Andrew Harris runs over the side of Bethel-Thompson in an Argos’ win in Toronto in May
In what is the first crossover since the NFL and CFL (Canadian Football League) merged in 1982, one final East final game will be played on the NFL’s Super Bowl weekend between the Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes.
It will be a game that will get a Canadian audience tuned in to watch a team that will be run by an American quarterback – Toronto’s Ricky Ray.
Both teams are desperate to make it to the Grey Cup final where they will face each other once again.
But as the Argos will be played at the south-east Canadian province’s BMO Field, will backup quarterback Ricky Ray – who was once the face of the CFL – hand over the hot seat to someone else?
For a back-up quarterback it will be as close to a Super Bowl game as you can get without paying admission. That said, it’s still a pretty big stage for the Canadian Football League.
Ray will definitely not play as the Argos host the Alouettes in Toronto on Friday night but his veteran support cast will be giving him advice. “They have kept me occupied,” he said.
Kendrick Bourne, Ricky Ray’s Canadian backup, has not played since 2013
Canadian backup quarterback Kendrick Bourne, who has not played in the CFL since he was named most valuable player in 2013, is set to see more time on the sidelines. “Kendrick is a cool dude,” Ray added. “We joke around every now and then, but he’s a very hard-working player.”
Getting news about their new quarterback last season would have undoubtedly been exciting, but Ray is looking forward to going on the road to Los Angeles, where the Grey Cup will be played at the Rose Bowl next Sunday. “As players you really take pride in putting on that Grey Cup ring and representing your city,” Ray said.
So is he confident the Argos can do it against the Alouettes, especially as star Alouettes quarterback, Andrew Harris, is expected to return from injury?
It’s worth pointing out that the CFL never gives up on a team when the hope of a Grey Cup ring is around the corner.