Edmonton Elks QB Cody Fajardo still feels ‘disrespected’ despite winning pedigree

Photo courtesy: Edmonton Elks

Adorned with their bushy playoff moustaches, the Edmonton Elks would not look out of place as the centre-folds in a sexy firefighter calendar, but the man behind the trend doesn’t believe that his playing style gets analysts hot and bothered.

Even as he prepares for his fifth career start in a CFL divisional final, Cody Fajardo isn’t feeling the love from outside his own building.

“You guys know my story. I feel like one of the most disrespected guys in the league over the course of my career, and it’s no stranger that it is that way,” he told reporters on Friday. “I find ways to win football games. I’m not the sexiest quarterback, but I find ways to win games, and that’s what I’m going to lean on in tomorrow’s game.”

Claiming to be underappreciated in a season where you finished third in voting for Most Outstanding Player might seem a bit precious, but media opinions vary so widely on Fajardo that he was left off the West Division All-CFL team despite his candidacy for the league’s top honour. For some, he’s been an elite quarterback as well as an elite culture-changer, spurring the Elks to a dramatic resurgence with career-best numbers. In the eyes of others, he’s just a competent quarterback boosted by the talent around him.

What can’t be disputed is that the 34-year-old boasts a winning resume. After leading the Elks to a 13-5 mark this season, his all-time win-loss record stands at 62-40-1. The Brea, Cal., native is also 4-3 all-time in the postseason, including a Grey Cup victory with the Montreal Alouettes in 2023, where he earned Most Valuable Player honours.

“I think it’s big. He knows what the stage is going to be. He’s played in both East and West Finals, so he knows what it’s about,” head coach Mark Kilam said of Fajardo’s big-game experience.

“Authentic, genuine, plays tough, holds himself accountable. He’s easy to get behind. He’s easy to resonate with, and I think that’s what you need in your starting quarterback: somebody that makes it easy for the rest of the team to follow.”

Though it didn’t stop him from being cast aside by the Alouettes just one year later, Fajardo will forever be remembered for his performance in that Grey Cup and the expletive-laden pre-game speech that preceded it. Plagued by questions throughout the week of whether he would be up to the moment, he stood tall with the game on the line and delivered the winning touchdown pass to Tyson Philpot with just 13 seconds remaining.

This year’s Elks team bears striking similarities to that Montreal squad, both of whom were considered long-shot basement dwellers to begin the season and reinvigorated ailing franchises. If Saturday’s West Final clash with the B.C. Lions demands a similar heroic ending, Fajardo says he will be ready.

“One of my favourite statistics is I believe that I have the most game-winning drives this year out of any quarterback, so it’s something I pride myself in. I’ve always prided myself in playing my best football with the game on the line, and nothing’s going to change,” he said.

“If I have the opportunity to go down the field and win the game for our team, I would want nothing more than to have it in my hands. Win or lose, I want that to be on my shoulders. We have a lot of great guys around me, so I don’t have to put that much pressure on myself, but I always thrive in those situations. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, but knowing the CFL, it always comes down to the final three minutes, especially with this football team. I feel like my blood pressure has been a lot higher this year with this football team, more so than any other team.”

While Fajardo may not feel the love from the media, going so far as to thank the haters and doubters after Edmonton clinched first place in the West, his opponents won’t make the mistake of widening the chip on his shoulder.

Lions defensive coordinator Mike Benevides is acutely aware of what the Nevada product brings to the Elks from a leadership standpoint, comparing him to his own middle linebacker Darnell Sankey, who also captured Grey Cup glory in 2023.

“Cody will tackle you too, I bet,” he joked earlier this week. “These are champions. They’ve won the championship. They’ve rung that bell. They kind of did it together, if you will.”

“Cody’s got the heart of a champion; he’s got a way to win games, and he’s carrying the team along with him.”

The shape and size of the burden Fajardo will need to shoulder in front of the largest crowd of the CFL season won’t be known until the bullets start flying. True to form, he’s willing to embrace any role needed, however unsexy it may be.

“If it takes me throwing for 100 yards and rushing for 200, that’s what it’s going to take. If it takes me throwing for 400 and rushing for none, that’s what it takes. If it takes me just protecting the ball and not trying to do too much, that’s what it takes,” he said. “You don’t ever know because each game’s its own entity, but for us, we’re excited about this opportunity versus a very good football team.”

The Edmonton Elks (13-5) will visit the B.C. Lions (10-8) for the West Final at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday, November 7, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. The teams met twice during the regular season, with both teams winning at home.

The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS in Canada and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune in on 730 CKNW (English) or Sher-E-Punjab Radio AM 600 (Punjabi) in Vancouver or 880 CHED in Edmonton.