Former Hamilton Tiger-Cats kicker, St. Catharines native Hajrullahu cut by Dallas Cowboys

Former Hamilton Tiger-Cats kicker and St. Catharines native Lirim Hajrullahu was cut by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday, leaving another former Tiger-Cat, Brett Maher as the only kicker on the roster going into the final preseason game Friday against Seattle.

Hajrullahu and undrafted rookie Jonathan Garibay started training camp on the Dallas roster, but the kicking competition in California didn’t go well.

Hajrullahu spent six years in the CFL with Winnipeg, Toronto and Hamilton from 2014 to 2019. He is a two-time East Division all-star and helped the Argonauts win the 2017 Grey Cup.

Lirim Hajrullahu (@Lirim_70) boots the @Ticats to a perfect home record with a last-gasp field goal! 🐯 #CFLGameday pic.twitter.com/WiX9eeV4wj

— CFL (@CFL) November 3, 2019

He has bounced around the NFL since moving south in 2020 but has failed to stick with a team long-term. This was his second stint with the Cowboys.

Dallas added Maher while waiving Garibay two weeks ago. Maher was a 29-year-old rookie for Dallas in 2018 but was let go following 13 games a year later after going just 7 of 13 from 30 to 49 yards. He was 20 of 30 overall in 2019.

Maher didn’t kick during the pandemic-altered 2020 season before going 16 of 18 in eight games with New Orleans last season. The Cowboys decided not to bring back Greg Zuerlein after a shaky second season with them in 2021. Zuerlein is with the New York Jets.

Maher kicked in the CFL for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2014), Ottawa Redblacks (2014–15, 2017), and Tiger-Cats (2016).

-with files from The Associated Press/The Canadian Press