EDMONTON – The Edmonton Elks have signed Grey Cup champion kicker Boris Bede to a two-year contract, the club announced Tuesday.
Bede joins the Green and Gold after three seasons with the Toronto Argonauts (2021-23), reuniting him with former teammates in wide receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. and quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson.
The 34-year-old is coming off an outstanding season in 2023, where he converted 37-of-39 fields goals for a career-high 94.9 per cent in 17 games for the Double Blue. He also led the CFL in kickoff yards (6,194), kickoff average (71.2), and was named a CFL East All-Star for the third time in his career (2015, 2021, 2023). The native of Toulon, France helped the Argos win the 109th Grey Cup over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2022, recording 12 points in the championship game, while also converting a career-high 43 field goals that season.
Boris Bede strikes from 47 yards out, Argos take the 3-0 lead! #GreyCup109 pic.twitter.com/A1OV2CiKrj
— CFL on TSN (@CFLonTSN) November 20, 2022
Bede enters the 2024 season as the CFL’s all-time leader for kickoff average for career (69.4) and single season (73.0). Through 128 career CFL regular season games, the Laval University product is 249-for-298 on field goal attempts (83.6%) and has an average of 44.5 on 649 punts.
“Boris is a weapon and a game changer, whether pinning opposing teams deep or closing out a game with a long field goal. We’re excited to have him in Green and Gold,” said Elks assistant general manager Geroy Simon.
The six-foot-four kicker began his CFL career with the Montreal Alouettes in 2015, playing in 80 games over five seasons with the Als before being traded to the Boatmen in 2020.
2024 marks the 75th season of pro football in Edmonton, as the Elks open a new CFL campaign on Saturday, June 8 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Commonwealth Stadium. Season tickets are available now, with all youth season tickets $75 (17 and under) and adult tickets starting at $175.
The Edmonton Elks are proud members of the Canadian Football League, playing their home games at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta.
The club, officially renamed the Elks in June of 2021, has a tradition of excellence having won 14 Grey Cup championships (1954-56, 1975, 1978-82, 1987, 1993, 2003, 2005, 2015). Since its founding, the club has been community-owned and remains focused on providing outstanding football memories for Edmonton and all of Northern Alberta.
Elks Football…Our Team. Our City.