LJ Dyer has fond memories from his time with the London Beefeaters but wants to maximize his chances of playing professional football by changing conferences in the Canadian Junior Football League.
“There are more players making the jump from the BCFC to the CFL compared to the OFC,” Dyer told 3DownNation. “The Beefeaters don’t believe it’s true but the BC Conference is more competitive. They don’t believe more players are making the jump to pro football out there, which is completely false.”
“I do not agree with the statement that the BCFC provides an increased chance of moving to the CFL,” Beefeaters general manager and head coach Matt Snyder said.
It’s a rare feat, but several players from the British Columbia Football Conference have straight to the pros since 2006, including CFL star Andrew Harris, kicker Sean Whyte, offensive lineman Spencer Wilson, receiver Jevon Cottoy, and defensive lineman Kelon Thomas. CJFL records indicate the last player from the Ontario Football Conference to go straight to the CFL without being drafted was receiver Nigel Williams in 1995.
Dyer signed his registration papers on June 1, 2023, which technically ties him to the Beefeaters through December 31, 2024, unless he’s granted his release. That 18-month time frame is meant to protect teams investing time and resources into a player.
Deputy commissioner Paul Shortt said each team has its own release policy with approximately three-quarters of CJFL franchises granting players the chance to move if requested, as Dyer has communicated with London. He plans to play in the BCFC.
“I feel like I’m being held hostage. It’s about the Beefeaters image, the team doesn’t want to do it but since I’ve been there I can count at least 10 players released. The team said they didn’t want to release me for fear I would end up back in the OFC playing against them, which wouldn’t happen because I’m trying to go to the BCFC,” said Dyer.
“The team feels it would be bad for recruiting if their star player is leaving them, but players won’t want to come to the Beefeaters if they’re going to be held against their will. The team has some key players from other teams in the OFC. Other teams in Ontario let players go if the individual feels there’s a better opportunity elsewhere in the conference. There’s no problem with it, the other teams simply release them.”
Snyder told 3DownNation each team in the CJFL has discretion over whether to release players and can form policies based on individual situations. There is no appeal process for players, while the league and its conferences have no jurisdiction over player releases.
The current CJFL rules were put in place in 2018 but Shortt admitted the league needs to keep up with the times, which is why league executives are currently reviewing and working to propose updated rules to be voted on at the next annual general meeting. A discussion regarding free movement for players similar to U Sports and the NCAA transfer portal is expected to take place. CJFL players can easily move to play university or college football, but Dyer does not want to go that route.
London-Joseph Dyer has played with the Beefeaters for the past three seasons. He rushed 170 times for 1,369 yards (8.1 per carry) while scoring 14 touchdowns in 2023. The 22-year-old running back was named Offensive Player of the Year in the Ontario Football Conference on the way to being named a first-team CJFL All-Canadian.
“The head coach — Matt Snyder, that’s in charge of my release — I have known and played under him for 10 years. It hurts to realize he’s not caring about what’s best for me. If it were to get out that you’re holding a player, it doesn’t look good for the team, players won’t want to come there,” Dyer said.
“The coach told me if he were to let me go, he doesn’t believe he’d be with the team anymore. That’s a selfish excuse for not letting me go, you’re putting your job in front of what’s best for me. He told me he’s in charge of releasing and signing players. He feels that if he were to let me go, the owners wouldn’t be happy and doesn’t believe he would be there.”
“This statement is being taken out of context by LJ in what I can only guess is an attempt to create a narrative of sympathy,” Snyder said. “The comment was an attempt at a joke to lighten an awkward conversation between me and LJ, the joke being that if I released LJ, I the head coach would probably be fired by the GM, who is also me.”
The London, Ont. native started playing minor football in Grade 6 and made Team Ontario in Grade 11 while suiting up for London South Collegiate. He talked with most U Sports schools but didn’t feel the university student-athlete route was right for him. Dyer wants to use the higher competition level in the BCFC to get a shot in the CFL.
“In this situation, I hope the Beefeaters see what I’m trying to do is genuine and nothing against any of them or what they’ve done. I’m trying to put myself in the best situation, I hope they understand and decide to release me,” Dyer said.
The five-foot-ten, 195-pound back wishes he could file an appeal with the CJFL head office. League officials told him the rules are outdated and advised Dyer to explain his reasons and hope the team would release him, which hasn’t worked out.
“I’ve been told by people in the league that everybody knows the rules are very outdated. The rules were last updated in 2014. The biggest issue is you can’t appeal. I feel like there should be a process to appeal and the league would look at all the information and decide what’s best for the player,” Dyer said.
“LJ was fully aware of the rules in place by the CJFL when he registered for the London Beefeaters. While he may not agree with them, the rules are in place, and we are within our rights to deny the request for a release. If LJ was my son, I would expect him to honour the rules of the league he chose to play in,” Snyder said.
The BCFC has two more games in its regular season than the OFC, which would give Dyer a chance to accumulate extra film for CFL scouts to evaluate. There were a handful of players from the BCFC last year who attended pro three-down training camps this year, including receiver Kieran Poissant, who is currently on the B.C. Lions roster.
