Thinking about the past, with the hurdles he’s had to leap over and the obstacles thrown in his path racing through his mind, DeVonte Dedmon pauses.
Then he continues, the words coming out of his mouth deliberately. From a football player who not long ago was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player, there’s appreciation and humbleness. After agreeing to return to the Ottawa Redblacks on a two-year contract, the 27-year-old returner/receiver talks about staying “home” — Ottawa has become that to him. And as he speaks about those who helped make it all possible for him — including his dad, Tyrone, a former baseball player, and his mom, Gina, who played basketball, he pauses again.
“I get emotional,” he said. “It’s been a journey, it’s been hard at times. Coming out of college, I didn’t get any looks. Ottawa gave me a chance. My parents pushed me to get to this point. I remember every conversation with them from the time I was six years old to being 18 and deciding where I was going to go to university. My parents, my family … they’ve sacrificed a lot …”
Dedmon was a standout in his first CFL training camp — in 2019. He had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, but was injured (strained hamstring) in the team’s final tuneup for the regular season. With doctors telling Dedmon he would be out for four to six weeks, the Redblacks “suspended” him. Dedmon went home and worked hard, hoping he would get another shot. The Redblacks gave it to him. In early August of 2019, he scored two return touchdowns — on an 111-yard kickoff return and a 95-yard highlight-reel punt return, where he broke six or seven tackles.
“I got hurt in training camp, then went home thinking I’d never be up here again,” said Dedmon. “To get an opportunity to come back opened my eyes to a lot of different things. I’m glad to be here. I’m glad the Redblacks believed in me.”
In 22 career CFL games, Dedmon has returned 83 punts for 1,250 yards and three touchdowns, along with 73 kick returns for 1,947 yards and two touchdowns. Offensively, Dedmon has caught 23 of 26 passes for 219 yards, 148 of those coming after the catch. In 2021, Dedmon had 2,841 return yards, with three touchdowns and broke the record of CFL legend Henry (Gizmo) Williams for fewest games to record five career return touchdowns (15; Williams did it in 18). In his second season with the Redblacks, Dedmon led the CFL with 737 punt-return yards (15.4-yard average) and 1,223 kickoff-return yards (25.0 average) in 11 games. He ran back two punts (73 and 64 yards) and a kickoff (100 yards) for touchdowns.
After being released by the Miami Dolphins last year, Dedmon rejoined the Redblacks in August. A quadriceps injury limited him to six games.
The Redblacks haven’t been very good since the 2018 season when they finished atop the CFL East Division with 11 wins in 18 games. In their third Grey Cup appearance in four seasons, they lost 27-16 to Calgary. But the team slid to a 3-15 record in 2019 and head coach Rick Campbell quit, later joining the B.C. Lions. After the 2020 season was wiped out because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Redblacks finished with a 3-11 record in a shortened 2021 season with Paul LaPolice as head coach. In 2022, Ottawa won just four times in 18 games. LaPolice was fired with the team at 3-11, replaced by Bob Dyce, who has since had the interim tag removed from his title.
“I believe in (Dyce) just like he believed in me,” said Dedmon. “He sees something in every player and he tries to bring that out. He cares about you as a man, not just as a football player, and it actually motivates you even more.”
Asked why he decided to stay with the Redblacks rather than wait for free agency next month, Dedmon said: “I believe in this team. It starts at the top with Coach Dyce. And I believe we have a great core of guys here. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. This is home. I’m excited to be back with my teammates and to have the opportunity to learn from this great coaching staff. I believe in this group. This is my family.”
Asked if it was possible he could pursue NFL opportunities in the coming months, he said: “I’m here and I’m excited for the next two years with the Redblacks. I’m focused on this year and that’s it.”
Dedmon, who will remain in Ottawa during the winter off-season, is excited about the days ahead. He’s hoping to find new ways to contribute to the Redblacks, maybe have a more active role on offence.
“I was working out with (quarterback) Jeremiah Masoli, catching passes from him every day,” he said. “I told him he could count on me. I don’t want to just be a one-dimensional player. I’ll do whatever they need me to do. I’m focused on bringing some wins to this organization.”
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