Veteran quarterback Bethel-Thompson signs deal with Montreal Alouettes

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This article was published 13/01/2025 (248 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson will continue his CFL career with the Montreal Alouettes.

The veteran quarterback signed a one-year contract extension with Montreal on Monday. He was slated to become a free agent Feb. 11.

Montreal acquired Bethel-Thompson’s rights from the Edmonton Elks last month for ’23 Grey Cup MVP Cody Fajardo. Bethel-Thompson’s signing wasn’t surprising as head coach Jason Maas said during a CFL zoom call earlier Monday he expected Bethel-Thompson to join the Als sooner rather than later.

“He’s still very capable of winning games for you,” Maas said of Bethel-Thompson. “In the meantime, we’ve got a guy that can help mentor Davis (starter Davis Alexander) and be there for support when that’s needed, and then be able to step in when that’s needed as well.

“I love our quarterback room. I love all four of the guys we’re bringing in and have. I know that position, which always needs to be a strength of your football team, I know that’s what it is for us.”

Bethel-Thompson’s signing will solidify a young Montreal quarterback room.

Alexander, who signed a three-year extension at season’s end to be the starter, is just 26 and joined the franchise in 2022. But the five-foot-11, 195-pound Alexander was 4-0 last year starting in place of an injured Fajardo.

Caleb Evans, 26, enters his fifth CFL campaign and third with Montreal but is coming off a season-ending knee injury. James Morgan, 27, dressed for four games last season, his first with the Als, but didn’t throw a pass.

Bethel-Thompson threw for 3,748 yards with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 16 games with Edmonton in 2024. He previously spent five seasons with Toronto (2017-19, 21-22), winning two Grey Cups (2017, ’22) before joining the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League (USFL) in 2023.

Bethel-Thompson, 36, is four years older than Fajardo, but that doesn’t bother Maas.

“When I watched (Bethel-Thompson) play last year, he ain’t slowing down,” Maas said. “He’s not considered a running guy but he can actually move his feet very well, much like Tom Brady late in his career.

“He’s all about what we are, he’s a team guy, he loves culture (and) winning is a byproduct of that. Everybody later in their career wants to win — you want to win every year — but I think we do things the right way and things that are on board with how he thinks.”

Alexander completed 105-of-151 passes (69.5 per cent) for 1,347 yards with six TDs and two interceptions last season. He also ran 24 times for 166 yards (6.9-yard average) and three touchdowns.

Alexander has appeared in 37 regular-season games with Montreal, completing 119-of-172 passes (69.2 per cent) for 1,492 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions. Alexander has also run 30 times for 188 yards (6.3-yard average) and four touchdowns.

“I think Davis Alexander has proven himself with the limited exposure he’s had to be a very capable quarterback, a winning quarterback for us,” Maas. “In order to have a franchise quarterback you’ve got to see what he’s like in the building.

“The leadership qualities he has, the competitiveness he has, the preparedness he has and displays and make sure that’s growing and getting better each year. That’s what Davis has shown to us so I think he’s ready for the next step.”

Maas said he and Fajardo spoke about Montreal’s quarterback situation before the trade with Edmonton. However, Maas added the conversation didn’t go into depth regarding Fajardo’s comfort level with returning to the Alouettes as a backup.

“We never quite got into how comfortable or anything like that,” Maas said. “I definitely love Cody, have so much respect for him and I think any time he’s a part of an organization they’re better for it.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2025.