The Edmonton Elks are finally going all in on Canadian quarterback Tre Ford next season, but the team’s former starter doesn’t seem convinced that the move will pay dividends.
After he was traded to the Montreal Alouettes on Tuesday, veteran signal-caller McLeod Bethel-Thompson sat down for an exclusive interview with Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette and sounded off on his former team bowing to the public pressure by replacing him with Ford.
“When you’re in a losing organization, you often grasp at straws because you’re a little bit desperate,” Bethel-Thompson said. “Obviously, the interest in Ford is out there, whether it’s warranted or not. The people want him out there to see what he can be. Nobody has any idea what kind of player he’s going to be. I understand that as well.”
Bethel-Thompson was signed to be the Elks’ starting quarterback entering the 2024 season, with management openly questioning Ford’s readiness to be the face of the franchise. The hope was for the third-year pivot to learn and mature behind the veteran addition, however, an 0-7 start under Bethel-Thompson’s stewardship cost head coach and general manager Chris Jones his job. It took Ford being reinserted into the starting lineup in Week 9 for Edmonton to win their first game of the season, vindicating a vocal section of the fanbase that wanted him under centre all along.
While the Canadian provided the team with a spark, he struggled to stay healthy and both quarterbacks saw significant playing time down the stretch. Bethel-Thompson threw for 3,748 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, going 3-10 as the starter. Ford went 4-1 at the helm, throwing for 1,137 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing 23 times for 206 yards.
After the season, new general manager Ed Hervey definitively declared Ford to be the future of the franchise by signing him to a three-year extension worth starter money. By trading Bethel-Thompson to Montreal in favour of another veteran, Cody Fajardo, the club’s new regime also succeeded in wiping the slate clean for their young quarterback.
Bethel-Thompson remains a pending free agent and will need to strike a new contract to stick with the Alouettes, with talks expected to begin in the coming days. The 36-year-old would like to continue playing “until the cows come home” but will have to accept a backup role to make it happen, as Montreal has made similar commitments to unproven QB Davis Alexander as the Elks did to Ford. The veteran insists that will not be a problem despite having much grander beliefs about his abilities.
“I’m at a point in my career where I know I’m the best quarterback in the CFL when I’m on,” Bethel-Thompson told Zurkowsky. “I also understand I have some knowledge and experience. I’ve been through some stuff that will help some other people. I’ve seen Davis’s talent and would love to give him everything I possibly could and help him any way I possibly could.”
Bethel-Thompson has thrown for 17,009 yards, 94 touchdowns, and 60 interceptions over 70 career regular season CFL games as a member of the Argonauts and Elks. The native of San Francisco, Calif. was twice named an East Division all-star while playing for Toronto and helped lead the team to a Grey Cup victory in 2022.
Despite his last mentorship opportunity coming to a questionable end, Bethel-Thompson believes he has much to offer Alexander.
“A rising tide raises all boats,” he said. “I’d love to facilitate and make him as good a player as he possibly can be.”
