Shawn Lemon ‘thankful’ for new opportunity; Update on Davis Alexander
Veteran defensive end Shawn Lemon made his first public appearance on Sunday less than three days after signing with the Alouettes for the 2025 season. The 36-year-old participated in practice in Saint-Leonard with his teammates.
Last week, the CFL reinstated Lemon after suspending him for wagering on CFL games in 2021 when he was a member of the Calgary Stampeders. This week’s game in Calgary will also be the second and final game of his two-match ban for violating the CFL and CFLPA’s joint drug policy.
One thing Lemon made clear when he met the media on Sunday afternoon is that he’s thankful for this opportunity to play football with the Alouettes.
“I’m just thankful to have an opportunity with this amazing team,” Lemon, who had other CFL offers presented to him before opting to sign with the Alouettes last week, said.
“I love playing for this team. I love my teammates, and I love management. I love the city, and I love playing for coach (Noel) Thorpe. It just fits my skillset.”
He’s also confident that his time away from the game won’t affect his ability to play at a high level. Lemon, who has 102 career sacks in his career, believes he’ll be able to play as soon as Aug. 2 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but he’s going to see what plan coaches and management have in place for him.
“I put a lot of work and time in what I do,” Lemon said of his time away from football. “I understand this game very well. I feel like all my skills are still there.”
Update on Davis Alexander:
Starting quarterback Davis Alexander wasn’t on the field on Sunday afternoon.
The 26-year-old appeared to injury himself late in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s victory over the Toronto Argonauts. Alexander suffered the injury on the run that resulted in the game-winning touchdown.
“He’s out,” head coach Jason Maas said. “We don’t know (how long he’ll be out), but he’ll be out for this week. I’m not going to keep answering (the question) every week, so when you don’t see him out here, he isn’t playing.”
In only four games this season, Alexander has 1,106 passing yards, 87 yards on the ground, six passing touchdowns and one rushing score.
He has never lost a game as a starter in his CFL career, as he’s now tied with Danny McManus for the most consecutive wins to begin a career (8-0-0).
Look for McLeod Bethel-Thompson to make his third start of the season this week.
Also, per Maas, returner James Letcher Jr. will be reevaluated at home point this week. He still hasn’t been ruled out for Thursday’s game.
