The Edmonton Elks acquired quarterback Cody Fajardo from the Montreal Alouettes on Tuesday for quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson.
Cody Fajardo is six foot two and weighs 223 pounds. The 32-year-old from Brea, California, completed 268 of 364 passes (74%) for 3,105 yards, 16 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 51 carries for 277 yards, and three touchdowns in 14 games for the Alouettes in 2024. He missed six games with a hamstring injury. Fajardo was named
Fajardo signed with the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent on May 8, 2015. In 2015, he completed 2 of 6 passes (33.3%) for 20 yards, one interception, and five carries for 24 yards in two preseason games. The Raiders released him on September 1, 2015. Fajardo signed with the Toronto Argonauts.
He played two seasons in Toronto completing 29 of 48 passes (60.4%) for 261 yards, 4 touchdowns, 80 carries for 329 yards, and 8 touchdowns in 26 games. He won his first Grey Cup title in 2017 as a backup to Ricky Ray.
Next, Fajardo signed with the B.C. Lions in 2018. He completed 14 of 20 passes (70%) for 153 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 42 carries for 108 yards, and 5 touchdowns in 18 games.
Then, Fajardo signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2019. He completed 901 of 1,278 passes (71%) for 10,632 yards, 48 touchdowns, 32 interceptions, 266 carries for 1,436 yards, and 22 touchdowns in 48 games. He was named a CFL All-Star and CFL West All-Star in 2019.
The Montreal Alouettes signed Fajardo as a free agent on February 14, 2023. In 2023, Fajardo completed 317 of 444 passes (71.4%) for 3,847 yards, 14 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 57 carries for 341 yards, and 3 touchdowns in 18 games leading the Alouettes to win their first Grey Cup title in 13 yards over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 28-24. He was named the Grey Cup MVP.
Collegiately, Fajardo played four seasons at Nevada (2011-14) completing 878 of 1,348 passes (65.1 %) for 9,659 yards, 57 touchdowns, 29 interceptions, 636 carries for 3,482 yards, and 44 games in 45 games for the Wolf Pack. He was named WAC Freshman of the Year in 2011.
McLeod Bethel-Thompson is six foot four and weighs 220 pounds. The 36-year-old from San Francisco, California, signed with the Edmonton Elks on January 5, 2024. In 2024, he completed 318 of 468 passes (68%) for 3,748 yards, 24 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and 11 carries for 83 yards in 16 games.
Thompson was a journeyman quarterback having stints with the 49ers, Dolphins, Vikings, Patriots, and Eagles. Furthermore, he played for the San Jose SaberCats (AFL), Sacramento Mountain Lions (UFL) in 2011, and the Aviators (TSL) in 2020. In 2016, Thompson signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and was placed on their practice squad but was released.
Thompson signed with the Toronto Argonauts in 2017. He played five seasons in the CFL all with Toronto. He completed 1,125 of 1,683 passes (66.8%) for 13,261 yards, 70 touchdowns, 49 interceptions, 93 carries for 513 yards, and two touchdowns in 74 games.
He won his first Grey Cup title as a backup in 2017 when Toronto beat Calgary 27-24 in the 105th Grey Cup. It was the final game for CFL Hall of Famer Ricky Ray.
In 2022, Thompson was the CFL passing leader, completing 387 of 579 passes (66.8%) for 4,731 yards, 23 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, and 35 carries for 166 yards in 18 games in Toronto in 2022. He led Toronto to its 18th Grey Cup championship in history with a thrilling 24-23 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Thompson is a two-time CFL East All-Star (2021-22) and was the CFL passing touchdowns leader (26) in 2019.
In 2023, Thompson signed with the New Orleans Breakers (USFL) on February 22, 2023. He led the USFL completing 220 of 336 passes (65.5%) for 2,433 yards, 14 touchdowns, eight interceptions, and 17 carries for 45 yards helping the Breakers reach the South Division Championship game against the Birmingham Stallions. He was released by the Breakers on July 11, 2023.
Collegiately, Thompson began at UCLA in 2007. He completed 23 of 55 passes (41.8%) for 293 yards, one touchdown, five interceptions, and 15 carries for -32 yards in five games for the Bruins. Then, he transferred to Sacramento State (2008-10) completing 113 of 197 passes (57.4%) for 1,322 yards, seven touchdowns, eight interceptions, 47 carries for 29 yards, and two touchdowns in 12 games for the Hornets.
