The Edmonton Elks opened up the 2024 season with a bang; New Year, New Starting Quarterback!
After a third-straight season posting four wins or less, the Green and Gold made a major move by signing 2022 Grey Cup Champion quarterback, McLeod Bethel-Thompson, to a 1-year deal worth up to around $500,000. While this kind of acquisition would generally be a celebratory event, the signing means that Edmonton's starting quarterback from last year, Tre Ford, will most likely be moved to QB2, sending mixed signals to a fan base that was prepared to see Ford start at QB1.
Once Farhan Lalji of TSN broke news of the signing, Elks and CFL fans went into a frenzy on X:
Fans, alumni and media all shared their thoughts on MBT joining the herd. Some understood the signing, and some were left baffled:
Many people that watch Canadian football are fans of Tre Ford because he's a Canadian himself, not to mention his natural talent on the turf. The thought of Ford losing his starting position, again, left many with a sour taste:
The Edmonton Elks caused a frenzy on social media by signing Bethel-Thompson to their roster, leaving a mixed-bag of opinions scattered across the internet, mostly due to the fact that Tre Ford will probably become a backup quarterback for the third-straight season. With a 75th Anniversary season coming up for the Double E, Head Coach and General Manager Chris Jones has made a move that gives Ford a chance to learn from a veteran QB while adding depth at the position, which hasn't seen it in years. For now and six more months, we wait to see if the move paid off for the team that is in "Win Now Mode".