Riders extend kicker’s contract, with raise

MURRAY MCCORMICK

Brett Lauther has been rewarded for putting his best foot forward with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2018.

The 28-year-old placekicker has agreed to a oneyear contract extension with the Green and White through the 2020 CFL season.

Lauther, a West Division all-star, connected on 90 per cent of his field-goal attempts in 2018. He was also 4-for-4 during the Riders’ 23-18 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the West Division semifinal.

I think I worked hard enough to get the small raise that I did get. BRETT LAUTHER

Lauther did that while earning the CFL minimum of $54,000.

“I think I worked hard enough to get the small raise that I did get,” Lauther said Friday from Port Moody, B.C., where he’s spending the off-season.

“I have basically been on the league minimum for six years and four of those years I didn’t make any money.

“I was at the point in my life where I knew I could make more money outside of playing football on the minimum. After last year, I felt I would like to try and get a little bit more if it was possible and we ended up getting a deal done.”

The extension rewarded the perseverance of Lauther, who landed a job with the Riders after spending five years kicking around the CFL.

“I’m training hard to make sure that last year wasn’t just a one-and-done,” Lauther said. “I’m trying to do this for a long time.”