons from 2013-14. As a wide receiver, he snatched 92 catches for 1,497 yards and 13 touchdowns in his collegiate career.

He was also used as a kick returner at WVU and had 972 return yards and two touchdowns on 37 kick returns, which puts him at a 26.3 yards per return average. Despite success with kickoff returns, Alford wasn’t used as a punt returner at WVU, only getting three such returns in his two-year career and lost a combined 13 yards on those returns.

Alford was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round with the 238th overall pick. He had a three-year NFL career prior to the CFL, splitting time with four different teams in the Bengals, New York Jets (practice squad) Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears (practice squad).

Mario Alford originally came to the CFL with the Argonauts in 2018, but only spent one year with the team. He then spent two seasons with the Montreal Alouettes before being traded to the Roughriders for a sixth round pick in the 2023 CFL Draft.