‘Minor setback for a major comeback’: A medical update on Tyson Philpot

Alouettes receiver Tyson Philpot was on pace to have one of the great single seasons in franchise history, but an injury on August 10th put an end to his 2024 campaign. What could’ve been? We’ll never know, but there’s no denying that Philpot developed into a super star this year.

“How the injury was explained to me is that it was kind of a fluke,” Philpot said of his foot ailment he suffered on Aug. 10 at home against Hamilton. “I was beating myself up a lot about it, but at the end of the day, there was nothing I could’ve done. My foot just got caught in the turf and when he twisted me, my foot stayed caught in the turf which caused the ligaments to tear, I guess. I’m feeling good, but at that moment I knew it was as serious as it turned out to be. Even though I was able to walk off the field, I know when I’m really hurt. It’s a small injury. It’s a minor setback for a major comeback.”

The full interview with Philpot aired on last week’s PodcAls pregame podcast & it begins at 18:52:

In just nine games this season, the 24-year-old posted an impressive 786 yards receiving and five touchdowns on 58 receptions. Over the full 18-game season, Philpot was on pace for 1,572 yards, 116 catches and 10 majors. Keep in mind, he suffered the injury in the first half of the ninth game, so the numbers he was on pace for are lowered a little bit.

“That was one of the biggest things at the start of getting hurt was just knowing what trajectory I was on and what I was doing game in and game out,” the Delta B.C. native explained. “Not being able to contribute with my teammates again and help them win (also hurt). I was definitely keeping track a little bit and seeing where I was projected to finish off with the pace I was at. That goal starts again next year.”

It may be a moot point now, but had he reached his projected stats, he would’ve finished four receptions ahead of the single season record in franchise history at 112 (record currently held by Ben Cahoon (2003) and Jamel Richardson (2011). 1,572 receiving yards would’ve been the fourth best single season number in Als history only trailing Hal Patterson (1,914), Richardson (1,777) and Jermaine Copeland (1,757).

The next steps in the recovery process are straightforward for Philpot. He had a screw put in his foot during surgery in August and it will be removed sometime after the Grey Cup Game is played on Nov. 17 in Vancouver.

“After I get the screw removed from my foot, I’ll be able to start putting pressure on it,” he said. “I can then start the actual rehab process. It’s just been a bulk of rehab and rest now and letting the foot heal. The next steps will be to slowly begin walking and building up to slowly jogging and running.”

Philpot is expected to begin running sometime in late-March or early-April.