It was a fantastic weekend for Brett Jones, as he shared in a Grey Cup win with the Calgary Stampeders, and also won an award at the Canadian Football League awards night.
Playing his second year with the Stamps, this is the first-ever Grey Cup win for Jones.
In celebration of the Grey Cup victory, Jones was selected by the Stampeders to lift the Grey Cup and parade it around the stadium for all the fans. Cheryl Roundy, his mother, said that the honour was unexpected.
“It was a really fun weekend, and a great outcome. It was also an exciting game. I never thought I would love a referee flag on the ground,” she added, referring to the penalty call in the last minute of the game that cancelled a Tigercats touchdown.
“The most amazing moment was standing on the field, with all the confetti coming down,” said Roundy. She noted that while Brett would never admit it, his eyes were glistening.
Also sharing in the celebrations during and after the game was Rob Jones, Scott Jones, Chelsea Jones and Amy Cross. Cheryl noted that they were not able to sit together during the game, but that didn’t matter.
“We go to know the other parents, and meet some really great people, and so we feel so fortunate,” said Roundy. They also enjoyed the gathering of players and families after the game.
Darren Abel, head coach for the Comp Eagles, and a former coach for Jones, was watching the Grey Cup with interest. “I watched the game with Mike Hoffman and Jody Kerr at my home. Mike was wearing his #69 Calgary jersey signed by Brett!”
“We all thought Brett played very well. According to Jon Cornish, the game plan was to use him as a decoy so the Stamps did not run the ball a lot. Brett did provide very good pass protection for Bo Levi Mitchell, who passed for over 300 yards in being named the Grey Cup most-valuable-player.”
“We thought it was great that Glen Suitor and Chris Cuthbert made mention of Brett’s great season and his winning of the most outstanding lineman award, the second straight season that a member of the Weyburn’s WCS Eagles has taken that award home,” said Abel.
“Cuthbert even mentioned Mike by name on the broadcast, acknowledging the fine work he has done in developing Brett and Brendon LaBatte at the high school level. The Eagles program is so proud of Brett and Brendon, and their accomplishments over the last two years.”
“We don’t think that what these two have done over the last two years can ever be repeated. Brendon winning the lineman award and Grey Cup last year, and Brett taking home the rookie of the year last year and his lineman award and Grey Cup this year,” said Abel.
“It has been a two-year span that I’m sure no other high school in Canada can boast. It was nice to see Brett’s family on the field after the game sharing in the excitement. I know Cheryl, Rob, Chelsea and Scott (and Brett’s girlfriend) were all in attendance,” said Abel.
“As a coach, you hope that your players can be as successful as possible but none of us on the Eagles coaching staff could have ever imagined the huge accomplishments that we have seen from Brett (and Brendon). It is because of their dedication, passion and hard work that they have reached the pinnacle of success in the CFL. To have produced in Weyburn, two of the very best in the CFL game today, makes us all very proud.”
Jones was named the league’s most outstanding offensive lineman — one year after being honoured as the CFL’s top rookie.
The 23-year-old Jones received 41 of a possible 62 first-place votes for top-offensive-lineman honours. The runner-up was Montreal Alouettes offensive tackle Jeff Perrett.
“It’s a great honour to be nominated for this award,” said Jones at the awards ceremony. “Each award was very special to me, and this one even more. I just wanted to become a better player, and I think I was able to do that over each week. I see my game and I know there are lots of areas I can get better at.”
Jones is the second consecutive Weyburn product to be named the outstanding offensive lineman. The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Brendon LaBatte won the award in 2013.
Both Jones and LaBatte started their football careers with the Weyburn Comp Eagles, and both played under Darren Abel, head coach for the Eagles.
Speaking about the success of football athletes from Weyburn, Jones said, “It must be something in the water down there. We must know how to grow them. In all seriousness, the football programs in Weyburn are constantly growing and developing. We have great volunteerism in Weyburn and in Saskatchewan in general.”
“Just being given the chance is one of the biggest things and I think that Weyburn does a great job of that,” said Jones.
During the regular season, Brett Jones was a member of an offensive line that helped the Stampeders lead the league in rushing yards and allow the fewest quarterback sacks of any of the nine teams.
He has started every single game —36 of tem — during his two years playing as centre for the Calgary Stampeders.
Jones now becomes only the second player in CFL history to win the Most Outstanding Rookie award and then follow up that effort with a CFL Award in his sophomore season.
“It’s just amazing how time just keeps moving,” Jones said. “That’s one of the great things about playing football — each week you just come out and try to get better and, I think, I’ve been able to do that over the past two years. I don’t think about the awards much, but it’s pretty cool to see how I’ve progressed and just see how much better I can keep getting.”
Fellow teammates of the Stamps also have a lot of praise for Brett Jones. “He is so good for two reasons: he is very intelligent and he has a lot of fire,” said Jon Cornish, running-back.
“Brett Jones is a strong, stout guy, and I know he’s shorter but, I think, you’ve seen a change in the league going away from ‘Oh, this guy has potential, this guy has size’ to ‘This guy can play football.’ And Brett Jones can play football,” said Bo Levi Mitchell, quarterback.
“He can be that guy that quarterbacks lean on. Obviously, I hope that never happens, because I want him in front of me for 15 years, but if it does, it’ll be well worth it,” said Mitchell.
