Gene Gaines

Gene Gaines (June 26, 1938 – July 6, 2023) was an American defensive back who spent 16 seasons in the Canadian Football League, playing for the Ottawa Rough Riders and Montreal Alouettes. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Watts, he played college football at UCLA. Gaines recorded 42 career interceptions in the CFL and set a league record with a 128-yard kickoff return during the 1964 Eastern Conference playoffs against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He later served as both player and defensive backfield coach for Montreal in 1970. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.