While Chris Streveler was ailing with multiple injuries prior to the CFL playoffs in 2019, the dual-threat quarterback received positive feedback from NFL teams.
Streveler managed to play through a broken bone in his foot, hurt ribs and shoulder issue as the X-factor for Winnipeg during the Bombers three road wins on the way to hoisting the Grey Cup.
“I didn’t really even realize that the NFL was going to be a possibility until getting into the playoffs last year. My agent hit me up and said that some teams were inquiring about a post-season workout,” Streveler told Donnovan Bennett on The Waggle podcast.
“They were interested, which was kind of interesting for me going into the playoffs, it was pretty well documented I was dealing with an injury. That made things a little bit trickier and different once I was able to get into workouts.”
Streveler was especially effective for Winnipeg during the 2019 CFL championship run in the post-season. He rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown in the West Semi-Final in Calgary and threw a touchdown pass to Andrew Harris in the Grey Cup.
“It wasn’t hard to focus at all because while I was really excited about the opportunity with the NFL, I was so invested with Winnipeg and that was my main goal. Honestly, I told my agent, because we had a conversation, (and he said), ‘well, obviously you’re dealing with an injury so maybe you shouldn’t play to get ready for these workouts,'” Streveler said.
“I was kind of like, ‘no, I’m not doing that. I owe it to my teammates, I owe it to myself to see this thing through. If I’m going to be able to get out and play for these playoffs, I want to be able to do it, regardless of how that’s going to impact these NFL chances.’”
Arizona, Tampa Bay and Miami brought Streveler in to team facilities for visits. The Cardinals saw the most potential in Streveler and signed him to a contract. General manager Steve Keim and head coach Kliff Kingsbury liked his athleticism, which drew comparisons to New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Taysom Hill.
Streveler made a bit of history in Week 1, becoming the first CFL quarterback to register an NFL statistic in almost eleven years during Arizona’s win over San Francisco. He’s focused on the opportunity with the Cardinals just like his attention to details with the Bombers.
