Veteran CFL dynamo joins Calgary membership forward of Labour Day Basic
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Chandler Worthy deemed different invitations … properly … undeserving.
However when the decision got here from the Calgary Stampeders, the veteran CFL kick returner was his traditional fast self to simply accept it.
The speedy soccer expertise even put aside his passionate work within the movie enterprise to rejoin the three-down ranks.
“One thing felt proper in my coronary heart, and one thing instructed me to come back and discover this,” Worthy instructed reporters, in saying “sure” to the Stampeders (4-6) once they approached him for soccer enterprise final weekend forward of the upcoming Labour Day Basic with the rival Edmonton Elks (3-8) on Monday at McMahon Stadium (4 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary).
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“I used to be simply trusting myself, and I used to be simply turning all the things down,” continued Worthy. “So I simply determined to come back in and provides this workforce all the things I’ve to supply in hopes of profitable that championship.”
The timing was proper, too, for Worthy to return to the sport.
“We’re working in movie manufacturing, so we produce quick TV reveals,” Worthy mentioned. “And we now have a film developing. So I used to be simply actually into the movie world quite a bit. After which after I completed on this final mission we have been engaged on, that’s when coach gave me a name.”
That will be working backs coach André Bolduc, who has been round Worthy a lot within the CFL world.
In truth, the Stamps assistant has apparently been an enormous a part of Worthy’s profession, which has encompassed 5,633 profession all-purpose yards in 45 regular-season CFL video games with the Toronto Argonauts and the Montreal Alouettes.
Particularly, the 30-year-old Georgia native has rolled up 3,156 kickoff-return yards, 1,663 punt-return yards, 315 missed field-goal return yards, 461 receiving yards and 38 speeding yards.
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The 5-foot-8, 177-lb. dynamo additionally has scored seven touchdowns within the CFL — 4 on receptions, two on kickoff returns and one on a punt return.
Bolduc was alongside Worthy throughout his personal 10 years with the Alouettes.
“I like Coach Bolduc with all my coronary heart — he’s probably the greatest coaches I’ve ever had,” Worthy mentioned. “I turned everybody down, however that’s one man I like to play for and go to battle for, and which means extra to me than something.
“There’s simply individuals you’ll put your life on the road for, And I actually really feel like I’ve that right here, so I’m enthusiastic about it.”
In 2022 with the Alouettes, Worthy was the workforce’s nominee and the East Division finalist for the CFL’s Most Excellent Particular Groups Participant award as he racked up 1,824 return yards, together with 1,220 and two touchdowns on kickoffs, 547 on punts and 57 on missed area objectives.
But it surely didn’t work out for him there this yr, as he was launched by the Als on Could 1.
“I used to be shocked, for positive, as a result of I used to be coaching like loopy,” Worthy mentioned. “I used to be part of that tradition to win the championship. However I do know all the things occurs for a purpose. So I’m excited to convey all the things I discovered from there to right here to win a championship — simply to convey into this locker room, so I may also help serve these guys and make all people higher.
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“I’m simply grateful for the chance to do this.”
The Stamps are grateful to have him right here, since he’s a blockbuster of types when it comes to his expertise on the sphere.
And he all the time has been relationship again to his faculty days.
Worthy performed 45 video games over 4 seasons with the NCAA’s Troy Trojans. He scored 14 profession touchdowns for the Trojans together with 11 receiving, one speeding and two on kickoff returns. With Troy, Worthy had 137 profession catches for 1,767 yards, 34 carries for 176 yards and 81 kickoff returns for 1,919 yards.
He was named the first-team all-Solar Belt Convention kick returner following his senior season after returning 27 kickoffs for 704 yards — for a mean of 26.1 yards — and two scores.
“He can play receiver and might play working again, and he’s a terrific returner,” praised Stamps GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “We’ve had good manufacturing on our returns, however we’re the one workforce within the league that doesn’t have a special-teams or defensive landing. Not solely do these helps us to win, however it fires up the group and it will get the sideline going.
“And Chandler’s a man that’s all the time been ready to do this. When he will get out within the open, he’s gone.”
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He’s sport to do this right here, having put aside his off-field ardour to get to work with the Crimson and White.
“We’re in pre-production of a film known as Fourth & 14,” mentioned Worthy, one of many movie’s producers. “It’s a soccer film a couple of middle-school woman turning into an NFL head coach. It’s a narrative about her dad catching most cancers and being raised. So it’s an inspirational story. We’re going to shine a light-weight on ladies and their empowerment within the sport now.
“We’ve been engaged on a number of issues, however that is our huge one we’re engaged on,” continued Worthy. “So hopefully, I can simply convey that selfless, careless perspective of seeing these tales of inspiration that I discovered a lot in my life and convey that to younger ladies and younger athletes on the earth.”
Producer Worthy says the film is written out and they’re now within the funding levels, working with the NFL with hopes of getting a remaining funding.
“I’ve beloved filmmaking. I acted a bit bit, however it wasn’t for me. I extra so take pleasure in making an attempt to create alternative for athletes outdoors of sports activities. So being a producer sort of suits me completely with giving individuals jobs and discovering the chance and creating extra. So I’m simply grateful to be right here to 1 nonetheless inform my story and reside it day by day and to have the ability to encourage individuals to display, as properly.”
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However in Calgary, he’s hoping to encourage a profitable custom.
“Yeah … 100 per cent,” added Worthy. “I imply … I’ve the need. I’m going to do all the things in my potential energy to come back out right here and work day by day to be one of the best I can for my teammates, and I actually am right here to work my butt off and earn the fitting to be a champion, earn the fitting to get that place. So I’m excited for that chance.”
SHORT YARDAGE
The 2-plus weeks off since their final sport have given injured Stamps loads of time to heal. Of these injured coming off that 31-29 house loss to the Ottawa Redblacks, solely OL D’Antne Demery (hand) didn’t take part in apply Thursday … These teammates again and practising absolutely are QB Matt Shiltz (ankle), WR Tyson Middlemost (hamstring) and LB Adam Konar (hamstring) … The Labour Day Replay — the rematch between the Elks and the Stamps — follows subsequent Saturday in Edmonton ((5 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary).
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