From teammates to housemates
How 7 Tiger-Cat defensive backs wound up living under the same Cannon Street roof
Mariel Cooper may be the newest residence of the house but he’s already laying claim to both chess Grand Master and king of Madden.
Now in his second year with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Cooper is one of seven — yes, seven — defensive backs living together in a home on Cannon Street a short drive from Tim Hortons Field. While there is plenty of football talk and study, including nightly film sessions on the big screen TV in the living room, Cooper says the competition surrounding board and video games among housemates is fierce.
“I’ll be playing chess against Frankie Williams and the other guys just stand around and talk trash,” Cooper said. “‘Oh oh oh, I see a lot white pieces on there. What you going to do?’ It’s just like a family atmosphere.”
The logistics fell into place just after training camp when 2018 draft pick Jackson Bennett used a local connection — his coach at the University of Ottawa was Hamilton native Jamie Barresi — to find the house. With many of his teammates scrambling to find accommodation after final cuts, Bennett extended the invitation far and wide. The result saw Bennett, Williams and fellow defensive backs Jumal Rolle, Richard Leonard, John Green, Cariel Brooks and Randall Evans all under the same roof. Cooper moved in last week after Evans was released and subsequently signed in Ottawa, though he was constantly at the house anyway.
“They were calling me ‘Bruh man from the fifth floor’ from the comedy show ‘Martin.’ That’s the neighbour that always comes over and asks you every little thing,” Cooper said. “I was living there without living there.”
Each day follows a familiar routine. Players needing treatment usually carpool to the stadium around 7 a.m. with another group following shortly after. There are meetings, practice, meals and more treatment, then the trip back to the house.
“Everybody gets home around 4 p.m. and chills out by themselves,” Williams said. “Then we talk about our day, talk about what we’ve seen on film. Then we watch opponent film and the day’s practice, critique each other. Get dinner. Then chess or video games.”
What there isn’t much of is partying. Bennett says despite the number of guys in the house, the place is usually tidy and they’ve consciously avoided the “Animal House” approach to group living.
“It’s the complete opposite of a party house,” he said. “We like to be social and get together but we’re not throwing any parties. We’re always in football mode.”
The group shares the cooking duties, with the exception of Williams, who is a notoriously picky eater, although they are trying to get him to expand his palate.
“All he eats is chicken and pizza,” Cooper said, laughing. “No vegetables.”
The seven players have roots all over North America. Leonard, Brooks, Williams and Green are from Florida, Cooper from South Carolina and Bennett is from near Ottawa. Rolle, who hails from North Carolina, says each guy has been on their own journey through life and football.
“The best part is learning each other every day. Teams don’t always have relationships outside the football world so to go home with these guys and be a part of their family, learn how they got to this part of life has been a big eye-opener,” Rolle says. “Everybody tells stories about where they come from and that develops an even stronger relationship. We enjoy each other for what we bring to the table.”
Cooper says the nature of pro football means that keeping the group together isn’t guaranteed, a point that was reinforced after Evans’ release. Still, he says it’s better to experience even the toughest things about the game as a unit.
“I guess that’s the elephant in the room but it’s not really awkward or anything,” Cooper said. “Evans is still in the group chat and we still have a bond with him. It’s hard to break that.”
The one thing missing: the house has yet to be christened with a name.
The guys have talked about it but have decided that it has to be bestowed organically, the product of a spontaneous moment. Bennett says the philosophy is in place, regardless.
“I like to see it as the DB house but anyone on the defence or the team can come over,” he said. “Everyone is welcome.”
NOTES: Defensive back Delvin Breaux will be a “game-time decision” after missing practice on Wednesday. Breaux was injured Tuesday when he collided with a receiver and suffered a neck injury and some dizziness. He has played very well since rejoining the team — he has just six tackles and no interceptions in six games largely because quarterbacks are unwilling or unable to challenge him. With Breaux out, the Ticats had Mariel
Cooper and John Green spending time at the boundary corner. Cooper started the season as the leading contender for SAM linebacker but got hurt and has played in just one game this season. He’s got good size at five-foot-11, 192 pounds but doesn’t have much CFL experience. Green has also played in one game this season.