Crawford sets sights on mid-season return

By Lethbridge Herald on June 27, 2025.

Graham Kelly 

Inside the CFL

Aaron Crawford is determined, courageous and resilient.

Now in his 12th CFL season, the six-foot-4, 264 lb Stampeder long-snapper from Crescent Heights High School in Medicine Hat and St. Mary’s university in Halifax, was cut by four teams in two years before finding a home in Hamilton and becoming the best at his position in pro football. He has missed only three games in his four-year stint at the Crowchild corral and five in his seasons with the Tiger-Cats. At the beginning of his 166th start in Toronto, June 14, he was felled by a freak accident, landing on the six game injury list.

“I had a bit of a run-in with a teammate on the sideline at the end of the first punt of the game,” he explained over the phone from the gym where he was working out. “I kind of jarred somethings loose. I had a little tweak later and I went down. I’m hoping with some hard work and prayers that I can avoid surgery and get back at the end of the six games.”

A freak accident?

“Yeah. It’s one of those things that no matter how careful you are, it’s unfortunate but part of the game.”

His only previous serious injury occurred while playing for the eastern team in 2018 when he tore his Anterior Cruciate Ligament and meniscus. He finished the game! After reconstructive surgery, he went through a long, painful rehabilitation process, made more difficult because “…It was the very end of the season and I didn’t have a contract for the following year”. But general manager Eric Tillman knew how good he could be and re-signed him in July of 2018.

After the 2019 campaign he joined the stamps as a free agent. His parents, Jenny and Guy Crawford were delighted when Aaron, his wife Angela and grandson William (now six) moved closer to home.

What does the rehab process look like?

“Right now everything is very cautious, baby steps. I’m in the gym right now as we speak. I’ve just got to give my lower body time to calm down and then focus on strengthening and stabilizing and see where we’re at from there.

“There’s some damage in there, we just don’t know the extent of it. We might be able to rehab it and stabilize it without surgery but we can’t rule out surgery. We have to re-evaluate it later.”

He’s in good hands. The Calgary Stampeders are first class in every way, including looking after injured players and not rushing them back into the lineup before they are ready.

If surgery is required, he would rather do that sooner than later.

“Yes,” he replied, “If we are able to get things repaired and stable and that kind of stuff that would be great and we wouldn’t need the surgery. But you never know with injuries, things could go in a different way. We are waiting on imaging as well to see the full extent of the damage.”

Oh, the life of a professional athlete. Does rehab get harder as you get older? Aaron turns 38 in September.

“I think some would say that but because I’ve gone through this previously with my other leg, I kind of know what’s ahead and I’ll be able to handle the rehab with or without surgery a little better kind of knowing what to expect and the milestones I’ll need to reach.”

During this difficult time, he will contribute where he can.

“I’m doing my best to still be valuable to the team. All I can do at this point is just try to be a mentor when needed, provide some experience to the younger group with game planning and pre-game preparations and impart some knowledge of what to expect out there. That’s the way I can be of service.”

A major reason why red and white place kicker Rene Paredes is one of the all-time greats is his holder and long snapper. The three are a team that spends hours and hours practising their craft.

According to Crawford, half the time when a field-goal try goes awry, the fault lies with the snapper or holder. That is why his injury is a serious setback for the team.

Coach Dave Dickenson won’t rest easy until his return.