Cody Fajardo can be heard talking about his thoughts on the game each and every Friday on 620 CKRM’s Sportscage, but on Thursday he was grilled by media across the country about many things as he was one of several players taking part in availabilities as Grey Cup Unite week continues.
ON THE FACT LEAGUE HASN’T COMMITTED TO 2021:
“The whole thing has been frustrating, but no one could prepare for something like this. From players, you want the committment that we are playing football, but if I am the commissioner of the league you have a lot bigger decisions to make so you can’t commit to something not knowing what the future holds. I am just waiting for my phone to ring. I think I speak for all of the players when I say we just want to get back on the field.
CONTRACT TALKS:
“I love playing for the Riders and hearing from management that they love me as a franchise quarterback and they want to extend my contract makes me happy, but there are a lot of things that will change from now until we get going so it is hard for management to commit to a number. I don’t think it would be a great time to negotiate currently not knowing what is happening with the cap, but I’m all for it as I would like to spend the rest of my career with the Riders. It’s just good to hear from the GM and the head coach that they want me to be their franchise quarterback.”
“My agent has had conversations with me about what we think is right. Like I said, there is so much uncertainty out there, we need to have football first before you can have any talks. Once there is a committment there, I can see those talks heat up.”
“My first initial offer from the team last year was a four-year deal, but I committed to a two-year one. I would love to play my entire career for the Riders because I have had so much fun and you have a soft spot in your heart for a team that gives you your first real opportunity. There was interest in me getting back into the NFL and if I locked myself into a four-year deal I might miss an opportunity. Being in my early 30’s now, I realize how much debt I am in when it comes to the CFL and how I probably wouldn’t be playing football if it weren’t for the CFL. I was surprised the team offered that.”
QUARTERBACK SALARY CAP:
“My biggest thing is what’s the competitive advantage of playing well as a quarterback if you have a cap on how much you can make. You want to play well so you can be one of the top money guys in the league. When a guy in his second year as starter is making the same as a ten-year veteran, there is something that has to give. In the end though, if I have to take less money to have the amount of talented players I had last year, I am willing to do that because winning is what I’m in it for. Whatever gets us back to playing football.”
CREATING ADDITIONAL REVENUES FOR PLAYERS:
“When you look at other pro sports, there has to be another way to get some sort of revenue into players pockets. Selling jerseys for instance, most NFL players make money off of jersey sales and you go to Mosaic Stadium and see your jersey being sold, but you aren’t getting a cut of that. That’s kind of tough because you’re the player who is selling the jersey right? It’s like when I was in college and people bought my jersey at the student store and I didn’t see any of that money. I think there should be some kind of percentage in making money off your name and your brand. There has to be a way to get more money into the pockets of players instead of just money from contracts.”
THE LAST RIDER PLAY OF THE 2019 WESTERN FINAL:
“It’s a tight window. I knew I had to rip it to get it in there. Swerve (Kyran Moore) was open and I truly believe it would have been a bang-bang play, but when I let it go, I thought we had just tied this game. 75 percent chance that it’s completed there, but I’m being bias.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN IN 2020:
“On paper, I think we had the best team in the league. We retained a lot of core guys and got some talented guys in the off-season. I think on paper we were really good and it’s a shame that we never got to see what J-O had formed. With guys signing one-year deals, we will never know what the 2020 Riders look like, but I think they win the Grey Cup.”
