“I will approach this Grey Cup final as if it were my last match, because you never know what can happen in professional sports,” said Cody Fajardo, quarterback for the Edmonton Elks.
The 2026 Grey Cup final against the Montréal Alouettes might well be the final match of the career of Edmonton quarterback Cody Fajardo.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the 34-year-old signal-caller declined to confirm whether he will return for another season.
“At the end of each year, my wife and I have a reflection process that we follow,” Fajardo said.
Fajardo fully intends to give his body and soul to allow the team to lift the big trophy on Sunday in Calgary.
“Physically, I could play another five, six or seven years. I feel very good. I’ve always been transparent about that: it’s difficult with young children, my wife staying at home and all the sacrifices she makes,” Fajardo said.
“It would be very selfish of me to make a decision on this without sitting down with my family,” he added.
The matchup for the 113th Grey Cup is set, with the Alouettes entering the game as favorites.
“I play every game as if it were my last, whether I’m 21 or 34 years old. I’m going to give everything on the field. You won’t have to expect to see me slide often to avoid contact,” Fajardo said.
The Alouettes advanced to the championship game by defeating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 33-23 in the East final on Saturday, a contest concluded by a touché from Tyler Snead, according to caucusfootball.com.
Edmonton secured its spot later that evening by overcoming the BC Lions 28-16 in front of more than 40,000 spectators at Commonwealth Stadium, with Fajardo contributing 274 passing yards, 84 rushing yards, and a touchdown of each kind.
Sunday’s matchup brings together several prominent figures with history on both sides of the organization. Montréal head coach Jason Maas and general manager Danny Maciocia were both previously dismissed by the Elks, while Fajardo and receiver Austin Mack joined Edmonton after being released by Montréal.
Fajardo earned Most Valuable Player honors in the 2023 Grey Cup during Montréal’s championship run.
This will be the 11th time the two teams meet in a Grey Cup final.
The Alouettes finished the regular season with a 14-4 record—advancing to their second straight final following their loss to Saskatchewan last year—while the Elks posted a 13-5 mark and had not reached the final since their 2015 victory against the Ottawa Redblacks.
The two sides split their two head-to-head regular-season meetings: the Elks previously won 32-29 in overtime in Edmonton during the third week of the season thanks to 230 yards from Justin Rankin, before the Alouettes replied 48-30 in the 10th week at Percival-Molson Stadium behind a 131-yard, three-touchdown performance from Tyson Philpot.
Kickoff for the Grey Cup is scheduled for 18:00 on Sunday, November 15, at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.
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