FOOTBALL FRIDAY RECAP: BRANDON BRIDGE GOES OFF!
The featured guest on Football Friday on The Rod Pedersen Show was veteran CFL quarterback Brandon Bridge, who announced last week he’s joining his hometown Peel Regional Police Department (Greater Toronto Area). The 27-year old went deep on explaining why he made the decision, and the conversation evolved into the future of Canadian quarterbacks in the CFL.
The former Alouette, Roughrider, Argo and Lion admitted that it was a difficult decision.
“It definitely was,” Bridge said. “It was just a matter of I’ve always loved football but there are some parts of football that I do not like and I’m at a stage in my life where I want something always happening. So I think this is going to be a great fit for me. I’ve helped out the community with every team I’ve been with, even in the NCAA. These kids I’ll be interacting with now, I’ve legit walked the same hallways and sat in the same classrooms. Now I just want to be the protector. To do that will be amazing. I love people, being around people and communicating with everybody. I’m an open book.
“The police like ex-athletes because they’re used to stress. With this job, a lot of stress comes with it. You’re called on for a lot of things and dispatched to a lot of areas. As an athlete you have to deal with stress and deal with a lot of stuff so I think it goes hand-in-hand. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s just a great job; pension, benefits. If you think long term, it’s just a really good fit.
“I can still play football. I honestly feel like I can still compete. Personally I feel like I’d be at least the second-best option on any CFL team now at least. I actually feel that in my heart but with the police, you have benefits and pension and that’s what we all want, a salary.”
Co-host John Lynch asked Bridge that with him leaving the CFL, where does this leave the future of Canadian quarterbacks?
“It’s gonna go downhill, honestly,” Bridge predicted. “Unless we actually give each other a true chance. The Canadian QB actually is a dying breed right now because kids are going to school and saying ‘Why am I going to play QB?’ so now you’re not going to get the best receivers because receivers can’t excel like a QB. You’re going to see bad football because kids will say ‘What’s the point of going to this school or that school?’ Everyone’s going to play offensive line or defensive line because they’ll actually get a fair chance. You can’t really see how good a receiver is in (U-Sport) or OUA because they don’t have a developmental QB or someone who wants to play QB because they know there’s no reward for playing QB in Canadian college. I think it’s going to die out soon.”
The 6’5″, 237 lb South Alabama (NCAA) product was asked if he’s satisfied with the mark he left on the CFL.
“I would say so,” Bridge answered. “I think I coulda left a bigger stamp. I was able to make a change. I remember 2017 when I finally discovered the Canadian QB doesn’t count towards the ratio, and Rob Bagg and Kevin Glenn pushed me to fight for that, it had been 100 years of this league and they didn’t respect the Canadian QB, those two said ‘If you don’t change it, who will?’ I got a lot of people around me, even Americans, saying I should push for that. Some said there might be backlash because owners and GMs might not want it but I was urged to push for it. If I had to be a sacrificial lamb for younger generations to get the opportunity, then it is what it is. I’m not comparing myself to Colin Kaepernick but he stood up for something and didn’t care what could happen. I didn’t want younger generations to jump the same barriers that I had to. I hope they can leave a bigger footprint that I did.”
Regarding Bridge’s comment about stress, RP asked his guest how stressful it is to be the starting quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders?
“I will not lie,” Bridge continued. “Actually the fans, I think Sask has the best fans. I love Saskatchewan. A lot of them were still showing me a lot of love during the 2018 season, which wasn’t the best one, when a lot of stuff was happening, those fans want the best. They’re actually the best fans because they expect the best, and they want the best. It is a little bit stressful because when you lose, you’re not just letting down your teammates; you’re letting down the whole community that fills those seats everyday. It’s not like other teams in the CFL that don’t have as many fans. Sask fans will go out there in any time of weather; rain, sleet, snow, they’re gonna be out there in their Rider green. You don’t want to disappoint them for sure.”
C0-host Darren Dupont asked Bridge if the door is ever open for a return to the CFL, as a player.
“If the CFL gives me what I want financially, then I’ll do it but if not, I don’t see why,” Bridge countered. “It doesn’t make sense to me. I’ve gotta think about my lifestyle, like what’s gonna happen now moving forward? I know my worth. I came into games, won games, and coming from a handicap of being down 17-, 10- (points), whatever the case may be, and I showcased myself pretty well, I’d have to say. I feel like I have more positive games than negative games than a lot of other QBs that are on teams right now.”
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