Calgary Stampeders kicker René Paredes announced on Tuesday that he will retire at the conclusion of the 2026 season.
René Paredes is five foot eleven and weighs 196 pounds. The 41-year-old from Caracas, Venezuela, has made 20 of 21 field goals (95.2%) with a long of 62 yards, 18 of 18 extra points, and 27 kickoffs for 1,786 yards in six games this season.
Paredes attended the Winnipeg Blue Bombers training camp for two seasons. The Calgary Stampeders signed Paredes as a free agent on July 4, 2011. In 2023, Paredes had 57 kickoffs for 3,653 yards (64.1 AVG), made 52 of 60 field goals (87%) with a long of 53 yards, and made 29 of 30 extra points for a total of 185 points in 18 games. In 2023, Paredes hit two major milestones, playing 200 career CFL games and scoring 2,000 career points.
In 2024, Paredes had 61 kickoffs for 4,080 yards (66.9 AVG), made 41 of 44 field goals (93.2%) with a long of 57 yards, and made 33 of 36 extra points in 18 games. In 2025, he had 71 kickoffs for 4,825 yards (67.9 AVG), made 42 of 50 field goals (82.4%), with a long of 53 yards, and made 41 of 43 extra points in 18 games.
In 15 seasons in Calgary, Paredes has converted 649 of 740 field goals (87.7%) with a long of 62 yards, made 547 of 578 extra points, and 59 single points in 253 regular-season games. Paredes has 2,535 career regular-season points.
Paredes is a two-time Grey Cup champion (2014, 2018), a six-time CFL West All-Star (2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021, 2022), a five-time CFL All-Star (2012, 2013, 2015, 2021, 2022), and a winner of the 2013 John Agro Special Teams Award.
Paredes was the team captain on nine occasions. Collegiately, Paredes played four seasons at Concordia (2007-10), making 54 of 71 field goals and 73 of 76 extra-point conversions.
