Edmonton Elks QB Fajardo says Grey Cup could be his final CFL game
Cody Fajardo is hoping to ride off into the sunset with the Edmonton Elks on Sunday.
The 34-year-old quarterback has been magnificent for Edmonton this season, leading the team to a 13-5 record and coming up big against the BC Lions in last weekend’s West Final. Now, Fajardo is hoping to complete the fairytale year by winning the Grey Cup.
It will be the Montreal Alouettes who await the Elks at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium for the 113th Grey Cup. Fajardo is looking for his third Grey Cup title, and it may also be the end of the road for the Edmonton QB.
Fajardo told reporters on Tuesday that this Sunday’s Grey Cup battle could be his final CFL game.
“I have a process every year at the end that I have to go through with my wife,” Fajardo said. “Body-wise, I can play five, six, seven more years; I feel great body-wise. It’s hard with young kids and my wife staying home, the sacrifices she makes. It would be very selfish of me to make a decision up here, by myself, without sitting down with my family.
“I play every game like it’s my last, whether I was 21 years old or whether I was 34 years old. I’m going to play this Grey Cup game like it’s my last cause you never know with pro sports.”
The Edmonton Elks just boarded the bus as they head to Calgary for the 113th Grey Cup!
Quarterback Cody Fajardo says this could be his final game in the CFL. #Elks #GreyCup #CFL pic.twitter.com/GiMAaswU68
— Bleed Oil Blue (@BleedOilBlue) November 10, 2026
Retirement wouldn’t come out of nowhere for Fajardo, who has been contemplating hanging up the shoulder pads for a few seasons now. After last season, the veteran QB admitted he was in talks about potentially joining the Nevada Wolf Pack coaching staff before deciding to return for another season in Edmonton.
The California native first entered the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts in 2015, and evolved into the team’s backup quarterback over the next few seasons, winning the 2017 Grey Cup with the club. Fajardo had a short stint with the Lions in 2018 before signing with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2019.
He spent four seasons in Saskatchewan, where he would eventually become the team’s starter. Fajardo signed with the Montreal Alouettes in 2023, leading them to a Grey Cup victory and grabbing Grey Cup MVP honours.
Fajardo was traded to the Elks in December 2024, where he was initially the backup to Tre Ford for the 2025 season. That didn’t last long, as a 1-4 start led to Fajardo taking over the starter’s job, a role he’s been in ever since.
If this is truly the end of the line for Fajardo, what better way to end a career than as a champion?