Stampeders nominate Paredes for Jake Gaudaur Veterans' Award
Photo by Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders have nominated veteran kicker Rene Paredes for the 2026 Jake Gaudaur Veterans' Award.
The CFL honour is presented annually to the National player who best demonstrates the attributes of Canada's veterans, including strength, perseverance, courage, comradeship and contribution to Canadian communities. The award has been handed out since 2010 and is named in memory of Jake Gaudaur, the longest-tenured commissioner in league history and a distinguished World War II veteran as a Royal Canadian Air Force pilot.
"It is a tremendous honour to be nominated for the Jake Gaudaur Veterans' Award once again," Paredes said. "Giving back to the Calgary community has always been an important part of my journey, whether it's visiting patients at the Alberta Children's Hospital, supporting organizations such as CUPS and Special Olympics, or participating in other various community events to help those in need."
Paredes is in his 15th season with the red and white after missing the first 10 games of 2026 with an injury suffered on the first day of training camp. He had previously made 247 consecutive regular-season appearances dating back to his debut in 2011, then dressed for the 250th game of his career in Week 15. In Week 16 he reached 2,500 career points and drilled a 62-yard field goal on the final play, the longest kick in franchise history, the longest buzzer-beater in CFL history and the third-longest field goal in league history.
A two-time Grey Cup champion, Paredes was voted a team captain for the 12th time this season and has mentored rookie Global kicker Jude McAtamney, who handled the kicking duties during his absence.
The Montreal native and Concordia alum, who lives in Calgary year-round with his family, is a regular at Alberta Children's Hospital visits through Every Yard Counts ahead of every home game and serves meals at CUPS' Christmas in January. He has also supported the Brakeman Foundation's school meal programs and the Calgary Flames Ambassadors' Celebrity Poker Tournament, which raised $645,000 earlier this year.
The award is decided by a selection committee of Deborah Bethell (Veterans Affairs Canada), TSN analyst Glen Suitor, CFLPA executive director David Mackie and CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston. This year, instead of a traditional ceremony, recipients will be honoured through surprise presentations late in the regular season and during the playoffs, with the moments shared online.