Jonathon Jennings redid his deal with Lions general manager Ed Hervey after a disappointing 2017 season.
“Our talk was great, when I talked to him he just presented the idea that we want to do this as a team and it’s not about one player, it’s not about one position on the team, it’s about how we can make this team the best team possible,” Jennings said on Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver.
“He believes in me, he believes in this team…I’m excited about working with Ed. He had a championship team in 2015. I just like the way he works. There’s never a bad taste when someone is telling you that they believe in you.”
Jennings met Hervey at CFL week in Regina last year and likes his straightforward style, which he feels is similar to Wally Buono. The restructured contract features less “hard money” with more incentives and runs out after the 2018 season.
“I do think it’s a prove me thing. If I do my job then I’ll secure that long-term. Didn’t have the greatest year last year obviously, and the one most disappointed about that is myself. I’m ready to go out there and prove it, earn my keep and that’s all I can ask,” Jennings said.
Last July Jennings suffered a shoulder injury which hampered his season.
“Obviously, I got hurt early in the season, but I would never use that as an excuse. Obviously, it was annoying and it bothered me all year, but it wasn’t anything that I could excuse myself from the way I played,” Jennings said.
“It’s coming along. I’m entering my last week of physiotherapy coming up. It was a tough season all year long, I really couldn’t get it to 100 per cent, but it will be nice coming in next season feeling 100 per cent.”
After putting together a stellar 2016, throwing for 5,226 yards and 27 touchdowns while leading the Lions into the playoffs, Jennings numbers were down across the board as he had more interceptions than touchdowns in a disappointing 7-11 season on the Left coast.
“I grew a lot. Honestly, I’ve never experienced something like that in my life, it was a really tough and challenging season, but with every challenge, there is always a lesson. No matter what I gotta go out there, sometimes things are going to happen and you just gotta respond,” Jennings said.
“I know a lot of people out there might think that they’re not going to see the old Jennings out of me and I’m just excited to go prove that wrong.”
