HEBERT, FAIRHOLM WEIGH IN ON BO LEVI’S FUTURE

By: Braedyn Wozniak, RP Show Intern

It seems the TSN broadcast panel won’t need a seat for Bo Levi Mitchell anytime soon. 

Olympic Gold medallist and four-time Brier champion curler Ben Hebert happens to be quite close to Stampeders QB Bo Levi Mitchell. They are neighbours in Chestermere, AB and host the popular Benny & Bo Podcast. Hebert joined the Rod Pedersen Show Wednesday to give some insight on the Calgary quarterback’s pending free agency situation following a season in which the two-time CFL MVP lost his starting role. 

“He definitely wants to play,” offered Hebert, a Regina product who’s lived in Calgary for 11 years. “It’s going to be an interesting off-season for him. I think he’s going to have a lot of offers.

“He wants to go out on his own terms … and if you think he won’t be circling the calendar on the day he comes back here or when Calgary comes to town, I think you’d be highly mistaken.” 

The future Hall-of-Famer’s benching midway through this season in favour of Jake Maier is signalling the end of his historic career in Calgary. 

What isn’t clear are his plans for 2023. There are rumours that Mitchell will retire, having no contract with the Stampeders past this season, and not much left to prove in the CFL.

Further-fetched rumours had the 32-year-old moving back to the United States to play in the XFL or USFL, closer to his home in Katy, Texas. 

But it appears the rumours that Mitchell might be a Saskatchewan Roughrider by next June are the closest probability.  

“If he’s healthy, if his mind’s in it and he really wants to keep going, which I know he does, there’s going to be some takers for him, that’s for sure,” Hebert continued. “And I think he’s going to find some success.” 

Hebert said he learns most of his insider info when the pair is on the golf course. They both believe he can still play at a high-level. 

“He’s probably one of the best quarterbacks of all-time, and I think he still has a lot left in the tank,” said Hebert. “He has some stuff to prove. I think he’s going to go somewhere and do well.” 

Many people scoffed at the idea of Mitchell playing anywhere but Calgary, and found it even more laughable that he may join the rival Roughriders, who have quarterback issues of their own. Former Roughrider and Grey Cup champion Jeff Fairholm was on Wednesday’s show just before Hebert and gave his take. 

“I don’t see Bo going to Saskatchewan,” advised Fairholm. “Why would you want a quarterback in Saskatchewan that’s not good enough to start with the Calgary Stampeders?” 

Hebert, however, believed Mitchell would be an upgrade over every other starting quarterback not named Zach Collaros or Nathan Rourke. 

He also believes Mitchell’s “swagger” would help him in an environment like Regina, compared to Cody Fajardo who at times was too emotional to handle such a tough crowd. 

“Bo doesn’t care about that,” said Hebert. “He would say ‘We should have gotten booed, we were trash!’ 

“But when you win and he throws a ball into the crowd and he’s loving it and the stadium gets busy again, and Regina is the best place to play when the Riders are winning and things are going good.” 

Lately, the Riders haven’t been winning games. But Hebert, who grew up a Rider fan, believes there’s a possibility of Mitchell donning the Green & White instead of being lost in a city like Toronto. 

“When you go to Regina … you’re the man,” said Hebert. “I think that to go out the way he wants to go out, being a Hall of Famer, I think it might be a good fit for him. 

“They’re going to have to put a team around him. Some people say there’s no way. I definitely see that there’s a way.” 

Where Mitchell ends up will be a mystery for months to come, but it sure seems that we will see him playing in the CFL again, just not for the Stampeders. 

 (The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV and WQEE Radio. Call your cable provider to subscribe. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)

Photo: Benny & Bo Show