‘I hope it turns out to be not serious’: Tiger-Cats awaiting injury update on Justin McGriff

Photo courtesy: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography

A potential starter in the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ receiving corps could be set to miss some time as Justin McGriff recently left practice with an injury. The big-bodied target underwent an MRI on Wednesday morning, but the extent of the injury remains unknown.

“I don’t know at this point,” head coach Scott Milanovich told the media in Hamilton. “We’re all concerned. It wasn’t the same leg as last year, it was the other leg. It looked like a little bit of a hyper-extension. He was so upset, I went to see him afterwards. We all have our fingers crossed and hope for the best.”

The Utah State product was one of the standouts in training camp last season, going from relative unknown to potential starter in just a few short weeks. His camp performance included a strong preseason game against Toronto in which he made a game-high four receptions for 58 yards, mostly playing with the first-team offence.

However, the six-foot-six receiver was forced to miss the entirety of the 2023 campaign with a compound fracture of his right tibia that occurred in an off-field accident just before the beginning of the regular season.

McGriff progressed quicker than expected and was back on the field for both rookie camp and the early days of training camp this year. Milanovich said the team was expecting him to contend for the starting position at boundary wide receiver, which was filled last season by Terry Godwin, who was recently released.

“He certainly was a part of that process,” said the head coach. “He was one of a couple of guys that had a good chance to win a starting job. I hope it turns out to be not serious and we can get him back in a short period.”

The Ticats will begin preseason play when they host the Ottawa Redblacks on May 25.