Brett Lauther (born November 4, 1990) is a professional Canadian football placekicker for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was named a CFL West Division All-Star in 2018 and holds Roughriders franchise record for highest career field goal percentage.

Brett Lauther
No. 12     Saskatchewan Roughriders
Born: (1990-11-04) November 4, 1990 (age 33)
Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
Career information
StatusActive
CFL statusNational
Position(s)Placekicker
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight200 lb (91 kg)
UniversitySaint Mary's
High schoolTruro (NS) CEC
CFL draft2013, Round: 7, Pick: 53
Drafted byHamilton Tiger-Cats
Career history
As player
20132014Hamilton Tiger-Cats
2015Saskatchewan Roughriders*
2015Toronto Argonauts*
2017Saskatchewan Roughriders*
2017Edmonton Eskimos*
2018–presentSaskatchewan Roughriders
*Offseason and/or practice roster member only
Career highlights and awards
CFL West All-Star2018
Career stats
Games played67
Field goals made209
Field goals attempted252
Field goal %82.9
Longest field goal57

High school edit

Lauther attended the Cobequid Educational Centre in Truro, Nova Scotia where he played for the Cougars as a placekicker and wide receiver.[1][2]

University career edit

Lauther played CIS football at Saint Mary's University for the Huskies from 2009 to 2012.[2] He played in 18 games over four years as the team's placekicker and punter where he was successful on 33 out of 47 field goal attempts and had 146 punts with a 38.4-yard average.[3] He was a Loney Bowl champion with the Huskies in 2009 and 2010 and was named an AUS All-Star in 2011 and 2012.[4]

Professional career edit

Hamilton Tiger-Cats edit

Lauther was drafted by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL with the 53rd overall pick in the 2013 CFL Draft and was signed by the team on May 27, 2013.[5] As a native Nova Scotian, he has the unusual distinction of playing in his first professional football game in the Maritimes, in Moncton, New Brunswick, as part of the third installment of Touchdown Atlantic. For this game, he was named Special Teams Player of the Week for Week Thirteen of the 2013 season after going 4 for 4 on field goal attempts on September 21, 2013, against the Montreal Alouettes.[6] Lauther was re-signed by the Tiger-Cats on January 8, 2014 where he spent the entire season on the practice roster behind incumbent, Justin Medlock.[7] He declined a contract from the Tiger-Cats during the following off-season.

Saskatchewan Roughriders edit

Lauther signed a practice roster agreement with the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders on September 3, 2015.[8] He was released on October 8, 2015.[9]

Toronto Argonauts edit

On October 14, 2015, Lauther was added to the practice roster of the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL.[10] He was released by the team on October 19, 2015.[10]

Saskatchewan Roughriders (II) edit

On August 29, 2017, Lauther was signed to the practice roster of the Saskatchewan Roughriders.[11] However, he was released on September 12, 2017.[12]

Edmonton Eskimos edit

On September 25, 2017, Lauther was signed by the Edmonton Eskimos in response to Sean Whyte's injury.[13] He spent the remainder of the 2017 season on the practice roster.

Saskatchewan Roughriders (III) edit

On March 19, 2018, Lauther signed with the Roughriders for a third time, but participated in training camp with the team for the first time.[14]Lauther became the team's placekicker and enjoyed a successful 2018 CFL season that culminated in his first Divisional All-Star award.[15] He led the league with 54 field goals from 60 attempts and also led the league in points with 198. He also had the longest successful field goal that year which was made from 56 yards out.[16]

In the second game of the 2019 season, Lauther kicked a career-long 57-yard field against the Ottawa Redblacks on June 20, 2019, which was the fifth-longest in Roughriders history.[17] After the third game, he was moved to the injured list as he battled through hip and groin injuries and missed five games between July and August.[18] He returned on August 24, 2019, and played in the last 10 regular season games of the season. Entering the last regular season game of 2019, Lauther had an 85.7 percent field goal success rate, the final game against the Edmonton Eskimos which was a victory that clinched first place in the West Division.[18][19] In the West Final, he successfully connected on all four field goal attempts, but the Roughriders lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.[20]

After the CFL canceled the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lauther chose to opt-out of his contract with the Roughriders on August 25, 2020.[21] He re-signed with the team on March 12, 2021.[22] In 2021, he played in all 14 regular season games where he made 40 out of 47 field goal attempts.[3] He notably recovered his own onside kick in a game against the Calgary Stampeders on October 2, 2021.[23] Following an injury to the team's punter, Jon Ryan, Lauther was also pressed into punting duty for the first time in his professional career on October 23, 2021.[24]

On January 29, 2022, it was announced that Lauther had signed a two-year contract extension with the Roughriders.[25] On July 16, 2022, in Touchdown Atlantic, Lauther scored the first points in the first CFL regular season game played in Nova Scotia with a 34-yard field goal.[26] He finished the season having played in 18 regular season games, making 41 of 50 field goal attempts.[27] In 2023, he was successful on 36 of 44 field goal attempts.[28]

References edit

  1. ^ "Brett Lauther" (PDF). colchestercountysporthalloffame.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 August 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Kicker, receiver Lauther commits to being a Husky". Truro Daily News. April 4, 2009 – via PressReader.
  3. ^ a b "Brett Lauther". Saskatchewan Roughriders. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  4. ^ "Ticats bench kicker Congi for rookie Canadian Lauther". therecord.com. September 18, 2013.
  5. ^ "Tiger-Cats lock up five from 2013 Draft Class". Canadian Football League. May 27, 2013. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  6. ^ Carter, Lyle (December 27, 2013). "Local kicker pleased with first season in CFL". obj.ca. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  7. ^ "Medlock Returns To TigerTown". Hamilton Tiger-Cats. January 8, 2014.
  8. ^ "Roughriders add kicker Brett Lauther to practice roster". regina.ctvnews.ca. September 3, 2015. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  9. ^ "RIDER TRANSACTION- OCTOBER 8TH". riderville.com. October 8, 2015. Archived from the original on October 16, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  10. ^ a b "Transactions – Football player trades and signings". Canadian Football League. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  11. ^ "Transactions – Football player trades and signings". Canadian Football League. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  12. ^ "Roughriders Sign Linebacker Otha Foster & Kick Returner Marcus Thigpen". Saskatchewan Roughriders. September 12, 2017.
  13. ^ "Esks bolster kicking game with Waters, Lauther". Canadian Football League. September 25, 2017.
  14. ^ "Riders add nationals Blaszko, Lauther". Canadian Football League. March 19, 2018.
  15. ^ "Star Power: 2018 CFL Divisional All-Stars Announced". Canadian Football League. November 7, 2018.
  16. ^ "2018 Field goals & converts". Canadian Football League. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  17. ^ "Riders add nationals Blaszko, Lauther". Canadian Football League. March 19, 2018.
  18. ^ a b "'It definitely was tough': Riders' Lauther overcomes early-season injuries". panow.com. November 2, 2019.
  19. ^ "Riders clinch West crown with victory over Eskimos". Canadian Football League. November 2, 2019.
  20. ^ "For the W: Late goal line stand sends Winnipeg Blue Bombers to Grey Cup". Canadian Football League. November 17, 2019.
  21. ^ "Jon Ryan, Brett Lauther headline Rider cuts". Canadian Football League. August 26, 2020. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  22. ^ "Riders bring back fan favourite kicker Brett Lauther". Saskatchewan Roughriders. March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  23. ^ "Riders expect Brett Lauther to be 'full-go' following onside kick collision". 3DownNation. March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  24. ^ "Roughriders alone in 2nd place after 20-17 victory over Calgary". CKRM. October 24, 2021.
  25. ^ "Riders keep K Brett Lauther in green through '23". Canadian Football League. January 29, 2022.
  26. ^ "Saskatchewan Roughriders vs Toronto Argonauts". Canadian Football League. July 16, 2022.
  27. ^ "2023 CFL Guide" (PDF). Canadian Football League. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  28. ^ "2023 CFL Statistics" (PDF). Canadian Football League. Retrieved January 20, 2024.

External links edit