The Montreal Alouettes announced on Monday that homegrown fan favorite Marc-Antoine Dequoy has retired from football. Dequoy was set to become a free agent on February 10 and was going to be a big name on the market had a deal not been reached.
“I want to thank Pierre Karl Péladeau, Danny Maciocia, and the Montreal Alouettes for allowing me to live out my childhood dream and spend my career in Montreal,” stated Dequoy. “There was a genuine desire to return and we had an agreement on the table, but after discussing it with my loved ones late into the night, I realized my body was no longer ready for that kind of sacrifice. I will never forget the fans of this city and all the love they gave me throughout my career. I cherished every second of my time in Montreal, and I leave at peace, with a clear mind.”
“I want to thank Marc-Antoine for the service he has given us since the beginning of his career with us,” stated Alouettes’ General Manager Danny Maciocia. “I recruited him out of the Université de Montréal when he was playing at the CEGEP level, and I have always admired his talent as well as his warm and charismatic personality. He played a key role in our Grey Cup championship in 2023 and has been deeply involved in all of our community initiatives since joining the nest. We will miss him, but I am confident he will enjoy great success in the job market in the years ahead.”
Following the recent signing by Montreal of safety Jonathan Sutherland, who they drafted 5th overall in the 2023 CFL Draft, it was expected that Marc-Antoine Dequoy might not be back with Montreal, but to see him not be back in the CFL next season is a surprise to many.
Dequoy was a second-round pick by Montreal in 2020 (14th overall) and has since played in 73 regular-season games with Montreal, with 66 starts. He has recorded 161 tackles, 3 sacks, 12 interceptions, and 3 touchdowns over his regular-season appearances. He has also played in 13 playoff games, recording 25 tackles, a sack, and 2 interceptions, which both came in Montreal’s 2023 Grey Cup run.
He played his collegiate and professional career all in the city where he was born. He helped lead the Université de Montréal Carabins to the Vanier Cup in 2019 and was named to U Sports and RSEQ All-Star teams in 2017, 2018, and 2019. He participated in the Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp in 2020 prior to joining the Alouettes.
