Veteran linebacker Thurman adjusting to life in Tiger-Cats’ defence

Now more than a week into training camp at McMaster University’s Ron Joyce Stadium, the picture of what the 2023 Hamilton Tiger-Cats will look like is becoming clearer for off-season addition Jameer Thurman.

The next step in the process will come in preseason action against the rival Toronto Argonauts on Saturday.

"I'm enjoying it," Thurman said on his first impressions of Hamilton and the early days of camp. "We've got a great team here. And we've been putting in the work here during this training camp and get the first opportunity to showcase what we have on Saturday."

The 28-year-old former Calgary Stampeders linebacker is in Hamilton after an off-season that included his first chance to experience free agency.

"It was pretty interesting to me because it was the first time that I really didn't know where I was going be," Thurman said. "But at the end of the day, Hamilton came with an offer. I knew the culture here from a lot of the guys that I knew. And I want to win. So, I saw the best chance of winning here and decided on that."

A Chicago, Ill., native, Thurman played four collegiate seasons at Indiana State University (2013-16). During his time as a Sycamore, Thurman was named to Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team, and finished second in the league's Freshman of the Year balloting.

Across his 49 career games at Indiana State, Thurman amassed 340 combined tackles, seven sacks, and seven forced fumbles.

After not being selected in the National Football League draft in 2017, Thurman joined the Stampeders in what would be the first of two campaigns with the club. In his rookie season, Thurman played in all 18 regular-season games, tallying 52 tackles, a pair of interceptions, two forced fumbles, and a sack, helping the Stampeders reach the 105th Grey Cup.

While the Thurman and the Stampeders would fall to the Argonauts that day at Ottawa's TD Place in a game played in an environment that resembled more of a snow globe than a football field, Thurman and the Stampeders would lift the Grey Cup over the heads the following year in Edmonton after defeating the Ottawa Redblacks.

Grey Cup ring in hand, Thurman returned home in 2019, getting a chance to suit up for his hometown Chicago Bears, Thurman managed 16 tackles for the Bears in preseason action but was waived in late August.

Following a stint with the XFL's D.C. Defenders, Thurman returned to Cowtown for a second go around with the Stamps following the pandemic-cancelled season.

Thurman spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Stamps, racking up 135 solo tackles, five forced fumbles and three sacks in 29 games. But when he found himself as a free agent, playing closer to home and the people he loves factored into his signing with the Tiger-Cats.

"That seven-and-a-half-hour drive here was nothing compared to what I was used to. It was smooth, and allows my family to come to a lot of games as well,” Thurman said. “It was just great all around. It just made the most sense."

The Tiger-Cats have historically been a team with a solid defensive identity, mimicking the toughness, perseverance, and determination that Hamiltonians radiate. Having now been acclimated to defensive coordinator Mark Washington's systems, Thurman understands the brand of football that lives in the walls of Tim Hortons Field.

"The scheme is a lot, Thurman said. "Coach Washington, they have a lot going on on defence. I've asked different players on offence, and they always say, 'That Hamilton defence, man, I don't know that they're running there.' There's so many different moving parts.

"Now that I've had my head in the playbook for what is it about a little over a week now, I can see what everyone's talking about. I'm excited though to play in this defence."

Accompanying the first-year Ticat in the linebackers’ room this season is Simoni Lawrence, a fan favourite who is returning for his 10th season in the Black and Gold after setting a new franchise record for most career tackles (643) last season. Known for his infectious and uplifting personality, Thurman is relishing the opportunity to play alongside a player of Lawrence's charisma and calibre.

"Having him [Lawrence] there, it allows me to really like, 'Oh, wow.' I see that type of standard, and I see how the guys on defence play here, Thurman said. "So it just allows me to really just dive into to my responsibility and just make plays from there. I'll let him do all the screaming and the trash-talking and all that. And I just make sure everyone's aligned and everything. But we've been gelling pretty well."

"Too much of a good thing will always kill you. So it's a great balance," Lawrence said on his relationship with Thurman on the field.

Lawrence, who broke into the CFL in 2012 with the Edmonton Elks has spent nine of his past 10 seasons with the Tiger-Cats, said that bringing a Grey Cup home to the city that has embraced him and winning his first championship with the team are the only things on his mind.

“The world," Lawrence said on what a title for Hamilton would mean to him. "That's why we play. That's why every single season you dress back up – to come and bring a Grey Cup to the city. It would mean everything to me."

Having fallen to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 107th and 108th Grey Cup, Thurman believes this edition of the Tiger-Cats can get over the hump, and can do it on their own turf this season, with Hamilton hosting the championship game in late November. Thurman just wants to do his part to make it happen.

"This team has shown that they are capable of being there [the Grey Cup],” he said. “We just added some pieces there, including myself. And, hopefully, we can take that next step."