Former Blue Bombers quarterback Chris Streveler made his season debut with the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, recording two yards on a single rush attempt. The team would go on to beat the San Francisco 49ers 31-17. Although his contribution was easily forgettable, it was still a notable moment for CFL fans.
This was the first time Streveler was active in 2021, as he entered the season being a third-stringer. With Kyler Murray out due to an injury, Colt McCoy got the start at quarterback, and Streveler backed him up.
Streveler has a few rush attempts in his NFL career, which only started in 2020. Arizona has given him a role similar to what Taysom Hill has with the Saints, except on a much smaller scale. Last season, with Colt McCoy not on the roster, Streveler didn’t face any competition for the backup job. In a week 17 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, he stepped in for Murray, who had suffered another injury at the time. Streveler completed 68.7% of his passes for 105 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception in the 18-7 loss.
Despite having a limited role, Streveler has proved to be a valuable asset due to his mobility. In 2019, he had 726 yards on the ground and was the CFL’s rushing touchdowns co-leader, which helped him get an NFL contract. Winnipeg still has a similar player to Streveler in Sean McGuire, although he’s only used in short-yardage situations near the endzone.
Players like Streveler have proved that success can come from anywhere, and that the CFL is truly capable of developing talent. It will be interesting to see how the Cardinals use Streveler going forward, assuming they choose to put him on the field at all.
