Fajardo’s Sweet Revenge as Elks Stun Alouettes in Montreal
It was one of those nights in the CFL where the storylines almost wrote themselves. Cody Fajardo, the man who once led the Montreal Alouettes to a Grey Cup, returned to his old stomping grounds wearing Edmonton Elks green and gold — and walked out with a 23–22 win that left the home crowd stunned.
From the start, the tension was obvious. This was Fajardo’s first game back at Percival Molson Stadium since Montreal traded him away last December in exchange for McLeod Bethel-Thompson. And if anyone wondered whether that move might light a fire under the 2023 Grey Cup MVP, they got their answer.
The game began with a defensive slugfest. Edmonton grabbed an early single point from a long punt, but Montreal’s special teams lit the stadium up when rookie returner Travis Theis bolted 80 yards for his first career touchdown, giving the Alouettes a 10–1 lead. Montreal’s defence piled on the pressure, sacking Fajardo repeatedly, while Jose Maltos Diaz tacked on field goals to push the lead to 13–1.
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But momentum shifted dramatically just before halftime. Bethel-Thompson, struggling to find a rhythm, threw an ill-timed pass right into the hands of Edmonton’s Tyrell Ford. Ford sprinted 87 yards to the house for a pick-six, slicing the deficit to just two points and sending the Elks to the locker room with renewed belief.
By the third quarter, Montreal’s offence turned to backup quarterback Caleb Evans, who quickly hit Cole Spieker for the team’s first offensive touchdown in over two games. The Als looked in control at 19–11, but an untimely fumble by Tyler Snead handed Edmonton the ball deep in Montreal territory. Fajardo capitalized with a one-yard strike to Kaion Julien-Grant — another former Alouette — closing the gap again.
Montreal added a long 53-yard field goal late, seemingly sealing a 22–17 lead. But Fajardo had other plans. With less than a minute to go and no margin for error, he orchestrated a precise, pressure-filled drive, completing four passes for 63 yards. The final throw — a laser to Julien-Grant, who powered through a defender to cross the goal line — was the dagger. It was Julien-Grant’s second touchdown of the night, both coming against the team he’d played with for five seasons.
The Elks missed the two-point try, but with only 15 seconds left, the game was effectively over. Edmonton claimed its first road win of the season, and Fajardo walked off the Montreal field victorious — his “little bit more” game ending exactly the way he’d imagined.
For Montreal, it was another frustrating loss without injured starter Davis Alexander, and their first defeat to Edmonton since 2022. For Edmonton, it was a night of sweet revenge, executed perfectly by the quarterback and receiver the Alouettes once called their own.
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