A change at quarterback may be coming for the winless Ottawa Redblacks, as veteran signal caller McLeod Bethel-Thompson took first-team reps in the team’s practice on Tuesday.
Bethel-Thompson relieved Jake Maier in the second quarter of the Redblacks’ 26-23 loss to the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday. He threw for 192 yards and a touchdown as the Redblacks lost on a walk-off field goal by Lirim Hajrallahu.
“There are no moral victories when your backs are against the wall like this,” Bethel-Thompson said after the loss. “If you don’t get that zero, that goose egg off the board, it means nothing.
“Just disappointed I played my role in the trials and tribulations of this tough season … I’ve been through a lot of tough times and here’s another one right in front of your face.”
Maier was benched after three consecutive two-and-outs. He finished the game 7-of-10 passing for 42 yards.
Maier was brought over from the Saskatchewan Roughriders to take over as the starter in Ottawa in Spencer Dinwiddie’s first season at the helm as head coach and general manager. He has thrown for 14 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 12 games, with 3,139 yards.
Bethel-Thompson, 38, is a veteran of eight CFL seasons, is a two-time CFL East All-Star (2021-22) and has won two Grey Cups (2017 and 2021, both with the Argonauts).
Over 114 career CFL games, Bethel-Thompson has a 70.3 per cent completion rate with 19,050 yards passing and 104 touchdowns against 70 interceptions.
The Redblacks, now 0-12, will visit the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday.
