Cody Fajardo took to his Twitter account on Monday to say farewell to Rider Nation following three seasons as the face of the franchise on the prairies.
RiderNation:
It’s been incredibly difficult to come up with the words to express how appreciative my family and I are of you all. From the countless messages, to the extremely thoughtful gifts for our son Luca, you have truly made Laura and I feel like Royalty.
After signing in 2019 I had no idea what was to come, but I know one thing I wanted to do everything I could to be a part of this community and fully embrace the Saskatchewan way. From the corn dog craze, to the sprinkles of Jesus, we will always be filled with amazing memories and a lot of victories. Our hearts will always be tied to the Heartland, and having our son Luca be born in Saskatchewan is something I am beyond proud of and I know he will be as well.
I gave you everything I had, from the injuries, to the blood, sweat and tears, I laid it all on the line for this province. It’s unfortunate it has to end this way and not with a parade and confetti. Thank you for taking me in as one of your own! I will never forget my time with all of you wonderful fans. Now a new chapter has begun, and I am so ready for it!
CF7
The 30-year-old signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2019 to serve as a backup, though he was thrust into the starting role almost immediately following an injury to starting quarterback Zach Collaros. He threw for 4,302 yards, 18 touchdowns, and eight interceptions that season along with 107 carries for 611 yards and 10 touchdowns en route to being named the West Division’s Most Outstanding Player.
Fajardo was benched in favour of Mason Fine late this past season while Saskatchewan was still mathematically eligible to earn a postseason berth. He never ruled out a return to Saskatchewan in free agency, though the Riders recently agreed to terms on a contract with veteran quarterback Trevor Harris.
The six-foot-two, 223-pound passer threw for 10,632 yards, 48 touchdowns, and 32 interceptions over 48 games as a member of the Riders. He also rushed 266 times for 1,436 yards and 22 scores.
Fajardo signed his first CFL contract with the Toronto Argonauts in 2015 following a brief stint with the Oakland Raiders. He spent three seasons with the team in a depth role before leaving as a free agent to serve as a backup with the B.C. Lions in 2018.
The native of Brea, Calif. has reportedly agreed to terms on a two-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes, though he cannot officially join the team until free agency gets underway on Tuesday. Jason Maas, who was fired as the offensive coordinator in Saskatchewan this past year, is now the head coach in Montreal.
