The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

After seven games on the sideline due to injury, Karl McCartney was finally able to return to the field for the Calgary Stampeders last weekend.

McCartney had three special teams in the Stampeders’ 40-26 win over the BC Lions on October 11, their third consecutive win as teams try to position themselves for a late season playoff push.

The fourth year linebacker said he was optimistic about the performance and his rehabilitated arm following a return to full contact play.

“We needed that win.” McCartney said. “I did well, had three tackles on special teams, I didn’t play every game because the coaches are trying to ease me back in it. The hand was sore but it held up.”

McCartney had been enjoying the best season of his professional career, in the Canadian Football League, when he suffered a broken arm in the Stampeders’ 26-22 loss to the BC Lions on August 17. He was initially expected to be sidelined for about four to six weeks.

With the Stampeders atop the league standings at 12-3, McCartney said the coaching staff did not pressure a quick return to the field.

“I got cleared to play two days before the game, and the coaches decided to play me,” he said. “I knew I would be doing spot duty on special teams and defensive and knowing I hadn’t done any contact for over seven weeks I was a little nervous, but it felt good to know the coaches have enough faith to play me with no reps.”

The loss to the division rival Lions halted a four-game win streak for the Stampeders.

“On that particular play I was pushed in the back chasing down a play, got pushed in the back, kind of hit a guy funny and that’s when I broke my hand. Four days later I had surgery. I had a splint on for the next five days,” he said.

During the rehab process, McCartney said he struggled with range of motion and reduce scar tissue and swelling before he was able to return to the field.

McCartney’s injury came just a week after he recorded his best game of the season as he helped the Stampeders move into a first-place tie in the CFL.

He finished with two tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery in his team’s 42-27 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“Our starting linebacker, Malik Jackson, went down and we generally start two linebackers and usually have a third linebacker that steps in. So before that, I was just a special teamer and then when Malik went down, Deron Mayo stepped up to the starting role and I was next in line so I stepped up to that third linebacker position. After getting that opportunity, I just made the best of it and got the game ball against the Roughriders, which was a huge game for us after coming off a bye week. That was my first time getting the start playing defence, so to get the game ball just being a fill in guy, that was a pretty huge personal accomplishment,” McCartney said.

Prior to the injury, McCartney played in every game this season and has had nine defensive tackles, a sack, a fumble recovery, nine special-teams tackles and a knockdown.

In his first three years, he has already established a reputation as a special teams ace, and now McCartney continues to excel in his fourth season with the Stampeders. He is currently tied for seventh in the league and is second on the Stampeders in special teams tackles with 13.

McCartney had a CFL high four special teams tackles against the Lions in the second week of the season, a 44-32 victory.

The Stampeders clinched a playoff berth and lead the West division at 12-3.

Just three games remain on the regular season schedule and the Stampeders are scheduled to next face the Edmonton Eskimos 7pm October 18.