‘I never thought he could play’: Marc Trestman didn’t view Cody Fajardo as future CFL starter

Photo: Edmonton Elks

Throughout his coaching career, Marc Trestman developed a well-established reputation on both sides of the border as a quarterback guru. However, there is one pivot that he got completely wrong: Cody Fajardo.

“Cody won’t believe this, but I never thought he could play. That’s the truth,” Trestman told TSN 690‘s Melnick in the Afternoon this week. “I stay connected to him all the time. I couldn’t be prouder of him. I didn’t think he could throw the ball, and I didn’t think he could play at this level. That’s the kind of quarterback whisperer I am.”

Fajardo was the incumbent third-string quarterback when Trestman was hired as the head coach of the Toronto Argonauts in 2017. Future Hall of Fame quarterback Ricky Ray was the franchise’s unquestioned starter at the time, but even when Ray briefly went down, Trestman turned to Jeff Mathews as the backup. McLeod Bethel-Thompson later took over the number two job, while Fajardo saw limited action as a passer in his third CFL season.

The Nevada product completed 18-of-30 passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns, but rushed for 240 yards and five touchdowns as the primary short-yardage option. The Argos went on to win the Grey Cup that season, aided by a game-winning touchdown plunge from Fajardo in the East Final.

Toronto did not retain Fajardo that offseason, allowing him to sign with the B.C. Lions as a free agent. The next season, he joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders and was unexpectedly thrust into the starting lineup. He has since had stints as a franchise quarterback with the Riders, Montreal Alouettes, and Edmonton Elks, throwing for 25,845 yards, 120 touchdowns, and 69 interceptions while rushing for 3,215 yards and 53 majors.

Fajardo’s career completion percentage of 71.1 is among the highest in CFL history, which makes Trestman’s initial skepticism seem all the more surprising given the premium he places on accuracy.

“If you don’t have a quarterback who can throw the ball accurately, all that other coaching means nothing,” he said. “You’ve got to be accurate to play quarterback. That’s the number one criteria. You can say toughness and all that stuff, but you can be tough and have a strong arm, but if you’re not accurate, (it doesn’t matter).”

Trestman rose to fame as the offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders, helping Rich Gannon win NFL MVP in 2002. During his tenure with the Montreal Alouettes, Anthony Calvillo won two CFL Most Outstanding Player awards. Other notable quarterbacks who have worked with the three-time Grey Cup champion include Ray, Steve Young, Bernie Kosar, Jay Cutler, Joe Flacco, and Justin Herbert.

Fajardo has carved out a career worthy of inclusion with some of those names. This year in Edmonton, the 34-year-old has thrown for 4,439 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, while rushing for 405 yards and five TDs amidst an Elks turnaround. On pace to surpass 5,000 passing yards for the first time, he is considered one of the leading candidates to win the West Division’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player nomination.

Trestman takes no credit for the string of names he’s been associated with, especially the one he misjudged.

“I basically am a guy who just falls into good players, and I don’t screw them up,” he said. “At the time I had Cody with Ricky Ray. How lucky could you be coaching Ricky Ray and Anthony Calvillo in your coaching career here? Two of the greatest human beings; forget about quarterbacks. Greatest human beings, best fathers, best husbands, best leaders. All could have played south of the border if they were in the right place at the right time. Fortunately for this country and the league, they wound up playing here and making a life and making a lot of people happy.”

Fajardo and the Elks (11-4) are on a bye this week. They will return to action on Friday, October 9, when they visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.