Elite Speed: 51-yard Touchdown Scamper, Javon Leake Sets Speed Record
EDMONTON – There’s a well-known saying in football: speed kills. Javon Leake may exemplify this better than any other player.
During the fourth quarter of the Elks’ 42-31 win against Saskatchewan, with 11:08 left on the clock, Leake cut through the Riders’ defense and outpaced everyone in green for a stunning 51-yard touchdown run.
Nobody could catch him—literally, nobody.
TSN’s enhanced data feed clocked Leake’s top speed at 35.8 KM/H (22.5 MPH in the U.S.), a pace that no ball carrier in professional football has surpassed in the past year.
Now that’s what you call elite speed!
Javon Leake reaches 35.8 KM/H on his second TD of the game!
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— CFL (@CFL) August 4, 2024
The player known as ‘Cheetah’ and recently named the NFL’s top player by his peers, Tyreek Hill, reached a top speed of 22.01 MPH last season. Meanwhile, Canadian Chase Brown recorded the second-fastest speed in the NFL at 22.05 MPH during his 54-yard touchdown catch in Week 14. Even All-Pro receiver D.K. Metcalf couldn’t match the speed Leake displayed on Saturday night at Mosaic Stadium; Metcalf’s best in the American game was 22.23 MPH.
This is 22.25 mph, which is faster than any NFL ball-carrier ran last season. Only D.K. Metcalf, Canadian Chase Brown, and Tyreek Hill surpassed 22 mph in 2023 with Metcalf leading the way at 22.23 mph. #CFL https://t.co/2xU9lN9xSN
— Ben Grant (@Ben__Grant) August 4, 2024
The Elks’ dynamic kick returner made a significant impact on CFL special teams in 2023 while playing for the Toronto Argonauts, accumulating 2,009 return yards and four touchdowns, earning him the title of Canadian Football’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player. After signing with Edmonton in CFL Free Agency, Leake was brought on to enhance the team’s return game, but he also saw an opportunity to play a larger role in the offense.
“My primary position is running back, so I’m eager to see what the coaches have planned for me and how they intend to integrate me into the offense,” Leake said in an interview on February 13, shortly after joining the Elks. “I’m really looking forward to that.”
With the injury to Edmonton’s top running back, Kevin Brown, Leake was given the chance to showcase his offensive skills, and he certainly rose to the occasion.
Leake delivered an impressive all-purpose performance, tallying 247 yards, with 169 of those coming from just 12 carries. In this standout game, the 26-year-old shredded the Riders’ defense, scoring three touchdowns, including a 61-yard run and a record-setting 51-yard dash.
“Last year, we had a good rushing game against these guys, so that was our focus coming in,” Leake said after the game. “We aimed to run the ball effectively again, and it worked out really well. Our offense was firing on all cylinders, especially in the running game. I just trusted my teammates, and they trusted me.”