Cody Fajardo aims to join exclusive CFL quarterback club in Grey Cup

Photo courtesy: Edmonton Elks.

Cody Fajardo could join an exclusive list with a win in the 113th Grey Cup on Sunday and provide a major boost to his Hall of Fame resume.

19 quarterbacks in CFL history have won two or more championships, and eight starters have won one title with multiple franchises. The six-foot-one, 215-pound passer led Montreal to a Grey Cup victory in 2023, earning MVP honours. He’s back in the title match with Edmonton to take on his former team.

“Yes, legacy’s in it for me. I’m going to do everything I can to help this team win a football game, and it’s not for me. I know a lot of people are going to talk about me, me, me because I am the starting quarterback,” Fajardo said during Grey Cup week.

“When you talk about legacy, it’s one thing. My kids, when they get older and they Google my name, at some point they’re going to do that, and they watch film of dad, they’re proud. Whether I’m a Hall of Famer or not, I want them to be proud of the product I put on the field, the way I represented my last name, and the organizations that I played for.”

Elks head coach Mark Kilam saw Hall of Fame quarterbacks in Calgary during his 20 years with the Stampeders. Danny McManus and Dave Dickenson finished their respective careers in Cowtown. Henry Burris was with the Stamps from 2005 through 2011, while Bo Levi Mitchell, a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer, spent his first 10 CFL seasons in Calgary.

“He’s a Hall of Famer in my eyes. I see what Cody does on a day-to-day basis. I see the way that he elevates the franchise, elevates his teammates,” Kilam said.

“I see what it means to him. I see the sacrifices that he puts in. I see him leave his heart on the football field every time he plays. That’s the stuff that I respect. The Hall of Fame, that’s for you guys to figure that out, but I know what Cody means to our football team, and he means a lot.”

Montreal head coach Jason Maas was teammates with Ricky Ray, and coached Michael Reilly and Fajardo when he was with the Alouettes. He’s also worked closely with the CFL’s all-time leading passer, Anthony Calvillo, as the two coaches helped No. 7 become a Grey Cup MVP.

“I’m not going to think about Cody winning his second,” Maas said, drawing a laugh from reporters. “I’ve been in the building with Cody, I’ve seen him grow, I’ve seen him compete, he does it on a day-to-day basis. He plays the best football when it matters the most — always. He’s led three teams to championship games. He’s won a Grey Cup, he’s been an MVP. I don’t know what Hall of Fame status we need, but that’s a Hall of Famer in my opinion, watching him day in and day out.”

Fajardo currently sits at No. 22 on the three-down league’s all-time passing yards list (26,194), and he has the highest completion percentage in CFL history (71.0). His second Grey Cup ring as a starter would add another key piece to his Hall of Fame candidacy.

CFL quarterbacks who have won Grey Cups with multiple teams:

Bernie Faloney (Edmonton 1954, Hamilton 1957 and 1963)
Tom Clements (Ottawa 1976, Winnipeg 1984)
Matt Dunigan (Edmonton 1987, Toronto 1991)
Damon Allen (Edmonton 1993, B.C. 2000, Toronto 2004)
Doug Flutie (Calgary 1992, Toronto 1996 and 1997)
Danny McManus (B.C. 1994, Hamilton 1999)
Ricky Ray (Edmonton 2003 and 2004, Toronto 2012 and 2017)
Henry Burris (Calgary 2008, Ottawa 2016)

*Dunigan suffered an injury early in the 1987 Grey Cup, Allen took over and earned MVP honours in the win.