Alouettes’ Sterns plays receiver position with lots of heart
In football, receivers have a reputation for being the “diva” position. They’re stars. They make the plays, they get a lot of glory, and they can be a little extra at times. But to play wide receiver the way head coach Jason Maas and the Montreal Alouettes want the position played, you have to play with heart. So, when Jerreth Sterns became available in February, general manager Danny Maciocia pounced on the free agent.
Sterns isn’t one of those players who strikes fear into opponents when he walks off the team bus at the stadium. He’s listed at five-foot-eight and 183 pounds, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for with heart.
The 26-year-old is known for his reliable hands and strong frame. He’s more than willing to take a hit to make a play, and he’s not shy about blocking for his teammates.
“People look at me and see that I’m 5-foot-7 and I’m not a huge guy,” Sterns said after a training camp practice in Quebec City earlier this week. “I can run, but I was never the fastest. I’m not a 4.3 blazer. People doubted me from the get-go because of the eye test. I just work hard and put my head down. When I’m out there on the field, I don’t notice size at all, to be honest with you.
“It takes a lot of heart and courage to play receiver. Sometimes you have to run across the middle, and the quarterback throws the ball, and you don’t know if you’re going to get hit. You just have to run through it, trust your guy, and hang on to the ball even if you do get hit. At the end of the day, we love doing it and we love the challenge.”
The Alouettes are back at Percival Molson Stadium for the preseason opener on Friday, May 22nd. Buy one ticket, get the second one free! Click here for more details.
To compensate for the fact his measurables aren’t off the charts, Sterns needs to pay attention to details that some of his peers don’t have to observe as closely.
“You have to know your playbook, be all-in, and be accountable,” said the receiver, who spends his off-seasons in Dallas, Texas. “If I’m supposed to be in a certain spot at a certain time, I need to be there and I need to be there on time. The guys around you have to be able to trust you. The coaches need to be able to trust you. If you do that, you’ll give yourself a chance to play. If you’re on the field, you have the chance to make a play, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Sterns spent the first two seasons of his CFL career with the Saskatchewan Roughriders before signing with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2025. Statistically, his best season came last year, when he finished with 530 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 14 games.
To acclimate himself to his new Alouettes teammates, Sterns made a trip to Arizona this winter to join quarterback Davis Alexander and a dozen others who worked out together on and off the field.
With training camp lasting only three weeks, that extra time with Alexander in particular could help make the transition to Montreal more seamless.
“This is a great group of guys that has taken me in,” he said. “You have some great veterans who have made plays and established themselves in this league. They’re guys who really care about each other. The trip to Arizona was a great experience. I got to know the guys, see what they’re about, and see how hard they work. We started building that chemistry early. I’m excited to continue building on that.”
Throughout the first week of camp, Sterns has been running with the starting offence. With Austin Mack (released and signed by Edmonton) and Charleston Rambo (free agent) no longer in the fold, there are openings for proven receivers like Sterns and Alexander Hollins, who has also lined up with the starters.
“I just want to show up every day and be who I am,” Sterns added. “I want to be a great teammate and make whatever plays I can. I want to be who the Montreal Alouettes need me to be.”
