Davis Alexander found it odd last November when his father decided suddenly not to attend the Alouettes’ Grey Cup game against Winnipeg, especially since there was an extra ticket available.
As the third-string quarterback at that time, Alexander was unlikely to play. But his father, Matt, rarely missed his games. And if he couldn’t attend, father and son would talk, both pre- and post-game. Matt is Davis’s biggest fan, yet his harshest critic as well. He always pushed him to succeed, told his son the glass always was half-full, imploring him to treat people with kindness. And as a former professional rugby player from South Africa, father and son shared an athletic bond.
Davis was concerned, yet understood, when his father told him he had been sick, twice battling pneumonia. The trip to Hamilton for the outdoor CFL championship game, under those conditions at that time of year, made little sense.
Two months later, Alexander was told the truth; his father, a non-smoker, had Stage 4 lung cancer — the most-advanced form. He’s only 56. The disease is hereditary — Alexander’s grandfather was also stricken with lung cancer — and it will be closely monitored by the Als’ medical team.
“We were obviously … I remember I didn’t say much. It was hard to process,” Alexander told The Gazette this week. “The news hurt obviously. You try to stick to the script. We’re always positive. I haven’t gone into too hard details but keep saying ‘stick with the fight. Keep at it.’ He has to keep fighting and believe there’s a plan and one of these (treatments) will work out.”
The treatments have varied and the oncologist is attacking it aggressively. While the cancer hasn’t spread, neither is it in remission.
“It has been a hard half a year,” Alexander said. “It makes me think every day you have to try and seize opportunities, take advantage literally of every single day. Things can change in an instant for good or bad. Look at my situation. Last week I’m doing scout reps. This week, I’m the starting quarterback.”
You know the story by now.
Alexander, 25 and now in his third season with Montreal, replaced a struggling Caleb Evans to start the second half July 25 against Saskatchewan, completed his first 12 passes, threw two touchdowns and rallied the Als to a comeback victory. It was his first meaningful regular-season appearance. During an emotional post-game television interview, it seemed natural for Alexander to mention his ailing father.
The interview, and story, has now taken on a life of its own, numerous CFL fans reaching out to Alexander through social media, raising his spirits. He was scheduled to make his first start Friday night at Hamilton, with Cody Fajardo still battling a hamstring injury. And while football has been his salvation through a difficult period, there are also times when Alexander’s mind and thoughts naturally waver to a dark side.
“Last June there were a couple of days I honestly was having a tough time,” he admitted. “I don’t break down too often, but there were a couple days I woke up angry. That took me back a little and it’s something I’ve never felt. I don’t know why and try not to worry about it, but it was hard to ignore. He’s battling. I’m battling. We’re all going through our own battles. You just have to trust and believe; believe there’s a plan.”
Alexander has battled his entire life. He was a promising baseball pitcher — he could even throw a knuckleball — until twice suffering damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, an injury made famous by Tommy John. Alexander decided to concentrate on football but, at 6-feet and 200 pounds, wasn’t highly recruited.
He went to Portland State, a Division IAA school where he would pass for 63 touchdowns over his career, second only to Neil Lomax (St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals). Nonetheless, few NFL teams took notice, so Alexander told his U.S.-based agent to seek out the CFL as an option, knowing how badly he wanted a pro career.
When Alexander signed with the Als in February 2022, he broke down and cried — and it had nothing to do with his paltry CFL minimum salary. After he completed 15 of 18 passes for 178 yards against the Roughriders last week, Alexander’s teammates, to a man, spoke glowingly about him, all ecstatic that his patience finally had paid dividends. It seems Alexander’s smile and wholesome character are infectious.
Those who know the man say how competitive Alexander is. He believes it’s because he had to fight harder growing up due to his height disadvantage. But Alexander also can look at 5-foot-11 Vernon Adams Jr. in B.C. and know there’s a place in the CFL for smaller, mobile quarterbacks who make things happen on the field. He entered last week’s game and things changed immediately against a good team. That’s not a coincidence. Now, like any quarterback, he must seek consistency.
Alexander’s in the final year of his contract and could become a free agent next winter. But he also has displayed patience and loyalty.
“I want to be here,” he said. “I want to create some sort of legacy, something to be proud of.”