FOUR MORE YEARS
QB Mitchell sticks with Stampeders
There was never any doubt Bo Levi Mitchell would return to the Calgary Stampeders.
Was there, Bo?
“Man ... it was close, man,” said Mitchell of potentially signing with another CFL team Tuesday. “I can’t personally see (putting on another jersey) and a lot of people told me the same thing, so I think that’s what I’m excited for — to continue my career here.
“I’m a football player and this is where I see myself doing it. And hopefully, we can defend our Grey Cup in our hometown (come November).”
Mitchell accepted a four-year deal worth $2.8 million, meaning an average of $700,000 per season. That ranks second to Mike Reilly’s pact that the former Edmonton Eskimos QB signed earlier Tuesday — the first day of CFL free agency — for an average of $725,000 over four years with the B.C. Lions.
“I finally got (Stampeders general manager John Hufnagel) to open up his wallet,” said a smiling Mitchell.
“I fielded offers from a lot of teams and had some very, very good offers out there,” Mitchell continued. “But at the end of the day, I told Calgary that I would give them last right of refusal. Once I found the offer that I liked the most, I gave them a chance to get close or beat it, and they did just that.”
Reports say both the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Toronto Argonauts went hard to try to obtain Mitchell’s services, with at least the Argos anteing up $750,000.
“I did (take a hometown discount) ... for the right reasons,” said the affable quarterback, who was coming off a contract that saw him make in the $450,000 range last season. “I understand what it takes to keep a team together — that’s why I took less four years ago with my contract. The only reason I would go to another team is because of more money and different opportunities ... things like that.
“I wanted to hit free agency to find out what the market was. But at the end of the day, Calgary got very close to where I want to be — to where I felt I was very well paid but that we could still put a (contending) team together.
“My (family) and I have been doing something here for a couple of years now. We were just trying to decide what was best for us. And with our family and everything, with the amount of work we’ve put in here and going to another team would be a lot more work for me — as far as learning a new offence.”
The 28-year-old generated considerable interest from the NFL in the months since the Stampeders won the Grey Cup in November but chose to remain with the organization that made him a star since he came north of the border in 2012.
“I didn’t even know if I was going to be going into CFL free agency, obviously, with the NFL being an option,” Mitchell said. “And there were offers there (in the NFL), but those offers I just didn’t see myself taking. If I felt there was going to be an opportunity there, maybe I would’ve taken it.”
The 2018 Grey Cup most outstanding player had NFL workouts with the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts.
Mitchell said he did receive offers from three teams — the Broncos, Vikings and Colts — but chose to turn them down because they weren’t the right fit. In other words, he’d be hard pressed to find himself being — at best — the No. 3 QB on those clubs.
The veteran signal-caller, who has six seasons under centre in the CFL, has said all along publicly that he wouldn’t take a flyer on an NFL deal if it meant holding a clipboard and not getting a realistic shot at significant playing time.
“And there’s just something about leaving a legacy and trying to be one of the best that’s ever played — that’s something I’ve talked about my entire career,” Mitchell said. “So being able to do that here was something I wanted to do.”
Last season, Mitchell won his second MOP award after completing 356 of 585 passes for 5,124 yards and 35 touchdowns. He did it despite playing with a receiving corps ravaged by injury in the second half.
In the Grey Cup, he was also named the game’s best player after completing 24 of 36 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns. It was his second CFL championship trophy as a starter.
“It’s great to have Bo back for four more years,” Hufnagel said. “He had lots of options out there, and I’m pleased he’s made this commitment to the Stampeders and that he’s chosen to continue building on his already impressive legacy in Calgary.”
But it did take a few months of NFL flirtation and a couple nervous hours of free agency Tuesday to finally make it happen.
“It took time, man,” Mitchell added. “Huff’s one of the best negotiators in the business. Some of the offers he sent me originally, I was like, ‘There’s no way I’m going back.’ But he operates in a very smart fashion. At the end of the day, (head coach) Dave (Dickenson) went to the table for me and helped make sure we got the job done.”
I fielded offers from a lot of teams and had some very, very good offers out there.