Forget playoff beard, Als quarterback Cody Fajardo winning with playoff moustache

Nov 14, 2023 | 2:23 PM

HAMILTON — Montreal Alouettes quarterback Cody Fajardo’s playoff moustache is getting some love at the Grey Cup.

“Have you seen his moustache?” said veteran Als offensive lineman Kristian Matte, drawing laughs. “That thing is wicked-cool.”

Fajardo grew the moustache for the playoffs, following the lead of former Argo quarterback Ricky Ray whom he backed up in Toronto before moving to B.C., Saskatchewan and now Montreal.

“I just kind of tried to channel my inner Ricky Ray this year,” he said with a smile. “Sure enough all it took was growing a moustache and here we are in the Grey Cup.

“There was a lot of guys that bought in,” he added. “It just goes to show the locker-room we have. When guys haven’t had a moustache their entire life and guys have girlfriends or wives who don’t approve of it and they (have) it anyways, it goes to show the team camaraderie that we have.”

It’s a first-ever moustache for the 31-year-old from Reno. Nev.

Is the facial hair a sacrifice, Fajardo was asked?

“I think at this point, it feels good,” he said cheerfully. “The first game it felt a little different for me … I think my wife has grown to start liking it. At first she was not a big fan of it but as we keep winning, I think she starts to understand that there might be a little bit of power in this moustache.”

Montreal defeated Hamilton and league-leading Toronto to get to Sunday’s championship game with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Tim Hortons Field

Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2023

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press