Cody Fajardo ‘looking forward to the crossbars moving’ after another Mosaic Stadium doink

Photo courtesy: Edmonton Elks

Sometimes it takes a friend to speak up and pull you out of a toxic relationship.

For Cody Fajardo, CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston is that friend.

The quarterback’s on-again, off-again romance with the north goalpost at Mosaic Stadium has caused him nothing but pain over the course of his career. On Thursday night, their latest row put the Edmonton Elks in a precarious position, as Fajardo drilled a two-point conversion attempt off the crossbar early in the fourth quarter, leaving the team up by just five points in the final frame.

“I thought we made amends, but apparently we didn’t,” Fajardo laughed post-game. “I wish it was the other one, but that guy… I told the ref, because Tom (Vallesi) was the same ref in that West Final game, and he came up to me and I was like, ‘That guy… the crossbar hates me.’”

Fajardo’s ill-fated dalliances with that particular goalpost date back to 2019, when he was at the helm for the top-ranked Saskatchewan Roughriders. Facing the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Western Final, the breakout star had his team in position to score a game-tying touchdown as time expired. Instead, his final shot at the end zone was drilled off the crossbar, causing him to fall to the ground in disbelief.

Two years later, Fajardo connected with the same crossbar on a key drive in the 2021 Labour Day Classic, making the goalpost an enduring symbol of his time in Regina. He’s since played for two different franchises, hoisted the Grey Cup, and been named the MVP of the CFL’s title game, but the connection has never waned.

Thankfully, the commissioner is putting an end to the quarterback’s woes, as the goalposts are slated to move to the back of the end zone next season as part of the CFL structural rule changes. A clip of Fajardo’s infamous Western Final doink was played as part of the announcement for that change, and he has since joked that the rule should be named after him.

Whatever you choose to call Johnston’s decision, Fajardo is happy it’s happening.

“I’m looking forward to the crossbars moving,” Fajardo said. “It was only fitting (that I hit it again). I’m surprised the fans didn’t give it to me more. I was trying to pump them up afterwards, but you can only laugh at yourself in that situation.”

Roughrider fans had little to laugh at following the quarterback’s nostalgic doink. Saskatchewan managed to claw back in front with two fourth-quarter field goals, but failed to get the touchdown they needed. That allowed Fajardo to mount a nine-play, 52-yard game-winning drive in the final two minutes, capped by a 57-yard walk-off field goal from Vincent Blanchard.

“Cody’s a warrior, man. I thought that the key drive was in the third quarter when we were backed up. He scrambled a bit, hit someone for a pass. He got blasted on a play. Got up, went back to the huddle, and I think it was one of the Austin Mack touchdown drives,” raved Elks head coach Mark Kilam. “That’s Cody Fajardo, man. That guy just lays it out there, leaves his heart on the field every time he plays. That’s why I’ll ride with that guy forever.”

The winning kick sailed right through Fajardo’s favourite goalpost, silencing the crowd in the stadium that he once called his own.

“I drew back on a lot of experiences I had in Mosaic for that game-winning drive, and I felt at home with all the fans going crazy,” he grinned. “I truly did feel at home, and it helped kind of settle me in.”

Fajardo finished the night 23-of-32 passing for 510 yards and four touchdowns. That marked a new CFL career-high for the 34-year-old, who couldn’t recall recording a bigger number at any level.

“I don’t think I ever have. Maybe 490 is probably the highest. I would say Toronto 2019 was the highest I ever had here in Mosaic. I don’t know if I’ve ever hit 500,” he said. “Hopefully people can put a little respect on my name after that one.”

Perhaps the north goalpost will learn to respect him as well, though he will have to face his old foe at least one more time. The Elks (6-1) will wrap up the regular season at Mosaic Stadium on Saturday, October 24. With the way this first matchup went, that game could preview a future playoff game with the potential for a final, parting doink.

J.C. Abbott is a University of British Columbia graduate and high school football coach. He covers the CFL, B.C. Lions, CFL Draft and the three-down league’s Global initiative.