Appearing in 150 Canadian Football League games is no small feat, particularly at a position with such little room for error.
Knowing that fact makes the accolade all the more special for Ottawa REDBLACKS punter Richie Leone, who is set to achieve the milestone when he and his team host the Edmonton Elks tonight in a critical 7:30pm matchup. Serving as the proverbial cherry on top is the fact that he has done so as an American, in a position often dominated by Canadians.
“There’s a lot of things that might be kind of fighting against you, so you’ve just got to make everything more intentional, especially because of the way the rules have gone over the last few years,” said Leone following Thursday’s walkthrough. “I just go out there, one punt at a time, and keep it moving.”
Moving is something that the 33-year-old Roswell, Georgia native has done his entire football life. Enjoying stints with the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Arizona Cardinals (twice) out of the University of Houston, Leone has made a name for himself north of the border. He appeared in 35 games with the BC Lions from 2015 through 2016, before signing with the REDBLACKS in 2018, where he has gone on to find a home. He is one of just six players in team history to play 100 games with the team; joining Antoine Pruneau, Nigel Romick, Marco Dubois, Anthony Gosselin, and close friend Lewis Ward.
The bond between Leone and the all-time great kicker is well-documented, with the two having served as a lethal one-two punch on Bob Dyce’s trademark special teams units. It’s been a milestone year for both men, with Ward celebrating his 100th game in the 2025 season opener.
“I can’t say enough about him and his professionalism, and his success. When it comes to our discipline and what we do professionally, he’s been a great sounding board for me,” Leone said of Ward. “We’re best friends, and we’re brothers, and we’re growing in life and on the field together.”
He isn’t exaggerating. The two men even became fathers during the same time period earlier in the year: something that Leone says puts his milestone game into perspective even more.
While it would be impressive enough to merely survive in a league that skews toward Canadian punters, Leone has thrived. A five-time All-CFL honoree, he also owns the highest career punting average in CFL history, at 47.7 yards (minimum 500 punts).
Well-aware of the transient nature of player movement in the CFL, Leone is quick to credit others for the hand they have played in his development, both on and off the field.
“Playing this many games, there are wins and losses, good games and not so good games but there’s a constant personal growth throughout the season. The lessons you learn from pro football, whether it be dedication or commitment and teamwork, it adds value to each player’s life individually. Football is a great microcosm of life because of the locker room dynamic and a weekly and yearly goal we all strive for.”
Given the length of time Leone has spent here, his deep personal connections, and his affinity for “football on the banks of the Rideau Canal”, it should come as no surprise that he regards Ottawa as home. Similar to the principle of it taking a village to raise a child, Leone points to the nation’s capital as doing the same for him along his football journey.
It’s only served to make him more thankful for his career at large.
“I never thought I’d be playing football, let alone making a life in a different country. That part I’m grateful for, and just the opportunity to come and try to do your best every week. Every time I walk down this hallway [to the locker room], I always have a moment of gratitude. It’s a long walk.”
Leone will surely soak in the moment on that long walk, and when the milestone is announced in-stadium to the fans in attendance at TD Place, but there are also bigger fish to fry. It’s a pivotal matchup for the REDBLACKS, as the CFL playoff race begins to gather steam.
He knows, however, that the best fans in the league are up to the task.
“Where we’re at right now, as a team, gives us a huge opportunity with this game. We need RNation to show up and show out.”
