Los Angeles Rams sign former CFL kicker Lirim Hajrullahu to NFL deal

LOS ANGELES — Former CFL kicker Lirim Hajrullahu signed with the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams on Monday.

Hajrullahu, 29, spent last season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He has also played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts over six CFL seasons.

Hajrullahu, a resident of Oakville, Ont., will compete with former XFL kicker Austin MacGinnis to replace veteran Greg Zuerlein, who signed with the Dallas Cowboys after playing eight seasons for the Rams.

The five-foot-11, 205-pound Hajrullahu, a former Western Mustangs star, hit 47-of-55 field goals (85.5 per cent) while posting a 43.1-yard punting average last season. He helped Hamilton post a league-best 15-3 record and establish a single-season club record for regular-season victories.

But the Ticats’ season ended with a 33-12 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup.

In 2017, Hajrullahu’s 32-yard field goal with 53 seconds left gave Toronto a 27-24 victory over Calgary in the CFL title game.

Hamilton released Hajrullahu early to allow him to pursue NFL opportunities. Over his CFL career, Hajrullahu has hit 239-of-287 field goals (83.3 per cent) while sporting a 44.1-yard punting average.

MacGinnis, 24, made all 10 field goals he tried for the Dallas Renegades before the XFL shut down operations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 13, 2020

The Canadian Press