EDMONTON – The Edmonton Elks have extended star defensive back Tyrell Ford through the 2027 season, the club announced Wednesday.
The Canadian defender has garnered a reputation as one of the CFL’s best cover corners over the past few seasons. In 2025, Ford set a career-high in tackles with 56, while hauling in two interceptions and knocking down four passes.
“Tyrell Ford’s contract extension is a move that reinforces our commitment to building a championship-caliber team,” Elks VP of Football Operations and General Manager Ed Hervey said. “His consistency and professionalism reflect the culture we are establishing, and this decision underscores our focus on continuity, elite talent, and long-term success.”
The 28-year-old’s biggest play of the season came in Week 10 versus the Montreal Alouettes, when he returned a McLeod Bethel-Thompson interception 87-yards for a touchdown and the first pick-six of his CFL career. Ford’s resume as one of the league’s best ballhawks was established in 2024 while a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, where he racked up 51 defensive tackles and seven interceptions – one behind 2024 CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player Rolan Milligan Jr. for the CFL lead.
Ford was initially drafted into the CFL by Winnipeg in the second round (13th overall) in the 2022 National Draft. The University of Waterloo product played 18 games for the Blue Bombers in his rookie CFL season, before joining the Green Bay Packers in 2023 where he would spend most of the year on the club’s practice roster.
The Niagara Falls product graded at the top of the CFL according to Pro Football Focus (PFF) advanced analytics in 2024, with Ford finishing the season with the best defensive (91.8) and coverage grade (92.0) in Canadian Football.
