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For the first time in 383 days, Jeremiah Masoli is about to put on his familiar No. 8 game jersey and suit up for the Ottawa Redblacks.
The 35-year-old will be on the sidelines as the team’s third-string quarterback for Friday’s home clash with the Calgary Stampeders.
Masoli, who was the CFL East Division’s most outstanding player while with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2018, is coming off back-to-back season-ending injuries that have limited him to just five starts since joining the Redblacks as a free agent in the winter of 2022.
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To say he’s excited to be back on the game-day roster is an understatement.
“It means the world to me,” Masoli told Postmedia after Thursday’s walk-through at TD Place. “It’s been a long time coming for sure. I’ve been through it, injury-wise, but just being able to fall back on my faith in God, my family, my wife my kids … and then obviously everybody here then outstanding in terms of just supporting me and making sure I feel comfortable enough to be back on the roster.”
Masoli most recently played July 8, 2023, in a home game against Hamilton.
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While Dru Brown is the team’s undisputed first string quarterback, Dustin Crum will remain his backup as Tyrie Adams, who was third string, moves to the one-game injured list.
Following Wednesday’s practice, head coach Bob Dyce mentioned that Masoli was ready to return mentally, emotionally and physically.
“Now that he’s out on the field, he’s able to work his arm a little bit more and get a little bit more mobile and ready to play,” Dyce said.
The decision to get him on the roster this week was likely made after watching practice film that day.
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“The plan is for Dru to be in there the whole game and play,” Dyce said Thursday. “It’s significant for Jeremiah to be getting back on the roster.”
Masoli is especially looking forward to “just being with the guys in the locker room.
“That’s what we all love and miss,” he said. “You talk to guys that retire, they miss the camaraderie of the brotherhood that we have. And that’s my main thing here. I love just still being a part of a football team and we’ve got a great bunch of guys that are capable of doing some special if we can keep this momentum going.”
After going through a torn ACL in 2019 with Hamilton, then a long-term, bone-based leg injury in his first season with the Redblacks and a ruptured Achilles tendon in his second, Masoli is naturally thrilled to be healthy again.
“It took a lot, obviously, coming off two season-enders,” Masoli said of everything he has done to get to this point. “Just thankful to be able to be in this position, ready for whatever the team needs.
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“I feel amazing, I feel great,” he added when asked about the state of his arm strength and mobility after such a long layoff. “Even moreso mentally, being able to just feel comfortable out there around the defence, around linemen and still be able to step into throws, and not think about it twice. No hesitancy out there. It’s just all natural.”
As for his role with the team, Masoli is taking a day-by-day approach.
“I’m trying to support Dru and Dusty the best I can, no matter what,” he said. “And then just like any other year, I’m preparing like I’m the guy and going to be ready if they need me.”
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