Alouettes star receiver Lewis ‘not getting any answers’ amid club leadership vacuum

Eugene Lewis has spent his entire five-year Canadian Football League career in Montreal where he’s established himself as one of the league’s very best receivers.

And as an American who has committed himself to living year-round in Quebec, he has his heart and soul in a franchise that he’d like to become more deeply invested in, by contributing ideas beyond the field. 

But with the start of CFL free agency right around the corner, the 29-year-old Lewis is as uncertain about his own future as he is about the Alouettes’ franchise.

“It’s a sh -t how,” he said. “I don’t think everyone is on the same page and I’m not getting any answers. I’ve been saying since the end of the season I want to be more involved in things beyond football but there’s no answers because the top guys don’t have any answers.”

Up until recently, the top guy was former Alouettes president Mario Cecchini, whose contract after three years was not renewed by ownership in December. That ownership is made up by a 25 per cent share to Toronto businessman Gary Stern, with the other 75 per cent owned by the estate of the late Sid Spiegel, Stern’s father-in-law. Stern called the parting with Cecchini “mutual,” a description with which Cecchini took issue publicly.

Stern said on Dec. 21 that he was aware of good candidates for the president’s role and that interviews would begin within two weeks. By all accounts, that has not happened.

CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said two weeks ago during league meetings in Alberta that representatives of the Spiegel estate had assured him the club would have a new president “soon.”

“I don’t think getting rid of Mario was a good thing,” said Lewis, who was named the East Division’s Most Outstanding Player in 2022 after hauling in 91 passes for 1,303 yards and 10 touchdowns.

“I’ve been there for four presidents and he’s the one who’s done the most, having stuff for kids and bringing more people into the stands.”

The absence of leadership at the top of the Alouettes organization is not just potentially bad for off-season business but also may put a chill into the market for players considering Montreal in free agency.

The league’s “legal tampering” period, known officially as its “communication window” where players are allowed to speak to other teams but not sign, opens on Feb 5, with players eligible to begin signing on Feb. 14.

“It’s all just a waiting game to see what will happen,” said Lewis. “With the ownership, with the president. It’s unfortunate and I hate that it’s happening because it’s hard to recruit other guys. If I can’t give them answers, they are skeptical.”

“For people from the outside looking in, it does look crazy.”

Lewis and Montreal quarterback Trevor Harris are the club’s most pressing free agents. While Harris declined comment on the situation this week, Lewis is weighing his options and on Wednesday tweeted “See y’all in free agency!!” accompanied by the hashtag #BetOnYourself.

“Right now it’s all a waiting game,” Lewis said. “There’s a couple of things I need to see play-out before I commit to anything, including the quarterback situation.”

“I’ve got to take some time to make sure I cover my back.”