'Owe it to myself to see what’s out there': Riders' Fajardo looking ahead to next season

Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo (7) throws the football prior to CFL football action against the Calgary Stampeders in Regina on Saturday, October 22, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu

Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback, Cody Fajardo, addressed the media on Tuesday about his future in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and with the team.

“There’s a lot that’s going to be playing out, but I think I owe it to myself to see what’s out there and take it to free agency and see what’s going to happen from there,” Fajardo said. “I’m not going to rule out any team. I want to play football a little bit longer.”

Fajardo has been with the Riders since 2019, throwing for 10,632 yards and recording 48 touchdowns. Fajardo saw the peak of his career so far here in Saskatchewan.

“This will always be a second home for us. I’ll always be tied to Regina and Saskatchewan, especially with our son being born here,” Fajardo said.

However, the Riders failed to make the playoffs this season, as it came down to their final games to see who would clinch the final spot.

“It’s bittersweet. It’s tough, I laid everything I had for this organization but just to come to an end like this is kind of anti-climatic to tell you the truth,” he said.

Last week as the team was still not out of playoff contention, controversy stirred amongst fans as the team decided to start Mason Fine over Fajardo in a must-win matchup.

Now this week, the Riders will once again give Fine the start and keep Fajardo as their backup.

“I feel a lot more confident and comfortable this day one (of practice) than last week (on day one). It’s just good to get those reps and hopefully get one day better and one week better,” Fine said.

• Download the CTV News app to get local alerts sent to your device

“He’s making small strides every week and hopefully he plays better this week than he did last week,” Dickenson said on Fine.

Dickenson also noted the situation Fajardo is in has not stopped him from putting in the work.

“He’s a good dude. He comes to work, and he was in early today. He comes in early every day. He studies the game plan, he knows what we’re doing offensive. He’s a pro and that’s what pros do,” he said.

Even as the team prepares for a game that mean nothing in the standings, Dickenson is still optimistic about ending the season on a high note.

“I think they’re excited to play. You only get to play so many games in your career. You only get to coach so many games in your career and you want to make the most of every opportunity,” Dickenson said.

The Riders take on the Stampeders Saturday in Calgary.