The Ottawa Redblacks and wide receiver Justin Hardy agreed to a one-year contract extension through the 2025 season on Wednesday.
Justin Hardy is five foot ten and weighs 192 pounds. The 32-year-old from Washington, D.C., made 97 catches for 1,343 yards, five touchdowns, and nine carries for 76 yards in 16 games for the Redblacks in 2024. He was named a CFL East All-Star and the All-CFL Team after the season. Hardy was also a 2024 Most Outstanding Player nominee.
The Atlanta Falcons drafted Hardy in the fourth round (107th pick) of the 2015 NFL Draft. Hardy played five seasons with the Falcons making 95 catches for 946 yards, nine touchdowns, five kick returns for 59 yards, and 20 punt returns for 147 yards in 73 games.
The Ottawa Redblacks signed Hardy as a free agent on March 18, 2022. In 2022, Hardy made 44 catches for 416 yards, one carry for five yards, and one kick return for 19 yards in seven games. In 2023, he made 85 catches for 1,009 yards, three touchdowns, and two kick returns for 57 yards in 18 games. He was named a CFL East All-Star in 2023.
Collegiately, Hardy played four seasons at East Carolina University (2011-14) making 387 catches for 4,541 yards, 35 touchdowns, completing 4 of 10 passes (40%) for 147 yards, two touchdowns, one carry for seven yards, one touchdown, and 63 punt returns for 495 yards in 49 games for the Pirates. He was named First Team All-C-USA in 2013 and First Team All-AAC in 2014.
