Cody Fajardo had an emotional moment describing what it means to him to be the Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback.
“That’s it,” Fajardo said, fighting back tears during Monday’s season-ending press session. “Difficult at times when you are not winning, when you are not playing well.”
“I wouldn’t want to play for any other team or any other organization,” Fajardo said. “They have been incredibly great for me, my family and my support. It’s hard when people ask for your head when you do everything for this team. “
Despite the struggles this season, he says, “I go out and give everything I have.”
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And while the franchise means a lot to him, it also means a lot to Rider Nation. Not only has Fajardo been the leader on the field and in the locker room, but the 29-year-old has a positive presence on social media interacting with cycling fans on a daily basis.
However, you have had to put up with negative comments online.
“There were some dark days throughout the season where we were winning games, but people still found ways to speak ill of our offense or speak ill of me,” Fajardo said. “Social media has reached a point where it is so toxic, and it’s unfortunate because I think it could be a platform to reach out to people, to reach out to fans, to reach out to young children and to be a huge inspiration, but it gives you give people a chance. hide behind a computer screen and say what they want about you. “
For the past two seasons, Fajardo was voted the team’s Most Outstanding Player, leading the Greens and Whites to the West Final in his two years as a starter. And while he knows there are pressures that come with being the starting quarterback in Saskatchewan, he admits this year has been tougher than most.
In fact, the ups and downs of a season can affect an athlete’s mental health.
“I like to interact with all my fans because I think it is an incredible platform that I have,” Fajardo said. “I am a human being at heart and sometimes it is difficult to spend the whole year and you give everything you have and people do not see that or people do not respect you.”
Fajardo is not the first Roughrider starting quarterback to receive negative comments on social media. Darian Durant had to endure it during his 10-year career in Saskatchewan. Some of the negative comments he received during the 2013 season motivated him to win the Gray Cup.
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“Tired of the naysayers. Tired of the haters. I get it on Twitter every day, ”Durant said in 2013 after the championship game. “The pressure only comes from having the most passionate fans. When you don’t and you have the most passionate fans, there will be some naysayers. “
And like Durant did, Fajardo now seeks to bring a championship back to Saskatchewan, silencing his critics in the process.
“I just work hard every day and I want to do my best to bring this team a Gray Cup because I know they deserve it and have our back, but it can be mentally difficult at times.”
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