Kicking the can down the road: veteran K Rene Paredes re-ups with Stampeders

Veteran kicker René Paredes has made good on his promise not to retire, signing a one-year contract extension to remain with the Calgary Stampeders.

The 38-year-old specialist connected on 86.7 percent of his field goals in 2023, nailing 52 of his 60 attempts from distance and 29 of 30 extra point attempts for 185 total points. He surpassed both 200 games played and 2,000 career points during the campaign, earning the team’s nomination for Most Outstanding Special Teams Player for the seventh time in his career.

“We’re very happy to have René back for another season,” Stampeders’ general manager and head coach Dave Dickenson said in a statement. “He continues to be one of the best in the league and we’re excited to let him keep adding to his legacy.”

Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Concordia in 2011, Paredes is entering his 13th season as a Stampeder. He sits ninth in league history with 2,129 career regular-season points and boasts an incredible career accuracy rate of 87.5 percent. The Venezuelan-born kicker was part of Grey Cup-winning teams in 2014 and 2018.

“Spending 13 years with one organization is a blessing and I’m excited to be back with the Red and White,” Paredes said as part of the release. “I will do what I can to get this organization back to winning games and hopefully a championship.”

The Stampeders are slated to begin their 2024 campaign on Friday, June 7 when they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at 9:00 p.m. ET.

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