Pipkin eager to start for Als in Edmonton

MONTREAL Wide receiver B.J. Cunningham has seen quarterbacks come and go in his four seasons with the Montreal Alouettes, so Antonio Pipkin will be just one more on the list.

“You’ve got to be a pro,” he said Thursday. “Go out, run my route right and, when the ball is in the air, try to come down with it.

“That’s been my job as long as I’ve been a receiver. It don’t matter who’s throwing me the ball.”

It was supposed to be Johnny Manziel throwing the passes for a third straight game when the Alouettes (17) visit Edmonton (5-3) on Saturday, but the former Cleveland Browns’ bid to rebuild a shattered career in the CFL was put on hold when he was placed under concussion protocol this week.

Pipkin will be the Alouettes’ fifth starter, and sixth quarterback overall, in nine games.

“To me it’s all about enjoying the process,” said Pipkin. “You go out there, you have fun, you throw the ball. It’s what you’ve been doing all your life. You cut it loose.”

Manziel described his condition as a “delayed onset concussion” on a podcast on Thursday and said he had headaches.

The 25-year-old took a massive hit as he tried to cross the goal-line in the third quarter of a 24-17 loss in Ottawa last Saturday, but was cleared to stay in the game after being checked out by the referee, the league injury spotter and the team’s doc

tor.

His level of play dropped off noticeably after the hit and there was concern he was concussed, but when he missed practice Tuesday coach Mike Sherman said he had gone for blood tests. The next day, he was placed under concussion protocol, which the team said could be related to medication he uses. He takes lithium to control bipolar disorder.

“As far as him going to get blood work done, that was in relation to his medication,” said Sherman. “The side effects of his medication are very similar to what someone who took a blow to the head could be.

“But he did go to get his medication levels checked on Tuesday.”

Manziel attended team meetings, but didn’t practice this week. He also didn’t speak to the media.