Harris, Adams bonded by mutual respect

Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris vividly recalls an interaction with Calgary Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. three years ago that solidified their bond.

The two were battling for the starting job with the Montreal Alouettes during the 2022 campaign. The team had acquired Harris midway through the season prior, cut him in the off-season before he was due a signing bonus, then re-signed him at a lower salary. They’d also signed Adams to an extension after he was their starter in 2021.

Adams, then 29 years old, started the opener in Calgary but was benched for the 36-year-old Harris midway through the second game of the season in Toronto. The two quarterbacks had a mid-game conversation on the sidelines that stuck with Harris and perhaps altered the course of Adams’ career.

“He said, ‘Hey man, I didn’t believe you when you came in [during training camp] and said you had my back and all you’ve done is show that you did have my back,’” Harris recalled, adding that he didn’t agree with the switch at the time.

“‘[Adams said] I have yours now.’ He goes, ‘Go out there. Go play. Go kill it. I can’t wait to watch you.’ At that moment, I knew everything I needed to know about Vernon Adams because he had just gotten benched, didn’t know what his season was going to be like, and they were basically having me take over. And what did he do? He went out of his way to encourage me.”

From that moment their bond grew, and Harris took him Adams his wing. Harris remained the starter, but tutored his backup on the finer points of the game.

“He’s an absolute stud,” Harris said. “Working with him for the short time that I did, it did nothing but [make me] gain more respect for him.”

Adams praised Harris for teaching him how to prepare and take care of himself as a pro.

“Trevor was the first quarterback to really sit me down and tell me, ‘This is how you’re supposed to be a quarterback, and this is how you’re supposed to prepare,’” he said this week. “I give a lot of respect and props to Trevor because he never held anything back from me. I give a lot of my success to him.”

Harris, who said he was “blown away” by Adams’ attitude in Montreal, wanted to help out the younger pivot while they were still teammates. Adams was eventually dealt mid-season to the BC Lions, but not before maturing in how he approached the game.
“We talked a lot about preparation and what it takes during the week,” Harris said. “To his credit, he took a lot of notes…I’d talk about my process, getting ready for practice and getting ready for games…we just went through our weekly prep together.”

Adams allowed that it was a difficult situation and that he learned some tough lessons.

“I was the starter, and they traded for him…and he essentially took over for me,” he said. “I wasn’t ready yet. I wasn’t doing all the things that I needed to do. He really helped me with that moving forward.”

Three seasons later, the two are now West Division rivals fighting for first place.

Adams is in his first season with 6-3 Calgary after the club acquired him from BC in the off-season. The Eastern Washington product has thrown for 2,213 yards, 11 touchdowns, and six interceptions.

Harris, who played college football at Edinboro, is the league’s oldest starting quarterback at 39, but not slowing down. He’s second in completion percentage (75.5) and fourth in passing yards (2,490) for the 8-1 Riders, whose lone loss came versus Calgary on July 12.

The two text during the season and are rooting for one another to succeed. Harris said that they may share a word or two before Saturday’s massive tilt at McMahon Stadium.

“I’ll probably go give him a hug and tell him I love him before the game,” he said.

Adams also had a message for his mentor.

“I appreciate you bro, and can’t wait to go against you this week,” he said.