Justin Medlock’s desire to kick a football every chance he gets might have helped lead to another big opportunity south of the border.
The Argonauts kicker/punter has been contacted by a couple of NFL teams and will work out for them, probably in January, in hopes of securing a job south of the border next season.
“Right now I want to finish the season and then worry about the next step,” Medlock said. “If it works out, it works out. If not, I am not going to be disappointed. I like Toronto and I like playing in the CFL.”
There was no surprise yesterday when the CFL announced its team nominees for the league awards and Medlock got the nod as the Argos’ outstanding special teams player.
With 37 successful field goals on 43 attempts, Medlock is one of two regular kickers in the league (along with Sandro DeAngelis of the Calgary Stampeders) who has missed only as few as six tries. It’s no wonder, as Medlock, who played for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2007, always is the first guy on the field and the last off, trying to boot as many footballs as possible.
“Those (NFL) spots are few and far between, and if there is a place where there is a guy who is up and down, on the bubble, I think he may have an opportunity,” Argos head coach Bart Andrus said.
“We would love to have him here.”
Running back Jamal Robertson, who became the first Argo since 2001 to rush for 1,000 yards, is the team’s nominee for the outstanding player award.
Of the decisions Andrus has made, one bit him again on the butt as Arland Bruce was nominated as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ outstanding player. Bruce, who Andrus didn’t think helped the Toronto offence and was traded in July, is fourth in CFL receiving with 1,173 yards and has eight touchdowns with the Ticats.
Robertson is due for free agency this winter, but does not want to move.
“I told my agent the other day that I want to come back,” Robertson said. “People are starting to get to know me a little bit and I have been doing more work in the community. My agent was talking about going back down south, but I would rather stay up here.”
