Lions’ big fish Covington comes home, ‘just like B.C. salmon’

Covington – whose father, Grover, is a Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ legend and the all-time leader in Canadian Football League sacks with 157 – has shifted north after a lengthy career in the National Football League.

“There just came a point in time during my off-season when I was able to take the time with family, just be around my people, be around both Washington state and Vancouver, and it just dawned on me that I wanted to play football,” said 30-year-old Covington, noting there were offers to play down south.

“To me, the best option was to be able to come back to my hometown to play for my hometown team.”

Christian’s mother, Natalie, is from Ottawa, but moved to Vancouver, where she met Grover.

“They met, fell in love, long story short,” Covington said, noting business brought his dad out west. “We’re blessed to be able to have the family start in B.C.”

Covington helped the Vancouver College Fighting Irish win a provincial football title in 2010 before embarking on a standout career at NCAA Division 1 Rice University in Houston.

The Lone Star State became home away from home for Covington, who was drafted by the Houston Texans in 2015 and went on to register 39 combined tackles and 7.5 sacks in 50 games over four seasons with the NFL club.

Covington earned more than U.S. $8 million in his nine-year NFL career and racked up 196 combined tackles and 9.5 sacks in 102 games, with stints playing for Houston, the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Chargers.

The Lions nabbed Covington in the fifth round of the 2015 CFL Draft and have played the long game with his rights

Now he’s home – and begins his quest to catch pops.

“Ah, I mean, 157 is big number, my goodness,” Covington said with a laugh when asked about the sack record. “He just wants me to do the best I can do, be my own man, be my own football player. Statistics aside, he’s just proud of me for my football journey so far.

“Good Old Grover. I love that man. He’s been with me since Day 1, since my days in Vancouver College. He’s been my coach, my mentor, my guide.”

Covington, who tipped the scales between 285 pounds and 325 pounds during his NFL career, hovered around 310 pounds over the last few seasons.

He made a decision early during this past off-season to trim down, long before seriously entertaining a move to the CFL, which features a larger field and, generally, smaller defensive lineman than the NFL.

“It’s going to be well-suited for him,” Lions’ head coach Rick Campbell said. “He’s a quick guy. Quickness wins in the CFL.”

Added Covington: “God’s timing is perfect with regards to all that. We all know the CFL is a passing league. We know exactly how dynamic the offences are in this game and how fast it can be with only three downs.”

Does that divine timing include a Grey Cup victory in the Lions’ 70th season at BC Place Stadium – in his own backyard?

“You guys can say that,” Covington said. “I’m just here to do my job. I want to help us win in any capacity, any which way, and if it lines up to be that way, so be it.”

by Marty Hastings

Lions’ big fish Covington comes home, ‘just like B.C. salmon’

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