EDMONTON 鈥� Tre Ford not only has a new contract, he finally has a vote of confidence from the Edmonton Elks.
The quarterback from Niagara Falls, Ont., met with the media at Commonwealth Stadium on Monday, three days after signing three-year deal with the Elks.
"Clearly, this is the young man that we want leading our team moving forward," Elks general manager, Ed Hervey said. "For all the things you鈥檝e seen on the field, there鈥檚 so much off the field that he鈥檚 going to shoulder moving forward with this organization, especially with the long line of quarterbacks that have played here. This is an opportunity that we feel as an organization is well deserved."
The message from Hervey and head coach Mark Kilam was clear. The No. 1 job in Edmonton鈥檚 is now Ford鈥檚 to lose, not to win back.
Since the end of the 2024 season, the Elks have brought in new president Chris Morris and added Hervey and Kilam. The house has been cleaned.
The Elks made Ford a first-round draft pick in 2022. Since then, Ford has regularly been part of quarterback controversies in Edmonton. He鈥檚 been on many highlight reels, with his ability to scramble and improvise and use both his legs and arm to make big plays. But he was always on a short leash, no matter if it was Chris Jones or Jarious Jackson, who both coached Ford.
"I think there鈥檚 been good things and bad things,鈥� Ford said of his first three years with the franchise. 鈥淚 think that happens with every professional sport. But, I think it鈥檚 done a good job of keeping me level-headed 鈥� not to get too high or too low. There鈥檚 going to be good things and bad things, it鈥檚 all about how you鈥檙e going to react to them and adjust."
Ford started 10 games in 2023, threw for 2,069 yards and rushed for 622 more. He became a fan favourite. But Jones signed veteran McLeod Bethel-Thompson to be the new starter in 2024, and relegated Ford to carrying a clipboard.
"We want Tre!鈥� was a chant regularly heard at Commonwealth Stadium in 2024 as the team got off to an 0-7 start. Ford got the job back, got hurt, didn鈥檛 get the job back when he was healthy, but then got a chance to play again once the Elks were out of the playoff picture. He threw for 1,137 yards and rushed for another 206.
"Yeah, there were some things that were not so great. But it鈥檚 all behind me, now," Ford said.
The Elks have not made the playoffs since 2019. Ford is now the face of the franchise, but he knows that he has to work to repay the faith that the team鈥檚 new front office has placed in him.
"The opportunity is right in front of me," he said. "I have to be able to take full advantage of that in being able to grasp that opportunity, right? I need to take that next step as a leader and be that role model for my teammates, and go in the direction we want to go."
Kilam, who was an assistant with the Calgary Stampeders before taking over as Elks head coach, has faced Ford in the past.
"It鈥檚 no question that Tre puts a ton of pressure on every defence that he plays," Kilam said. "Sometimes, he gets mislabelled that he鈥檚 only using his legs. But he鈥檚 using his legs to open up the passing game."
Ford will remain in Edmonton in the off-season to work out and learn the new coaching staff鈥檚 system. He and his wife, Ani, are expecting their second child later this winter.
Hervey and Kilam have preached that the new Elks philosophy will lean on the days when the team was the Cadillac franchise of the CFL. There will be roster stability. There will be accountability. And Ford鈥檚 words suggest that he鈥檚 buying in.
"I feel like they are doing things the right way," Ford said. "And I am confident they鈥檙e going to bring in the correct guys, talented guys who are capable of winning football games. A lot of that turnover happens when you lose. But I think we鈥檙e in a situation where we鈥檙e leaning more towards winning."
This report by The 91原创 Press was first published Dec. 9, 2024.
Steven Sandor, The 91原创 Press
