CFL East

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Thursday that quarterback Johnny Manziel has been ruled eligible to play in the CFL in 2018.

As seen in the following statement provided by NHL.com's Jamie Thomas, it was determined by CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie that Johnny Football can play next season provided he meets the conditions set before him:

#Ticats press release regarding Johnny Manziel. #CFL pic.twitter.com/0fvnHfnfn0

— Jamie Thomas (@JamieThomasTV) December 28, 2017

The Tiger-Cats currently have exclusive negotiating rights with Manziel.

A 10-day window was triggered for the Tiger-Cats to sign Manziel after he worked out for them in August, but Ambrosie extended the window before deciding against allowing him to play in the CFL in 2017, per ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert.

Despite ruling him ineligible for 2017, Ambrosie had positive things to say about Manziel with regard to the meeting he had with him in September, according to Seifert:

"He represented himself incredibly well [in the meeting]. He was thoughtful. I found him to be authentic and sincere. I also felt like he seems to have come to a good place in his life. He was talking a lot about his family. Now, I should say that's part of the problem. My bias is towards family. So when I'm with somebody in there talking about my family, immediately I feel good about the conversation.

"That's exactly why we feel for any player who has had some trouble in their past. It's important to not let the laypeople be the only part of the decision-making process. That's why we've implemented a process where we'll lean very heavily on experts who have training and skill that will allow them to really understand where somebody is in their personal journey and be able to give me wise counsel."

Manziel's brief NFL career was marred by off-field issues, including a domestic violence charge that was dropped.

The Cleveland Browns selected Manziel with the No. 22 overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft after a standout collegiate career at Texas A&M that saw him win the Heisman Trophy.

In two seasons with the Browns, Johnny Football went 2-6 as a starter and finished with 1,675 passing yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions to go along with 259 rushing yards and one score.

Manziel hasn't played in a game since the Browns released him following the 2015 campaign.

The CFL's Montreal Alouettes do not appear to be making a hard play to sign free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Speaking to the Canadian Press (via CFL.ca), Alouettes interim head coach and general manager Kavis Reed said the team has had "no conversation" about signing Kaepernick.

Reed did note the Alouettes called Kaepernick's camp "to let them know we had his rights and if there was anything they were interested in to get back to us."

Reed said they have not received a call back from Kaepernick's agent.

On Tuesday, Reed told reporters following a team practice that Montreal was doing its homework on Kaepernick.

"He's in the midst of some very important things," Reed said. "We understand there's a movement going on around him. We're doing our due diligence and making certain they know we want to see where he's at. It's a matter of kicking the tires at this stage."

Montreal is struggling through a poor 2017 season with a 3-10 record, worst in the CFL with five games left to play.

Kaepernick has been a free agent since opting out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in March. The 29-year-old has generated little interest from NFL teams over the past six months. He had a meeting with the Seattle Seahawks in May but did not receive a contract offer.

Art Briles didn't even last a full day at his new job.

While the Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Monday that the former Baylor coach would be an assistant on staff, the decision was apparently overruled by the league Monday night. The CFL provided a statement on its decision, via The Athletic:

The CFL announces Art Briles will NOT join the Hamilton Tiger-Cats staff. pic.twitter.com/Ks1izs24ZB

— The Athletic CFB (@TheAthleticCFB) August 29, 2017

Briles was set to work under former Hawaii and SMU head coach June Jones.

Briles was the head coach at Baylor University from 2008-15 but was fired due to his lack of oversight during a sexual assault scandal throughout the football team. Athletic director Ian McCaw and school president Ken Starr also ended up resigning.

The league was apparently aware of Hamilton's decision to hire the coach, according to Tiger-Cats CEO Scott Mitchell.

"I spoke to the league about it as a potential concept and had a good discussion about it, a good deliberation about it," Mitchell said Monday, per Drew Edwards of 3DownNation. "At the end of the day, it comes down to whether a person deserves a second chance."

As Arash Madani of Sportsnet noted, however, there was enough blowback for the league to make an executive decision:

Good for those of you who spoke out, and loudly, about Art Briles having no place in Hamilton and the #CFL.

Your voice had a real impact.

— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) August 29, 2017

Dan Wolken of USA Today looked forward to the impact this will have on future hirings:

You can forget about a college program hiring Art Briles. It took 11 hours for the CFL - the CFL! - to get enough backlash to kill the deal

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) August 29, 2017

Based on the latest setback, it will be difficult for the 61-year-old coach to land any public position going forward.

The Montreal Alouettes announced Monday that wide receiver Duron Carter would return to the team after he spent the 2015 season with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.

"We welcome Duron back to the Alouettes family. His ability to make big plays will add unlimited potential to our new revamped offense," said Alouettes head coach and general manager Jim Popp in a statement.

Carter is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter and signed a one-year deal to come back to Montreal. The 24-year-old didn't play in the regular season for the Colts this past year. He posted a 75-catch season in 2014 with the Alouettes.    

Didier Ormejuste of Reseau des sports made a reasonable inference regarding Carter's future based on the short duration of his contract:

Duron Carter signed a one-year deal. He will probably take another shot at the NFL after the season. #Alouettes #CFL

— Didier Orméjuste 🇭🇹 (@DidierOrmejuste) January 25, 2016

Listed by Montreal at 6'5" and 205 pounds, Carter boasts tremendous ball skills, a huge catch radius and exceptional speed for his size. He couldn't quite transition to the highest level of football but still has time to hone his craft and make it in the NFL someday.

Per ESPN.com's Pat McManamon, Carter drew interest from suitors such as the Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers and Washington before ultimately settling in Indianapolis.

Buried on a depth chart that featured T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief, rookie first-round pick Phillip Dorsett and veteran star Andre Johnson, opportunities were limited for Carter to showcase his skills. He didn't make it off the practice squad.

Carter posted on Twitter about a rather simple rationale behind his decision to play in Canada this next season:

Happiness is 🔑 pic.twitter.com/P6n5XRKQEt

— Duron Carter (@DC_CHILLIN_8) January 25, 2016

The CFL is a solid training ground for Carter to continue building his confidence and fostering his progress. After a humbling, stumbling odyssey through his college career that initially began at Ohio State, it's of little surprise Carter has yet to realize his full potential.

Returning to an organization he's familiar with and where he's had success before positions Carter for a big 2016 campaign. If he can establish himself as one of the CFL's elite receivers, his NFL prospects will only be bolstered.

Still only scratching the surface of his upside, Carter is going to be a player to keep in mind when NFL free agency hits next offseason. He could well parlay a nice season with the Alouettes into a big payday. 

Michael Sam admitted there were some nerves as he made his first appearance in the Canadian Football League on Friday night. Once he got beyond those debut feelings, he was pleased with his performance despite a limited number of snaps.

Sam, who became the first openly gay player to appear in the CFL, and the Montreal Alouettes lost to the Ottawa Redblacks, 26-23, and sit at the bottom of the East Division with a 2-4 record. Afterward, the defensive end talked about what went through his mind right before the opening kickoff, as noted by the Associated Press.

"I was focusing on my assignments, actually," Sam said. "I'm not going to lie, there were some big jitters out there and I was nervous when I first got on the field. I didn't get any opportunities to make many plays. I had some good pass rushes, I thought, but close enough is not a sack."

He didn't make any tackles in his first game of the campaign. His debut got delayed after personal reasons caused him to leave training camp back in June.

The 25-year-old defender starred at Missouri before breaking barriers for the LGBT community by getting drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the 2014 draft. He also made a stop with the Dallas Cowboys, but didn't stick with either NFL squad.

Now he's at least getting a chance to play in the CFL. His role should steadily increase as he becomes more acclimated with his new surroundings and returns to peak game fitness. He's shown the ability to get after opposing quarterbacks, racking up 11.5 sacks in his final collegiate season.

If Sam can start to make a more consistent impact with the Alouettes, it could eventually earn him another shot in the NFL. 

While the game itself was a laugher—the Saskatchewan Roughriders pummelled the Ottawa RedBlacks 38-14—Ottawa's first score of the game was something special.

Late in the second quarter, the RedBlacks were already down 32-0 and had missed two field goals that would have at least put them on the board. On 3rd-and-3 from their own 53-yard line, Ottawa looked as if they were going to go for it, keeping quarterback Thomas DeMarco on the field with a full complement of backs and receivers.

DeMarco took the snap as his backfield took off in what appeared to be receiving patterns. But instead of dropping into the pocket for a pass, DeMarco punted the ball deep into Roughriders territory. The ball skipped at about the 17-yard line and rolled into the end zone.

As players from both teams trotted into the end zone to down the ball, RedBlacks receiver Dobson Collins stormed in from well behind the lead players and pounced on the loose ball. Upon review, Collins was indeed onside when DeMarco kicked the ball, still at least a yard behind the QB when the punt was made.

Net result, Ottawa's first home-field touchdown in their brief history as the newest CFL team. A highlight-reel play in an otherwise ugly game for the RedBlacks.

See the replay on the CFL website.

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TSN has revealed its list of the top 50 players in the CFL for the 2014 season, and wide receiver Chad Johnson of the Montreal Alouettes is not on the list.

While this might not come as much of a shock to CFL fans, it might be surprising for fans of the NFL or of Johnson. After all, when a (formerly) elite receiver from the NFL decides to try his hand in the Canadian game, it just stands to reason that he'll start right at the top of the class, right?

Wrong.

Johnson was not much of a factor in his preseason debut, making just a single catch for 13 yards. 

Meanwhile, slot back S.J. Green, sixth on TSN's Top 50 list, caught two passes for 44 yards, and wide receiver Duron Carter, 35th on TSN's list, has caught five passes for 51 yards in two preseason games.

And that's going to be the reality for "Ochocinco" as he acclimates himself to the CFL game this year; he is going to be, at best, the third option for quarterback Troy Smith. 

Chances are good that this is as far up the pecking order as Johnson will ever get on the Alouettes. He's 36 years old and hasn't been involved in a meaningful game since he parted ways with the New England Patriots in 2011. 

But I'm okay with that. It takes guts for Johnson to attempt a comeback after two years away from the sport. More than that, it's good for the CFL. The entire league is getting more attention this year because of Johnson's presence, and more attention means more fans in the seats, better TV ratings and more profitability.

Since the recent collective bargaining agreement strife, everyone is talking about the CFL's ability to generate income. The boost that No. 85 should bring to the Alouettes in particular and the CFL in general should help to make the product more financially viable.

Just don't expect Ochocinco to go breaking any receiving records.

The Alouettes open the regular season on the road when they take on the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday, June 28 at 3 p.m. ET.

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It's been a full two seasons since we've seen wide receiver Chad Johnson in uniform.

On Friday, he finally made his debut with the Montreal Alouettes after signing with the team two months prior.

Some things have changed for Johnson; his new scenery brings with it rule changes, new schemes and a field much longer and wider than what he's been used to throughout his career.

Other things are still the same.

Johnson still wears No. 85 and has plenty of enthusiasm for the game; however, he also continues to show his age.

That was all apparent during his one-catch performance on Friday.

No. 85 lined up outside and appeared rather slow off the line of scrimmage, only able to separate from the secondary due to other wide receivers' clearing routes. He did record a catch, but his sloppy footwork led to a slip-up and a gain of just 13 yards.

Here's a look at his catch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Zd1LMNbUY

Johnson, now 36 years of age, doesn't quite have the acceleration and quickness that made him a star while playing for the Cincinnati Bengals. However, that fact was well on display once the wide receiver was traded to the New England Patriots.

While in New England, Johnson struggled with Bill Belichick's system, and his numbers took a drastic slide as a result.

Just two years removed from a 1,000-yard season, Johnson recorded just 15 receptions for 276 yards and one score with the Patriots in 2011.

Expect more of the same from Johnson with the Alouettes this season.

Against a bevy of talent in the Canadian Football League, Johnson not only has to deal with his deteriorating abilities on the football field, but he must learn a completely new system—and the league's rules—and find a rapport with his quarterback, former Heisman winner Troy Smith.

That's no easy feat.

Still, Johnson remains excited and optimistic for his opportunity to continue playing football. The wide received conveyed his interesting thoughts during an interview with Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette:

"It's similar to the feeling before I lost my virginity. There's a certain level of excitement, anticipation—not knowing what’s going to happen or what I'm going to get."

Johnson may be excited, but don't expect a bounce-back year from the aging wide receiver. He'll serve the team better in terms of ticket sales rather than on-field production.

Former NFL receiver Chad Johnson stirred up headlines this week with the announcement that the man once known as "Ochocinco" had signed a deal with the Montreal Alouettes. 

While Johnson is an enigmatic sports personality and draws attention wherever he goes and for whatever he does, the reality is that he has been out of the game for two years and, at age 36, might not be able to contribute much to an Alouettes squad that struggled last year and that is in flux after the retirement of superstar quarterback Anthony Calvillo. 

Johnson's attempted CFL comeback brings to mind other high-profile attempts to return to football by way of the Canadian game.

For example, a decade ago, a 37-year-old Andre Rison decided to come out of retirement after three years away from the sport. Although he was a part of the Toronto Argonauts' 2004 Grey Cup champion team, he caught just 14 passes in five appearances that year, averaging a decent—but unremarkable—12.4 yards per catch while scoring just a single touchdown.

A year later, "Bad Moon" played in just one game, catching one pass for four yards before being released. 

Johnson's comeback attempt with Montreal mirrors Rison's in that they're of a similar age and have been away from the game for a similar amount of time. That may not bode well for Johnson's bid.

What makes this even more interesting (at least for me) is that there has been no mention of Montreal pursuing quarterback Tim Tebow, who is the property of the Alouettes in the CFL. Although Tebow has stated in the past that he isn't interested in a CFL career—preferring to continue to chase his dream of once again playing quarterback in the NFL—a full season away from the field may have changed his feelings on the matter.

While people like former CFL and NFL quarterback Warren Moon have said that Tebow's passing abilities (or lack thereof) make him a poor candidate for the CFL, the fact that no one is even giving him a training camp invite surprises me, as Tebow's reputation for hard work and the media attention he brings would probably be a positive for any team that gave him a shot.

Montreal is in need of a starting quarterback. Calvillo's retirement leaves a big gap in that spot, and the team has yet to re-sign its No. 2 quarterback from last year, Josh Neiswander, who remains a free agent.

Neiswander threw for 1,311 yards last year, and having both of the top two quarterbacks for the team currently out of the picture makes the Alouettes especially vulnerable in a pass-first league. While their third option from 2013, Tanner Marsh, is signed and threw for 972 yards last year, they are thin in that critical spot.

Having as many choices as possible on the preseason roster makes sense to me, and that might include someone like Tebow—because, at the end of the day, all the receivers in the world won't matter if they don't have someone who can consistently throw to them.

But all of this conjecture could still be for naught. The CFL and the Players Association are still in the process of renegotiating a new collective bargaining agreement and, as CFLPA president (and Montreal lineman) Scott Flory has stated, the players will not play under the terms of the current deal, which expires on May 30.

Said Flory, via Curtis Rush of the Toronto Star: "The players want a fair share and deserve a fair share of what’s gone on in this league because it’s been on the backs of the players that the CFL has enjoyed the success and continued growth."

If no agreement can be reached before the May 30 deadline passes, the players might strike, putting the preseason in jeopardy, which might spill over into the regular season as well. And that could make any discussion about Chad Johnson, Tim Tebow or any other former NFL player trying to make the CFL moot.

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At a press conference Tuesday morning, Anthony Calvillo announced his retirement from the Montreal Alouettes, as per the CFL.

"As a kid growing up in California, I never thought that it would be possible to play professional football for 20 years in a country and a city that I knew nothing of," Calvillo said via CFL.ca.

The five-time all star quarterback had a lacklustre 2013 season, struggling with a concussion sustained in August and participating in just seven games. In limited action, he still passed for a team-leading 1,322 yards.

Calvillo retires as the all-time leading passer in professional football history, having thrown for a whopping 79,816 yards. The Utah State product holds several other CFL records, including most touchdown passes thrown (455), most pass completions (5,892) and most postseason passing yards thrown (2,470).

Calvillo broke into the CFL in 1994 with the Las Vegas Posse, one of the handful of American teams that expanded into the league in the 1990s before ultimately failing (Calvillo retires as the last player to have played on an American CFL team). After one season in Las Vegas, he moved to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for three seasons before finally settling in Montreal.

During his time with the Alouettes, Calvillo led the team to eight Grey Cup appearances, winning the championship three times, including back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010. He also won the Grey Cup Most Outstanding Player award in 2002 while guiding Montreal to a 25-16 win over the Edmonton Eskimos.

Along the way, Calvillo broke the 5,000 passing yards plateau in seven seasons, and in 2012 he had a CFL-record eight-game streak of passing for 300 or more yards. 

Calvillo's career will be remembered for his consistency and durability. He undoubtedly will go down in CFL history as one of the finest quarterbacks to ever play the game and will very shortly find himself in the Hall of Fame.

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