Canadian QB airs it out at mini-camp

Canadian passer likes his chances in open competition for starting job

“Air Canada” has flown to Florida, but a sun holiday isn’t part of the equation.

Brandon Bridge, nicknamed “Air Canada,” is one of five quarterbacks at the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ mini-camp that began Tuesday and concludes Thursday at Historic Dodgertown.

Bridge would love to make some history of his own by becoming a rarity — a Canadian-born starting quarterback in the CFL.

But one step at a time. Minicamp is the immediate priority for the 25-year-old product of Mississauga, Ont., who has carried the aforementioned moniker since early in his college career.

The nickname pertains to Bridge’s arm strength and his ability to pile up passing yardage with Alcorn State and later at South Alabama.

“(The nickname) does have some weight,” Bridge said Wednesday. “I’ve also been able to take what’s good with it. Obviously I’ve been grounded for a little bit but I’m hoping that I can take off.

“Every opportunity I feel that I’ve gotten, I’ve shown that I can play this game, regardless of my passport or skin colour or whatever it is they want to say.”

Bridge initially attended Alcorn State, where former NFL quarterback Steve McNair once played. McNair, whose brother Fred dressed for 14 games as a backup quarterback with the 1992 Riders, was nicknamed “Air McNair.”

Suitably, Bridge was later dubbed “Air Canada.”

“The alumni didn’t know my name, but they knew I was from Canada, and they said I was the next-best thing since Air McNair,’’ Bridge said. “Instead of Air McNair they called me Air Canada, but I don’t think they knew it was an airline. It has just stuck with me.”

A friend of McNair’s has helped the quarterback spread the word about Air Canada, the quarterback, via social media, including on Twitter, where his handle is “Air_Canada_7”.

“It’s a nice name to have and it’s easy to market, too,” Bridge said.

Bridge was selected in the third round (21st overall) of the 2015 CFL draft by the Montreal Alouettes.

He made his CFL debut on June 25, 2015, against the Ottawa Redblacks, completing six of 10 passes for 62 yards, with one interception. He didn’t play again until Nov. 8, when he completed 21 of 30 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns in Montreal’s 30-24 overtime loss to the Riders.

Bridge was released by the Alouettes on Aug. 1 and signed with the Riders after turning down an offer from the Redblacks. He felt there were better opportunities for him to play with the Riders.

In 2016, Bridge dressed for three games with the Riders. His best performance was against the B.C. Lions, when he completed 10 of 11 passes for 110 yards in a 41-18 season-ending loss. He also rushed for a 16-yard TD in that game.

Chris Jones, the Riders’ head coach and general manager, singled out Bridge’s showing against the Lions as an indication of his progress.

The Riders trading veteran quarterback Darian Durant to the Montreal Alouettes for two draft picks on Jan. 13 may have created an opportunity for Bridge to become a starter.

Even with the subsequent signings of Kevin Glenn and Vince Young, Bridge felt he finally had a legitimate chance to compete to be a starting quarterback in the CFL.

“Coach Jones said it would be an open competition (to become the starting quarterback) and that the best guys would be on the field,” Bridge said. “I know that I have to take that from mini-camp to training camp and I just have to be getting one per cent better every day. It’s a great opportunity and I have to take the bull by the horns and ride with it.”

The Roughriders are impressed by what they have seen so far.

“The big thing with Brandon is that every time he’s had opportunity to play in a game, he’s done really well,’’ said Jeremy O’Day, the Riders’ assistant vice-president of football operations and administration.

“The biggest thing we’re looking for is consistency from quarterbacks. They have to be able to do the same things over and over again and make the proper reads.

“It’s also not just what you see on the field and how they throw against receivers standing still,” O’Day added.

“It’s everything combined. You’re building a resume for all of the quarterbacks to gather all of the information on them before you make a decision.”

I’ve shown that I can play this game, regardless of my passport or skin colour or whatever it is they want to say.