Despite rough start in B.C., Reilly aims to lead with positive attitude
Lions quarterback has impressed coach with way he’s handled team’s difficulties
VANCOUVER Mike Reilly didn’t expect his life with the B.C. Lions to be easy.
When the veteran quarterback signed a four-year free-agent deal worth $2.9 million during the off-season, the league’s highest paid player anticipated some growing pains with the CFL team.
But Reilly didn’t expect a 1-5 record to start the season or to be sacked a league-high 21 times heading into Saturday’s game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2-3) at BC Place.
“I don’t think anybody starts the season thinking they will go 1-5 and if you do, you’re probably not in the right spot and thinking things through properly,” Reilly said Friday. “It certainly wasn’t what I envisioned in terms of the start. It’s not something that I’m surprised of in terms of the challenge. I knew when I came here that things weren’t going to be handed to us.”
Reilly, 34, noted Ed Hervey is in his first full season as general manager without working in the shadow of CFL legend Wally Buono, who retired as the Lions’ head coach after the 2018 season. There is also a new coaching staff, with rookie Devone Claybrooks taking over as the head coach.
“I knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park,” said Reilly, who is in his ninth CFL season. “You have to embrace that challenge and it’s not for the faint of heart.”
Reilly learned in 2011 that a slow start doesn’t define a team. Reilly was a backup quarterback on a Lions squad that opened that season with a 1-6 record. The Lions rebounded to win the 2011 Grey Cup.
“You certainly can never look at one-third of the season and say that anything is won or lost,” Reilly said. “You do look back at those games and I don’t expect it to be easy. Now, that we’re in this situation, you know what you have to do to get where you want to be.”
Despite the challenges, Reilly still enjoys the game.
“Football is fun and I’ve always loved football,” Reilly said. “There has never been a full season where you love every minute of what you’re doing. It’s what you do for a living and it’s work.”
The fact the Lions have beaten only the lowly Toronto Argonauts this season has tempered some of Reilly’s love of the game.
“You do live for the wins and when you haven’t had too many of them, it can be challenging,” Reilly said. “As a veteran guy, who has been through a lot of wins and losses, you do your best to help the young guys understand that if we keep working hard there will be a light at the end of the tunnel.” Claybrooks has been impressed in the manner Reilly has handled the team’s woes.
“He has been (a great leader) and I can’t ask for anything more from him,” Claybrooks said.
“He has been through adversity and through this before so he can speak from experience after being on teams that have turned the table.”
The six-foot-three, 230-pound quarterback may be getting sacked a lot, but he still keeps going.
“It doesn’t just happen,” Reilly said of his resiliency. “This is what I train my body for the entire six months that we have in the off-season. I don’t go through the normal training that other quarterbacks do. I’m not out there going through the throwing motions or stuff like that. I’m bulking up and getting prepared for a long season. It doesn’t matter how easy things may seem, you’re always physically taking punishment when you play how I play.”
Much has been made of how much Reilly is earning, but he doesn’t feel any additional pressure because of his salary. Reilly said he faced more pressure when he was early in his career when he needed to play well or be released.
“This is part of the job and there always will be pressure,” Reilly said. “The only time the pressure goes away is when you retire or get cut.”