Riders QB Cody Fajardo questions future after bench press: “I hope there’s someone out there who still wants me” – 3DownNation

Cody Fajardo appears to have started his last game as a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders as he pondered his future aloud after being benched by the team in favor of Mason Fine.

“I hope there’s someone out there who might still want me. I don’t think it’s the end of Cody Fajardo’s football book, I think it might just be the end of the chapter. It’s hard to say, you never know, but it’s hard to assume — your last home game and you can’t start and you have no idea what’s going to happen in the offseason,” Fajardo told the media in Regina on Wednesday.

“I love everyone in this building and this organization gave me the opportunity to play, the first organization that really gave me a lot of confidence and pride and was proud of me and so it’s bittersweet. It’s going to be a tough, difficult off-season and I need to think and make time for my wife. I have a baby now so I have a lot of things to consider but I don’t think my playing days are over and I hope to stay in the CFL for many more years to come.”

The veteran quarterback did not attend practice Tuesday as head coach Craig Dickenson told the media he was taking “vet day” and remaining the team’s starter. Fajardo denied this on Wednesday, claiming he was told five days ago that he would be relegated to alternative service.

“It’s kind of unfortunate that everyone thought I was going to do a vet day after a bye week. I’ve been through a lot worse and some people have been chasing me for taking a day off, but I’m going to go out there and give everything I have, like I’ve done for the past four years, and give everything I have I have to go to this organization,” Fajardo said.

The Riders are 2-9 in their last 11 games, ten of which have used Fajardo as starting quarterback. He has thrown for 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in those games and missed a contest in July after testing positive for COVID-19.

The 30-year-old revealed that Dickenson told him the decision was not based on Fajardo’s performance but to create a spark for the offense. Saskatchewan has managed to average just 22.3 points per game this season, which ranks seventh in the league.

“It’s tough being the starting quarterback for a team that didn’t live up to our expectations. I have a feeling you kind of take that negativity and if you want to make a splash or make a big change to get a spark, bench the quarterback. I’m a victim of it and it’s going to be tough to be on the sidelines for the first time in a long time,” Fajardo said.

“The only thing, when you’re the captain of a ship and it’s going down, you want to go down with it, and the only thing unfortunate is I’m not going to be able to be out there with my boys in that.” let the year end. It’s tough, but I’ll be out there supporting Mason. He has a great opportunity to seize the moment.”

Saskatchewan is hosting the Gray Cup this year, further increasing the expectations of fans in Riderville. The province last hosted the CFL championship game in 2013 when they won it on home soil, beating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats by a score of 45-23.

Although the club’s play-off hopes are rapidly fading, Fajardo remains determined to do whatever it takes to help the team win.

“Of course it’s difficult for me, but I’m here to support the team. There’s still two weeks left and we’ll try to do whatever it takes to win football games and whatever they’re going to ask me to do and if I get any playing time in the game at all I’ll be ready, I’ll be prepared. I’m preparing like I’m the starter,” said Fajardo.

“I know this role, I’ve been in this role before and I’m going to be the best damn reinforcement this team needs over the last two weeks and see what happens after that.”