Found in Indianapolis: A Molson with a kick
Brewer’s descendant at NFL Scouting Combine this week
J.J. Molson from Montreal is one of three placekickers working out this week at the NFL Scouting Combine.
A Molson from Montreal.
“Yes sir. That’s my family,” the UCLA graduate said Wednesday. “The first John Molson that came to Montreal that founded the brewery in 1786, I’m his eighth-generation descendant. So my real name is John Molson. I just go by J.J. My grandfather
(J. David Molson) owned the Montreal Canadiens from 196471. He won five Stanley Cups in eight years.”
What’s more, Molson’s father’s first cousin is Geoff Molson, current owner of the Habs.
“So we’ve kind of got the hockey side and the beer side covered,” he said. “I’m just trying to add the football side now.”
Molson, who turns 23 this year, answered questions fluently in both English (primarily) and French. Here’s an edited Q&A:
Q What other sports did you play growing up, and where did you grow up? Montreal?
A Yes sir. So I grew up my whole life in Montreal. Both of my parents (John and Miriam Molson) were very involved with my life and both were very athletic. I played a bunch of sports growing up, and football actually was the last sport I took up, in my junior year of high school (at Selwyn House School). My coach Mike Maurovich just told me to come try out, and Gerry Mcgrath, who played in the CFL for a long time, he was kind of my coach and my mentor and fine-tuned my kicking abilities and helped me get down to the States.
Q What’s your relationship to the co-owner of the Montreal Canadiens, Geoff Molson?
A That’s my grandfather’s brother’s son, so that’s my dad’s first cousin. So Geoff owns the team now. I’m still close with his sons, Henry and Will and Tom. They play hockey out there. Yeah, I miss the hockey games but it’s cool playing football. Growing up in the Bell Centre and watching the Habs play, seeing that environment, and then being a football player and kind of going through the same feelings that the players feel. So it’s definitely a 360, and I’m super grateful that I get to be here and play football at the highest level.
Q How did you get to UCLA?
A As a kicker coming from Canada, it’s pretty tough to get the exposure. So what I did was I had to go to the Chris Sailer and Jamie Kohl camps. Basically all the top high school kickers in Canada and the U.S. go to these camps to get ranked, and the college coaches go to them to see who the top (prospects) are. So I was fortunate enough to be ranked up high, and worked hard throughout the off-season to get recognized at these camps. So I had the opportunity to visit a bunch of different schools like Florida State, Stanford. And then it ended up coming down to Alabama and UCLA. I had a full scholarship offer from (Alabama) coach Nick Saban, but UCLA was always my dream.
Q Did you study sociology all the way through?
A Yes sir. I just got my degree in sociology, graduating with a 3.1 GPA cumulative, so I was on honour roll. My Mom really emphasized getting on that honour roll. So I’m happy now. I got my degree. I can focus on being a professional athlete now, and spend my entire time being the best version of myself.
Q Your career long at UCLA is 50 yards. What’s the longest
you have made in practice?
A I can go farther. I missed a couple of kicks from 50-plus. But I just take all those misses as learning experiences. Even though I didn’t make it, I’m here now, and I felt like I did a lot of self-reflecting, on things I could have done better throughout the season — what I did right, what I did wrong. I just took every missed kick, every made kick, as a chance to kind of reflect on what I should do going forward in my professional career.”
Q If things don’t work out Nflwise, is the CFL your fallback?
A Absolutely. I love football so much. If the NFL doesn’t work out I’ll definitely try to play in the CFL for as long as possible. That’d be a cool story, to play for the Alouettes in (Percival) Molson (Memorial) Stadium. That would be fun. But any chance to play pro ball, whether it’s in the U.S. or Canada I’d be super grateful. Because you’re only young once. And I have the opportunity to be an athlete now so I’ll definitely try to play as long as possible.”