Chandler Worthy deemed other invites … well … not worthy.
But when the call came from the Calgary Stampeders, the veteran CFL kick returner was his usual quick self to accept it.
The speedy football talent even set aside his passionate work in the film business to rejoin the three-down ranks.
“Something felt right in my heart, and something told me to come and explore this,” Worthy told reporters, in saying “yes” to the Stampeders (4-6) when they approached him for football business last weekend ahead of the upcoming Labour Day Classic with the rival Edmonton Elks (3-8) on Monday at McMahon Stadium (4 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary).
“I was just trusting myself, and I was just turning everything down,” continued Worthy. “So I just decided to come in and give this team everything I have to offer in hopes of winning that championship.”
The timing was right, too, for Worthy to return to the game.
“We’re working in film production, so we produce short TV shows,” Worthy said. “And we have a movie coming up. So I was just really into the film world a lot. And then when I finished on this last project we were working on, that’s when coach gave me a call.”
That would be running backs coach André Bolduc, who has been around Worthy plenty in the CFL world.
In fact, the Stamps assistant has apparently been a big part of Worthy’s career, which has encompassed 5,633 career all-purpose yards in 45 regular-season CFL games with the Toronto Argonauts and the Montreal Alouettes.
Specifically, the 30-year-old Georgia native has rolled up 3,156 kickoff-return yards, 1,663 punt-return yards, 315 missed field-goal return yards, 461 receiving yards and 38 rushing yards.
The 5-foot-8, 177-lb. dynamo also has scored seven touchdowns in the CFL — four on receptions, two on kickoff returns and one on a punt return.
Bolduc was alongside Worthy during his own 10 years with the Alouettes.
“I love Coach Bolduc with all my heart — he’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had,” Worthy said. “I turned everyone down, but that’s one guy I love to play for and go to war for, and that means more to me than anything.
“There’s just people you’ll put your life on the line for, And I really feel like I have that here, so I’m excited about it.”
In 2022 with the Alouettes, Worthy was the team’s nominee and the East Division finalist for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award as he racked up 1,824 return yards, including 1,220 and two touchdowns on kickoffs, 547 on punts and 57 on missed field goals.
But it didn’t work out for him there this year, as he was released by the Als on May 1.
“I was surprised, for sure, because I was training like crazy,” Worthy said. “I was a part of that culture to win the championship. But I know everything happens for a reason. So I’m excited to bring everything I learned from there to here to win a championship — just to bring into this locker room, so I can help serve these guys and make everybody better.
“I’m just thankful for the opportunity to do that.”
The Stamps are thankful to have him here, since he’s a blockbuster of sorts in terms of his talent on the field.
And he always has been dating back to his college days.
Worthy played 45 games over four seasons with the NCAA’s Troy Trojans. He scored 14 career touchdowns for the Trojans including 11 receiving, one rushing and two on kickoff returns. With Troy, Worthy had 137 career catches for 1,767 yards, 34 carries for 176 yards and 81 kickoff returns for 1,919 yards.
He was named the first-team all-Sun Belt Conference kick returner following his senior season after returning 27 kickoffs for 704 yards — for an average of 26.1 yards — and two scores.
“He can play receiver and can play running back, and he’s a great returner,” praised Stamps GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “We’ve had good production on our returns, but we’re the only team in the league that doesn’t have a special-teams or defensive touchdown. Not only do those helps us to win, but it fires up the crowd and it gets the sideline going.
“And Chandler’s a guy that’s always been able to do that. When he gets out in the open, he’s gone.”
He’s game to do that here, having set aside his off-field passion to get to work with the Red and White.
“We’re in pre-production of a movie called Fourth & 14,” said Worthy, one of the film’s producers. “It’s a football movie about a middle-school girl becoming an NFL head coach. It’s a story about her dad catching cancer and being raised. So it’s an inspirational story. We’re going to shine a light on women and their empowerment in the sport now.
“We’ve been working on multiple things, but this is our big one we’re working on,” continued Worthy. “So hopefully, I can just bring that selfless, careless attitude of seeing those stories of inspiration that I found so much in my life and bring that to young girls and young athletes in the world.”
Producer Worthy says the movie is written out and they are now in the funding stages, working with the NFL with hopes of getting a final investment.
“I’ve loved filmmaking. I acted a little bit, but it wasn’t for me. I more so enjoy trying to create opportunity for athletes outside of sports. So being a producer kind of fits me perfectly with giving people jobs and finding the opportunity and creating more. So I’m just thankful to be here to one still tell my story and live it every day and to be able to inspire people to screen, as well.”
But in Calgary, he’s hoping to inspire a winning tradition.
“Yeah … 100 per cent,” added Worthy. “I mean … I have the will. I’m going to do everything in my possible power to come out here and work every day to be the best I can for my teammates, and I truly am here to work my butt off and earn the right to be a champion, earn the right to get that position. So I’m excited for that opportunity.”
SHORT YARDAGE
The two-plus weeks off since their last game have given injured Stamps plenty of time to heal. Of those injured coming off that 31-29 home loss to the Ottawa Redblacks, only OL D’Antne Demery (hand) didn’t participate in practice Thursday … Those teammates back and practising fully are QB Matt Shiltz (ankle), WR Tyson Middlemost (hamstring) and LB Adam Konar (hamstring) … The Labour Day Replay — the rematch between the Elks and the Stamps — follows next Saturday in Edmonton ((5 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary).
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