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Tiger-Cats’ Wooden returns as CFL star
- Updated: July 4, 2025
From staff and wire reports
GOODBYE!
Isaiah Wooden Sr. takes it 86 yards for the score!#CFLGameDay
: @Ticats vs Argonauts LIVE NOW
: TSN, RDS
: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/UXDzOrMxzT— CFL (@CFL) July 5, 2025
TORONTO, July 4, 2025 — Isaiah Wooden, an elite kick returner since his dazzling days at Helix High School, electrified BMO Field with 264 return yards, including an 86-yard kickoff return touchdown with 6:13 left in the game, powering the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to a 51-38 rout of the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night. The dynamic return man’s performance, a constant in his career across high school, college, and the pros, showcased him as one of the CFL’s top return men in a league with a strong emphasis on the kick-return game.
Wooden, 27, fielded five kickoffs for 166 yards, with his 86-yard touchdown extending Hamilton’s lead from 44-32 to 50-32. He juked a defender at the 20, cut right, and outran Toronto’s coverage unit, reminiscent of his legendary plays at Helix High in La Mesa, California. He also added four punt returns for 98 yards, including a 51-yard scamper that set up a key Hamilton score, totaling a career-high 264 return yards.
At Helix, Wooden was a star, hauling in 52 passes for 922 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior while amassing 906 yards in punt and kick returns, including a 98-yard kickoff return in the CIF championship game that cemented his legacy. In a 2017 rout of Steele Canyon, he scored on two 60-yard punt returns and an 11-yard touchdown catch, powering Helix to a 41-7 win.
Receiver Kenny Lawler shared the spotlight, erupting for a career-best 207 yards on six receptions, including three touchdowns. His 75-yard score was a highlight, complementing Wooden’s special teams brilliance.
Wooden’s college journey showcased his resilience. He began at Dixie State (now Utah Tech) in 2018, then a Division II program, where he flashed his return prowess with 563 yards and a touchdown in his freshman season, earning All-RMAC honorable mention. He then transferred to Southern Utah, where he exploded for 1,200 return yards in a season, including a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown. His final stop was Kent State, where he gained national attention during the MAC’s weeknight games. In 2022, he averaged 27.8 yards per kick return, with a 93-yard touchdown against Toledo that lit up ESPN highlights, showcasing his speed to a broader audience.
NFL tryouts with Atlanta and the Los Angeles Chargers followed, but cuts led him to the CFL, a league where kick returns shine brighter than in the NFL. Since joining Hamilton in 2024, Wooden has notched three kickoff return touchdowns, including a 105-yard sprint against Calgary this season.
Friday’s 264-yard, one-touchdown performance solidified Wooden’s status as one of – if not the top – CFL return specialist. As BMO Field roared, his journey—from Helix phenom to Division II standout, MAC star, and now CFL dynamo—proved his speed and vision are unstoppable in a league built for his talents.
