MONTREAL — The Montreal Alouettes have announced on Monday that star safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy is retiring from football.
Dequoy was set to become a free agent on February 10.
“I want to thank Marc-Antoine for the service he has given us since the beginning of his career with us,” said Alouettes general manager Danny Maciocia. “I recruited him out of the Université de Montréal when he was playing at the CEGEP level, and I have always admired his talent as well as his warm and charismatic personality. He played a key role in our Grey Cup championship in 2023 and has been deeply involved in all of our community initiatives since joining the nest. We will miss him, but I am confident he will enjoy great success in the job market in the years ahead.”
“I want to thank Pierre Karl Péladeau, Danny Maciocia, and the Montreal Alouettes for allowing me to live out my childhood dream and spend my career in Montreal,” said Dequoy. “There was a genuine desire to return and we had an agreement on the table, but after discussing it with my loved ones late into the night, I realized my body was no longer ready for that kind of sacrifice. I will never forget the fans of this city and all the love they gave me throughout my career. I cherished every second of my time in Montreal, and I leave at peace, with a clear mind.”
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A second round pick of the Alouettes (14th overall) in the 2020 CFL Draft, Dequoy played 73 games over five seasons with the Alouettes. In 2023 and 2024, he was named an All-CFL player, helping the team capture the 110th Grey Cup in 2023.
In his career, he recorded 162 defensive tackles, 21 special teams tackles, and 12 interceptions. The 31-year-old also registered three sacks, forced five fumbles and amassed three touchdowns. He also added two interceptions in the post-season, including one he returned for a touchdown in the first quarter of the 2023 Eastern Final in Toronto.
In 2020, he participated in the Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp.
A native of l’Île-Bizard, Dequoy played four seasons with the Université de Montréal Carabins, helping the team reach the 2019 Vanier Cup game. In 2017, 2018, and 2019, he was named to the U SPORTS and RSEQ All-Star teams.