Edmonton – The fastest man in football is staying with the Green and Gold.
The Edmonton Elks announced on Monday that kick returner and running back Javon Leake has signed a two-year contract extension. Leake was previously set to become a free agent in February and was ranked 15th on CFL.ca’s top 30 pending free agents list.
Leake, 26, joined the Elks last season after a standout 2023 campaign, where he was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player. This season, he took on an expanded role in the Elks’ offense, setting career highs in carries (102), rushing yards (661), rushing touchdowns (6), receptions (34), receiving yards (301), and receiving touchdowns (1).
The Maryland product had an electrifying performance in Week 9 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, recording 247 all-purpose yards, including 169 rushing yards on 12 attempts. During the game, Leake reached a top speed of 35.8 KM/H (22.5 MPH) on a 51-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run, which is faster than any speed recorded by an NFL ball carrier since 2020.
Leake capped off the 2024 season with another sensational performance against his former team, the Toronto Argonauts. He rushed for 128 yards on eight carries, including an 88-yard dash, and added 80 receiving yards on two receptions with a 67-yard touchdown.
In 2023, as a member of the Argonauts, Leake recorded 2,009 return yards and scored four punt return touchdowns, earning him the title of the league’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.
