Wide receiver Albert Connell, whose NFL career was cut short when he was alleged to have stolen money from a New Orleans Saints teammate, on Monday signed a contract with the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL.

Connell, 29, has not played in the NFL since late in the 2001 season. He had a brief fling with the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League earlier this year but failed to earn a spot on the team's regular-season roster.

Details of the deal Connell signed with the Stampeders were not released.

"Albert is an experienced and proven receiver at the NFL level, and he will bring big-play capability to our receiving corps," said Stampeders coach Jim Barker in a statement released by the club. The statement made no references to the circumstances under which Connell's career in the NFL ended.

The former Texas A&M star was accused in 2001 of taking money from the pants pocket and also the pickup truck of Saints tailback Deuce McAllister. He was suspended by club officials and his contract was subsequently terminated. The matter with McAllister was later resolved in a manner that permitted Connell to avoid criminal charges.

Connell signed a five-year, $14 million contract with the Saints as an unrestricted free agent in the spring of 2001, after four seasons with the Washington Redskins. But even before the alleged thefts, he was a disappointment in New Orleans, with just 12 catches for 191 yards in 11 appearances and one start.

A fourth-round choice of the Redskins in the 1997 draft, he played four years for the club and had his best season in '99, with 62 receptions for 1,132 yards and seven touchdowns. In five NFL seasons, Connell totaled 150 catches for 2,674 yards and 16 touchdowns. He appeared in 61 games and started 34 of them.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.