HAMILTON — It went down as a loss in the standings but Devynn Cromwell’s CFL debut was a moral victory.
The six-foot, 200-pound safety made his first appearance with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on special teams Monday afternoon in their 37-22 home loss to the Toronto Argonauts. It came after Cromwell suffered a torn meniscus during Michigan State’s pro day that required surgery.
“Rehab was tough, it’s always tough,” said Cromwell, who underwent shoulder surgery at Texas Tech in 2024. “When your passion is football and being able to play and be on that field, it’s not easy when you’re not able to and have to sit behind and just watch.
“But being around this staff, these players, really helped the journey because when you’re not playing, sometimes a lot of people don’t always feel like they’re not part of a team. But in this organization, they keep you around and involved, they’re super friendly and help you along that journey.”
Cromwell, 24, of Toronto, was hurt March 19 while doing the vertical leap for NFL scouts at East Lansing, Mich. Cromwell didn’t run in either the 40-yard dash or agility drills (three cone, short shuttle) following his injury but did perform the broad jump, registering an 11-foot, three-inch effort.
However, he couldn’t audition at the ensuing CFL combine in Edmonton, although he did attend and spoke with league officials. The Ticats selected Cromwell in the third round, No. 25 overall, of the league draft April 28 knowing they would have to wait before Cromwell could play.
“Honestly, I was hoping that he’d be ready for next year,” Hamilton head coach Scott Milanovich said. “The guy is a great athlete … he can run, he can jump.
“What to expect from him at this point? I don’t know but I think the guy is going to be a good football player. That’s obviously why we drafted him even though he was injured.”
But test results and interviews don’t begin to shed light on Cromwell’s best asset: adaptability. His football journey has spanned three Canadian high schools and three universities _ Guelph (2020-23), Texas Tech (2024) and Michigan State (2025).
Cromwell played three seasons at Guelph (2021-23 as the global pandemic cancelled football in Canada in 2020), earning U Sports all-Canadian first- and second-team honours (2021, 2022 respectively) while being a second-team OUA all-star in 2023. He also qualified for the Canadian university track championships in the 60-metre sprint.
Cromwell transferred to Texas Tech in 2024. He started two-of-nine games he appeared in, registering 20 tackles (nine solo).
Cromwell appeared in all 12 of Michigan State’s games last season, starting one, after transferring from Texas Tech. He recorded eight tackles (five solo) and also played on special teams.
“It’s been a very long journey,” he said. “I started football a little later than most but once I put my foot into the water it’s been full tilt.
“From Northern Secondary School (in Toronto) to Football North (Clarkson Secondary School in Mississauga, Ont.), to Guelph, Texas Tech and then Michigan State, it’s been a crazy journey. But I’ve learned so much along the way and I’m so grateful to be here (Hamilton), close to home and all.”
But as long and difficult as Cromwell’s rehab process was, it did provide him with a valuable life lesson.
“I’m not entirely patient but it teaches you how to be patient,” he said. “It teaches you to kind of wait your turn because it’s not on your timing.
“At the end of the day, you’ve got to sit back and trust the process and that’s what I did and had to lean into. That’s kind of how it pushed my resilience and allowed me to be where I’m at today.”
Cromwell made his CFL debut before a Hamilton Stadium sellout gathering of 25,724. While that might pale in comparison to playing before nearly 75,000 spectators at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich., embarking on a pro career in Canada on Labour Day will always hold special significance for Cromwell.
“I really couldn’t have drawn it up any better,” he said. “It was pretty amazing being able to debut on one of the biggest days here.
“I was super excited to be out there in front of that crowd and able to really cut loose.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2026.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
