The Alouettes’ third quarterback could be from Quebec

Arnaud Desjardins, a former star quarterback at Laval University, recently received an unexpected call from Danny Maciocia, general manager of the Montreal Alouettes, offering him a contract with the team.

At the time, Desjardins had just started an internship at Davies, a Montreal law firm.

“I was leaving the office on Friday when I got the call,” says Desjardins. “I can't thank Davies enough for allowing me to be here and live my dream.”

Standing 6'4” and weighing 218 pounds, Desjardins had not been selected in the 2025 CFL Draft. He then returned to Laval University, where he finished his final season with remarkable efficiency: 75.6% of passes completed, 1,873 yards, 14 touchdowns, and only 4 interceptions in eight games. These performances earned him a spot on the U Sports Second All-Canadian Team.

After winning two Vanier Cups with the Rouge et Or, Desjardins had put football on hold for several months, while remaining physically active. He recently participated in the Canadian national flag football team's tryout camp.

The Montreal native was not initially on the list of candidates for the Alouettes' training camp. However, following the departure of two quarterbacks drafted last week—E.J. Perry and Dresser Winn—the team was looking to increase competition behind Davis Alexander and Dustin Crum.

An unexpected opportunity for Desjardins

“At first, there wasn't a spot for him, but after our third-string quarterback, Anthony Brown, got injured, we wanted to have four options for camp,” explained Maciocia. The young quarterback will now have to compete for the third-string quarterback position, behind Alexander and Crum, and he's ready to do whatever it takes to seize his chance.

Despite his law studies and a promising career outside of football, Desjardins remains focused on the opportunity before him on the field. “Every time you step onto the field with us, you have a chance to compete for a spot,” added Maciocia. An opportunity that Desjardins intends to make the most of.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.