Out of the University of East Carolina, Keith Stokes was one of the most dangerous kick returners in the CFL in the first decade of the 21st century. Stokes was especially dangerous returning punts where he returned 9 in his career for touchdowns, including 4 in one season. Stokes also had one kickoff return of 108 yards for a touchdown and a pair of missed field goal returns that he took all the way back. At the start of his career, Stokes also saw conisiderable action at wide receiver and even for a bit at running back. Stokes signed as a free agent with Montreal for the 2002 and had an excellent rookie season that included three punt returns for touchdowns. That was impressive enough to earn Stokes a tryout with the Miami Dolphins the NFL in 2003, but he was released and returned to the Alouettes. Stokes finishing the 2003 season with the Als in which he had three more kick returns for touchdowns (2 on missed field goals and one on a punt), in just 15 games. Stokes was traded for the 2004 season to Winnipeg along with a draft pick for draft picks from the Bombers. Stokes had his best season as a kick returner in 2004 with Winnpeg, going over 1000 yars on kickoff returns and averaging 16.7 yards a return on punts with four of them ran back for touchdowns. 2005 was another banner season for Stokes with the Bombers. It was his best season as an offensive player with 58 catches for 832 yards and three touchdowns. Running back kicks, Stokes set a new personal best with 1112 yards on kickoff returns and added another punt return for a touchdown. Stokes signed as a free agent with Toronto for 2007, but his numbers started to dwindle both offensively and returning kicks as he had his first season without a kick return for a touchddown. Stokes was reaquired by Winnpeg for 2007, but played only 2 games. Stokes finished his CFL career back in Toronto in 2008, playing four games for the Argos. Following his release by the Argos, Stokes played in Europe in 2009 and after that in Arena football with Philadelphia.
Video of a Keith Stoked 81 yard Punt Return for a TD
Note: fanbase.com currently lists Stokes with Edmonton for 2008, but he did not play any games for the Eskimos according to the 2009 CFL Facts & Figures.
| Year | Team | GP | TC | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | MON | 18 | 4 | -16 | -4 | 0 | 5 | 43 | 572 | 13.3 | 3 | 45 | 36 |
| 2003 | MON | 15 | 19 | 71 | 3.7 | 0 | 12 | 33 | 429 | 13 | 2 | 48 | 30 |
| 2004 | WPG | 18 | 3 | 28 | 9.3 | 0 | 30 | 22 | 367 | 16.7 | 2 | 70 | 42 |
| 2005 | WPG | 17 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 58 | 832 | 14.3 | 3 | 68 | 24 |
| 2006 | TOR | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 253 | 12.7 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| 2007 | WPG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | TOR | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 64 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Year | Team | KOR | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | PR | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | MFGRet | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | MON | 25 | 527 | 21.1 | 0 | 40 | 76 | 896 | 11.8 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 355 | 50.7 | 0 | 53 |
| 2003 | MON | 23 | 455 | 19.8 | 0 | 41 | 61 | 572 | 9.4 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 506 | 56.2 | 2 | 115 |
| 2004 | WPG | 56 | 1112 | 19.9 | 1 | 108 | 80 | 949 | 11.9 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 138 | 15.3 | 0 | 75 |
| 2005 | WPG | 47 | 1022 | 21.1 | 0 | 52 | 79 | 662 | 8.4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 185 | 37 | 0 | 66 |
| 2006 | TOR | 28 | 528 | 16.9 | 0 | 34 | 39 | 363 | 9.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | WPG | 5 | 123 | 24.6 | 0 | 55 | 17 | 144 | 8.5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 125 | 31.3 | 0 | 56 |
| 2008 | TOR | 19 | 365 | 19.2 | 0 | 35 | 15 | 148 | 9.9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| Year | Team | F | FL | OFR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | MON | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| 2003 | MON | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| 2004 | WPG | 10 | 5 | 2 |
| 2005 | WPG | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2006 | TOR | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 2007 | WPG | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 | TOR | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Year | Team | FR | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | OFR | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | MON | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2003 | MON | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2004 | WPG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2005 | WPG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2006 | TOR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2007 | WPG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2008 | TOR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
