The Montreal Alouettes announced Monday that they have extended the contract of quarterback Cody Fajardo through the 2025 season. Fajardo was initially signed to a 2-year contract with Montreal when he joined the team ahead of the 2023 season.
“Cody adapted very quickly to our culture and quickly demonstrated his leadership qualities,” Alouettes’ General Manager Danny Maciocia stated. “He has proven that he can win and excel under pressure and we are happy to extend his association with us.”
Over 16 regular season games Fajardo completed 317 of his 443 passes (71.6%) for 3,847 yards and 14 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. Fajardo also rushed 57 times in the regular season for 341 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Fajardo activated his “Big Fajita Mode” in the playoffs using his arms and legs in such a way that was often too much on the defense’s plate. He completed 54 of his 74 passes (73%) for 677 yards and 6 touchdowns with 3 interceptions. His final pass of the postseason was thrown with great accuracy to Tyson Philpot for a 19-yard Grey Cup game-winning touchdown.
Fajardo also used his legs effectively, such as on a play in the Grey Cup in which he scrambled for a 13-yard run to set up 3rd and 5 on Montreal’s game-winning drive. He rushed 11 times for 118 yards in the postseason.
Fajardo led the
league in quarterback rating at 111.1 over the playoffs. The next closest QBR in the playoffs was Zach Collaros at 92.4 trailed closely by Vernon Adams Jr. at 91.4.
Over his CFL career, Fajardo has completed 70.4% of his passes for 14,875 yards and 67 touchdowns with 45 interceptions in the regular season. Additionally, he has rushed 446 times for 2,216 yards and 38 touchdowns over the regular season.
The 2023 season was a redemption chapter for Cody Fajardo. Prior to signing with Montreal this past offseason, Fajardo was contemplating retiring. Fajardo was a 2019 CFL All-Star with the Saskatchewan Roughriders but was not extended following a down season in 2022 which was impacted by multiple injuries. Fajardo finished the 2023 season as the Grey Cup MVP.
Fajardo told th
e Montreal Gazette in November that he wants to finish his career with Montreal. It appears that Alouettes fans will have at least 2 more seasons of Cody “Big Fajita” Fajardo.
Jonathan Clink joined CFL News Hub in early April of 2023. His primary responsibilities are covering the BC Lions and Montreal Alouettes.
He self awarded himself the CFL Rookie Journalist of the Year in 2023 following the 2023 CFL season. He also proclaims himself to be a "really cool guy". He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and lived a large portion of his childhood in Northwest Ontario. He currently lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan and misses being being able to have 4 months of skating every winter.
Clink has written over 240 articles for CFL News Hub. He was the publication's boots on the ground at the 2023 Grey Cup in Hamilton.
Clink has always had an obsession for sport and has a background in other sports as well having played hockey all his life and soccer, basketball, and lacrosse in high school. As a young child he used to log his hockey statistics after every game which is either an indication that he was destined for the role or perhaps and indication that he is rather strange.
