How happy are you that if the NFL doesn’t work out, you’ve committed to the Riders? “I’m really excited to have some direction and to know that if I stay in this league, I’ll be playing for the Riders. It’s a great place to play and I’m happy that I got an extra-couple-of-years extension.’’
How important was it to get this out of the way before the end of the season? “I said before that it’s a long off-season and there was not necessarily any rush for me, but it is nice to get it off my mind and focus on winning the Grey Cup now. It’s exciting times.’’
There was a lot of speculation that you may want to head back home (to Ontario). Why stay here? “Whoever made up that rumour kind of just made it up and it got blown out of proportion through the media or however it did. I don’t think I’ve ever said that once. I’ve always said I like playing here and if I stay in this league, this is where I want to play. I’m not really sure where that came from, but rumours like that always seem to start.’’
What is it about being a Rider that makes you want to stay? “It’s a good fit for me. I like the team, the community, the whole organization — everywhere from the coaching staff to my teammates. I like the direction our team is going in, along with our offence, and I feel like it’s a great fit.’’
What about your NFL aspirations? “That’s my goal — it always has been — to play in the NFL. I’m going to explore that option after the season, and then I guess after the next couple of seasons. We’ll take it one step at a time.’’
Were there some sleepless nights for you or did you pretty much know this was going to be handled one way or the other? “I didn’t lose any sleep over it. The only pressure I’ve had is from questions from the media. I don’t even really think about it besides when you guys ask me. It is exciting once it finally happens, even though it’s just an agreeement right now. I didn’t lose any sleep, but it was exciting to have it done now.’’
Was there something that made the contract more attractive now than it was in September? “Oh yeah. Definitely. The contract hasn’t taken effect yet. It has given me a window to explore my options in the NFL, if there are any. That’s basically what I was looking for. I didn’t want to be tied down from that and close that door.’’
Did you look at the southern Ontario teams and see what’s going on with them and say, ‘Maybe I don’t want to go there.’? “No . . . no . . . They’re having some struggles, but it never really crossed my mind. I was just taking it one step at a time. I wasn’t looking to see any other teams at all. I want to be here and this is where I wanted to play, so I’m happy it all worked out.’’
When does the contract take effect and how does the timing work? “It’s going to take effect in February, so it will give me a couple of months to see if I get any signings or any looks down there, and then before free agency starts I’ll be signed up with the Riders.’’
So you still have the option-year window and after that the new contract would just kick in? “Yeah, that’s basically how it’s going to work.’’
Can you tell us about any NFL clubs that might be interested in you? “I can’t tell you anything. I haven’t talked to any. Right now I’m under contract with the Riders. I’m sure there’s scouts watching the CFL always because that’s just what they do. It’s just going to be a matter of putting my agent to work after the season’s done and seeing who’s interested and seeing if there’s a good fit anywhere.’’
How does this compare to ’06 when you were a rookie and you went to the States and a couple of camps? What’s different about Andy Fantuz now? “I just look at myself compared to what I was in ’06 and I feel like I’m a much better receiver all-around. I’m a better football player . . . smarter, faster, stronger. I just think I’ll be competing against the guys coming out of college, and I’m better than I was coming out of college. I’m still 25 so hopefully I’ll have a good shot.’’
Have you scouted around to see if there are teams that could use a player of your calibre? “I haven’t really looked at that. Just when I’m watching some games sometimes, I say, ‘Wow, these guys are dropping balls,’ or whatever, but I haven’t had any serious consideration about any teams.’’
Did you speak to any of your teammates here, like Darian Durant or Luca Congi after he re-signed, and did that have any factor in this? “Yeah. Those guys are some of my best friends on the team. That definitely was a consideration. I want to be playing with my friends and whatnot. We’ve had the same kind of core for a few years now and I like the direction we’re going. We have a lot of young talent. I think the Riders are going to be the force we are for a bunch of years. Being able to stay with my close friends is definitely a good positive.’’
With the injury to Weston Dressler, do you expect to see a lot of double teams on Saturday? “You never know. It’s hard to say how they’re going to treat us, because Weston’s such a big part of the offence. If they do try to double team, we’ve got a lot of guys in position to make plays. We’re not going to really lose any aspect of our offence. Sure, you can’t replace Weston, but we’re going to keep our plays in and just move people around. We should still be as explosive. Hopefully if they do try to double-team me, other guys will step up and we’ll get some single coverage and be able to take care of business.’’
What is the length of the deal once it does it take effect? “Two years — one year and an option.’’
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