Montreal Alouettes Star Quarterback Chasing Titles Over Money with Extension
What a difference a year can make for Cody Fajardo. The veteran quarterback went from critics saying he was at the end of his career to being the Grey Cup MVP for the Montreal Alouettes.
His journey in 2023 has been one of the feel-good stories of the CFL season, helping the Alouettes win their first championship since 2010 by upsetting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He finished the game with 290 passing yards and three touchdowns and the MVP.
Montreal rewarded him for his performance with a contract extension signed on Wednesday that will keep him through the 2025 season. Fajardo is not in it for the money though. It’s all about winning more Grey Cups.
"I have a lot more fun winning Grey Cups than I do being the highest-paid player and not making the playoffs," Fajardo said in his press conference Thursday.
Fajardo entered the 2023 season on his fourth different team in his seven seasons in the league. He finished the regular season throwing for 3,847 yards with 14 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, playing in all 18 games.
Going into the offseason, Fajardo and Alouettes general manager Danny Maciocia both wanted the quarterback to stay in Montreal. Maciocia and Fajardo’s agent spoke on Friday and were able to strike a deal. It’s a conversation that was being had and Fajardo wanted to make it clear Montreal was the place.
"I said, 'Look Danny, this is my last run,'" Fajardo said. "As long as you want me to be the starting quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes that's as long as I'll be (it).”
"As soon as we find that it's no longer, then I think that's the time that I hang them up and it's done for me."
The 31-year-old quarterback has thrown for 14,893 yards and 67 touchdowns with 45 interceptions in his seven CFL seasons. He also won a Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts earlier in his career.
Fajardo wasn’t the only key piece to the Alouettes’ Grey Cup championship team that was re-signed. Defensive lineman Shawn Lemon was also brought back on an extension signed Thursday with more moves expected to happen.
Shawn Lemon Returning to Alouettes on Contract Extension
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Anthony Miller has been covering professional spring football since 2019 including XFL, USFL, and CFL. He was a local news reporter in Texas before transitioning to sports. Other sites he writes for includes College Football Network and NTZ Network.