(Winnipeg) On the evening of November 19, 2023, a lot happened. The Montreal Alouettes won their first Gray Cup in 13 years. Marc-Antoine Dequoy delivered a speech powerful enough to wake up an entire nation. Cody Fajardo was crowned championship MVP. And now, because of this drunkenness and the passage of time, we have almost forgotten the author of the most decisive play of the season.
Tyson Philpot clearly remembers the sequence leading to his game-winning catch, with 11 seconds left in the final, as Montreal trailed the Winnipeg Blue Bombers by three points.
“I remember everything by heart from the huddle,” assures Philpot, seven months later, in a dressing room at the Bombers’ home. Where popcorn and soft drinks were already waiting for deep-pocketed guests for the opening match on Thursday evening.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Tyson Philpot and Cody Fajardo
I remember the formation used, I remember that the marauders changed ends, I know why Cody threw me the ball, because in fact, it was a game where there were two options. We had studied this game so many times. It was either me at the post or in the corner [Tyler] Snead. The marauder left the way clear for me and Cody gave me a very good pass.
Tyson Philpot
It ended in the end zone, arms in the shape of a cross, like a savior coming to free an organization hitherto caught in an eternal restart.
On Wednesday, a little over 24 hours before returning to action, Philpot this time had his hands in his pockets. He looked relaxed in his white Nike t-shirt and his new powder blue sneakers from the same brand.
Impossible, on the eve of taking charge again, not to return to the last game of the previous season. A sequence that the 23-year-old receiver has reviewed “many times. »
“Too many times, in fact,” he immediately changes his mind.
A native of British Columbia since his father, Cory, played for the Lions for a few seasons as a running back, Philpot dreamed of a moment like the one experienced in the final since the day he was able to catch the ball oval for the first time.
In fact, he’s no different than any kid who’s ever imagined scoring the game-winning goal in overtime or making a three-point shot at the sound of the siren. The Alouettes player, however, has the luxury of having made his dream come true. For bringing his vision to life. “To be the player who decides the debate, it’s hard to beat as a memory. »
At home, he kept the victory ball, the jersey, the gloves and the sneakers he wore that evening. Everything is kept in a sort of glass box. And even the most cunning negotiator could not convince him to give up. “Nobody touches that. It does not have a price. I will keep these memories for the rest of my life. »
Life in Montreal
Philpot remained in Montreal for almost the entire off-season. He now has his home downtown, near the Bell Centre. “Vancouver is my first home and Montreal has become my second. »
Obviously, his face is not as recognized as that of some of his teammates, but the victory still had an effect on his daily life. “I was able to witness the love of the fans even while there was no football. It changed everything for me. »
Moreover, it is still hard to believe how and why tens of thousands of people gathered on a rainy Wednesday morning in November in the streets of the metropolis to see them parade.
In December, a little before Christmas, Philpot signed a contract extension with the team, linking him to the Alouettes until 2025.
Accosted in the corridors of the Princess Auto stadium, Fajardo was quick to explain why, in his opinion, Philpot was still an underestimated player.
When we talk about Canadian receivers, we talk about them as if they were there just because of their nationality. But I can compare him to any of the best receivers in the league. He’s fast, he has good hands, his routes are precise and he’s solid if he needs to block.
Cody Fajardo on Tyson Philpot
In his short-sleeved shirt, despite the vigorous winds from the west, the Alouettes quarterback reminds us that Philpot has the necessary assets to join the group of receivers capable of reaching the plateau of 1,000 yards per season. He compiled 532 in 13 games in 2023. He had to be absent at the start of the campaign due to a leg injury.
“The most special thing about him is how meticulous he is about details. Plus, he never makes the same mistake twice. »
Break the ice
Last year, the Montreal offense relied heavily on the prowess of receiver Austin Mack. By choosing the NFL, Mack vacated the team’s number one receiver position.
“Austin was the centerpiece, but we believe everyone can contribute. Anyone can be an elite receiver. It will be difficult to stop us. Everyone can make a big play,” underlines Philpot.
The number 6, the same one used by his father when he was active, is quite jovial and rather joking by nature. Until it becomes obvious, he will never shout from the rooftops that the position is his or that the cape of main receiver would suit him perfectly. Which is undoubtedly true, in fact, but he would not want to create a bickering.
He prefers to talk about the collective, because that’s what matters. In his opinion, the Alouettes would have deserved to host the second act between Montreal and Winnipeg at home to start the season, “but at the end of the day, we came to play football. »
And acting is perhaps what Philpot loves most in the world. Especially when at the end, he scores the touchdown that everyone wants to achieve.