Esks’ Reilly inspires fans with recovery.
As Saturday’s game draws closer, it looks more and more as if Mike Reilly will get the start at quarterback for the Edmonton Eskimos.
Despite suffering a concussion in last weekend’s loss to the Toronto Argonauts, Reilly took the bulk of the work in practice on Thursday, only giving way to backups Jonathan Crompton and Kerry Joseph at the very end.
Reilly was to undergo a final post-concussion protocol test on Thursday afternoon. If he passes, he would be medically cleared to play against the Montreal Alouettes at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.
“I feel great,” Reilly said. “I feel like the practices have gone really well, but until I get that clearance, I’m not ready to say (he’s playing).
“I think that’d be naive for me to declare myself fit for play right now without going through all of the testing, so there’ll still be some more tests done and, hopefully, we’ll have a better picture of that (Friday), but as of this point and time, I feel positive about it.”
Head coach Kavis Reed said if the Eskimos receive medical clearance on Reilly, they’ll evaluate him again Friday morning.
“We’re preparing with the hope that he would be available to us, but we also gave Jonathan some reps and gave Kerry some reps to make sure we’re covered off with them, understanding that there is a possibility that Mike is not medically cleared,” Reed said.
The decision to play Reilly, if possible, is a controversial one. Eskimos fans on Twitter have chimed in with support for Reilly, calling him a warrior and expressing awe at his ability to bounce back.
Critics of the move have also spoken out. Former Eskimos quarterback, Canadian Football League Hall of Famer and TSN CFL analyst Matt Dunigan said on Wednesday night that he hoped Reilly would get this week off to recover before playing again.
“I’d be surprised if he played this week. Disappointed,” Dunigan said. “He needs more time than that after he suffered a concussion like he did.”
With the Eskimos’ record at 3-10, two games behind the 5-8 Alouettes in the East Division, Edmonton is not mathematically eliminated from the playoff race. In theory, the Eskimos could cross over to the East playoffs if they can finish ahead of Montreal. If the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who have lost four games in a row, continued to slide, it’s also still possible for the Eskimos to catch them for third place in the West Division.
Still, with Reilly getting only his first year as a starting CFL quarterback under his belt, Reed was asked about the long-term picture for the franchise and what might happen if Reilly suffered another concussion on Saturday.
“It’s one of those things where we look at it as we’re looking at it: long-term,” Reed said. “Mike has, I believe, 16 starts total now, and if you look at the longevity of the player and also the longevity and health of the football team, you’re looking to get the most out of him in terms of putting him in the position to be successful and to grow.
“If you were to ice Mike, to shut him down, that’s five-games plus that won’t allow him to play and see certain things and be exposed to certain things. Now he’s starting anew, essentially, next year. I understand the criticism, that is fully acceptable, but we’re going to make the decision that is right for everyone involved, for all stakeholders involved.”
The Eskimos were hesitant to publicly seek out consequences for Argos defensive lineman Cleyon Laing, who was fined by the league on Wednesday for his helmetto-helmet hit on Reilly. Eskimos president and CEO Len Rhodes said on Wednesday night that he felt there is a mutual respect among CFL players, but that unsafe plays need to be singled out.
“At the end of the day, we have to call it out. We can’t show that we’re accepting it and no one is accepting it,” Rhodes said. “The fact that there was a fine levied was very, very important. Would I have liked to have seen suspensions on plays like that? Probably, but I understand that everyone has to protect their interests: The players, the players’ association, the clubs, the league.
“But we all do have a common interest in player safety. How we approach that, we’ll have to continue to work together to do that.”