Brett Lauther grew up hoping to make the National Hockey League.
Never did he think he would be chasing a National Football League dream.
“When I was younger, I just played hockey and obviously always dreamed of playing in the NHL and that kid scoring in Game 7 in overtime,” said Lauther. “Then I fell into football in high school and I didn’t really even think the CFL was a chance at that point.”
Years later, after establishing himself as the Saskatchewan Roughriders placekicker over the last two seasons, Lauther was disappointed when the 2020 CFL season was officially cancelled, but that didn’t stop him from hoping to get back on the field this year.
Lauther is one of many CFL players opting out of their 2020 contracts in hopes of playing football south of the border in the NFL. And he’s been busy on social media posting kicking videos, hoping to catch the eye of an NFL team.
“I’m reverting back to the years when I wasn’t playing in the CFL and trying to get a shot, so just doing the same thing, you never know who’s going to see something and the power of social media is pretty crazy these days,” he said.
The 29-year-old had many discussions with friends, family and Roughriders football operations staff about opting out of his contract. However, considering he is a pending free agent anyway, he didn’t see much downside, other than not being able to collect the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy, which is reportedly being offered to CFL players.
CFL players have until Aug. 31 to opt out of their contracts, as part of the deal between the league and the Players’ Association.
“There was so many pros and very little cons,” said Lauther. “Everyone I’ve talked to is fully supportive and thinks I can do it too so that kind of made things a lot easier that I’m not just trying to do something that’s completely crazy here.
“Once I factored in the amount of money the CEWS program was actually going to be, and not thinking it was a big amount and just having the option of opting out to pursue an NFL shot if it comes, and I’m a free agent in February anyway, so like I felt as worst case, just take this chance and if it didn’t work out, I could just try to return to the team in February, and if not the team, the CFL.”
And that’s exactly what Lauther is set out to do.
Since he missed the window to be invited to an NFL training camp, the Nova Scotia product will need to wait for a team to call him for a workout. Lauther has been one of the more accurate kickers in the CFL over the past two seasons, making 85 per cent of his field goals. He was named a West Division All-Star in 2018, where he made 54 of 60 attempts. And last year alone, he made three game winning kicks, while also making a career long 57 yarder.
“With how the last couple of years have went, and in my opinion, playing pretty well or checking off all the boxes, whether it’s long kicks, or game winners, or being 100 per cent in playoffs, and just being someone you can rely on, I’m just trying to shoot my shot right now and see if there’s anyone down there that wants to take a chance,” he said.
And if the NFL doesn’t pan out, Lauther fully intends on coming back to the CFL, and more specifically Saskatchewan.
“I made it clear obviously I wanted to be back with the team next year if there was CFL football and made sure (Roughriders management) knew that and all the reasons why I was opting out, it wasn’t anything to do with the team or whatever else,” he said.
“I’ve been training pretty hard and want to play football this year so if I had an opportunity to play down south, I definitely wanted to take it.
“Whatever happens, happens. I feel like at worst case, it’s not a worst case, it’s just a win I can return and hopefully be back in green and white.”
Comments