Kyries Hebert says he didn’t really want to leave
Kyries Hebert said he could have accepted a trade to Ottawa last October, but wanted to remain loyal to the Alouettes, in the throes of another abysmal season.
But, four months later, he discovered that same loyalty can be fleeting, even after a player has been named the East Division’s outstanding defensive player at age 37.
“It’s pro football. People are going to do what they feel is best. It’s not always going to be based on people and doing right by a person. That’s fair,” Hebert said. “But life isn’t fair. I understand that. When the time comes for two people to go their separate ways, it doesn’t always have to be bitter.
“Even if you don’t need a person, you can still treat them with respect. You don’t have to lie or paint a picture different than it is.”
The Als announced the release of Hebert, upon his request, Friday morning. He was going to have a reduced role under new defensive coordinator Kahlil Carter — perhaps only 20 or 30 plays per game — next season. That would have required Hebert to restructure his contract. He balked and, despite giving him a $40,000 bonus on Feb. 1, the team granted him permission to talk to other CFL teams.
Within four hours of his release, linebacker Hebert signed a oneyear deal with the Redblacks. He launched his CFL career with Ottawa in 2004 and will now be reunited with general manager Marcel Desjardins and defensive co-ordinator Noel Thorpe.
Hebert, who earned $110,000 in 2017, claimed he’ll make more money next season. “I’m getting paid starter’s money, if you want to put that in quotations,” he emphasized. “All they ever said was I was going to make non-starter’s money here.”
This marks the second consecutive season in which Montreal has released the division’s most outstanding defensive player — likely why the organization was getting skewered Friday on social media. Bear Woods was cut on the second day of training camp last May, eventually signing with Toronto, which won the Grey Cup last November.
It’s believed the Argonauts, along with two teams in the West Division, were interested in Hebert. Toronto would have reunited Hebert with GM Jim Popp and head coach Marc Trestman. But Hebert wanted to remain close to Montreal. Indeed, his wife, Annette, is pregnant, expected to give birth to a baby girl in April.
Hebert had a career-high 110 tackles, an interception, two quarterback sacks and forced three fumbles last season. Those numbers, he believes, would have been higher had Thorpe not been fired in September, along with head coach Jacques Chapdelaine. Hebert’s role, but not his playing time, changed when Greg Quick replaced Thorpe.
The versatile Hebert can, and has, played all three linebacker positions, along with defensive-end and safety. And the Redblacks are in the market for a middle-linebacker, with Taylor Reed a free agent and now no longer in the team’s plans.
“We certainly feel he’s going to be a big addition to what we do defensively,” Desjardins said. “When the agent reaches out to you, that’s usually a good sign.
“For us, we didn’t have a middlelinebacker. Leadership’s something he’ll bring to the table. He’ll be able to elevate everyone else’s game. He can be a teacher on the field.”
Hebert continues to stress he didn’t want to leave and believes, based on last season’s performance, combined with his body of work over six seasons for Montreal, he would have proved to be worthwhile. The Als, particularly Carter and GM Kavis Reed, forced his hand, he said.
“Everything that could be done to pretty much make me say uncle, they did. You win. I’ll leave,” he said. “I did enough and proved my worth on the field. That didn’t seem to be what they were interested in.”