Tyson Philpot continues to prove he’s one of the CFL’s top Canadian receiving talents. The Delta, B.C., native had a career-high 238 receiving yards last week in the Als’ 48-31 win over Saskatchewan and is averaging 79 yards per game.
This week, Montreal faces the Toronto Argonauts where the 25-year-old fourth-year receiver again will have a chance to showcase himself. Philpot, the 2023 Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian, isn’t the only CFLer in the family. His twin brother, Jalen, is a receiver for the Calgary Stampeders and their father, Cory, played eight seasons in the league.
Catch the Als and Argos on Friday Night Football on TSN 1/4 at 7 p.m. EST.
Philpot spoke with TSN’s Salim Valji about his performance against the Roughriders, his relationship with Jalen, and how he’s adjusted to four different quarterbacks this year.
TSN: You had close to 240 receiving yards in Saskatchewan. What went into that performance?
Philpot: “I definitely didn’t change anything within the routine. Coach [Jason] Maas, he always preaches attacking each week exactly how you would the Grey Cup [and] starting the year with great, great habits and just maintaining those, so I would say nothing changed. Just my team believing in me and allowing me to go make some plays. And [Als’ quarterback] McLeod Bethel-Thompson just finding a rhythm.”
TSN: You were matched against Riders’ defensive back Kerfalla Exume. Did you see tendencies in him that maybe allowed you to go off the way you did?
Philpot: “Hearing that they were going to have some injuries in their secondary prior to the game, and the game plan, it’s definitely something we focused on and, in watching film, seeing just some of the things that he did, and just preparing for anybody. We weren’t sure 100 per cent we’re going to get him, or if they’re going to rotate somewhere or do something else. But I think it was just a great game plan, noticing that what all their DBs did was similar, so that whoever was out there, we could just attack it with the game plan that we created.”
TSN: Are you aware in the middle of the game that you’re accumulating some huge numbers?
Philpot: “Subconsciously, you’re a little bit aware of that. But in a tight game like that, even though you go off like that, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to win. You’re not really focused on those stats, at least not me. That’s not my focus. It took a little bit for me to even notice. My teammates, they’re the ones that were, like, ‘You realize you’re at like 200 now, right?’ And I was like, ‘I didn’t even know that.’”
TSN: Were you on Rue Sainte-Catherine celebrating after that performance?
Philpot: “It was definitely a great game, but definitely not. We’re still unfortunately 6-7, so we definitely have a lot of goals that we haven’t reached yet. We don’t even feel like we’ve reached our true, true potential yet. So, once we get that win at the end of the year, when we lift that trophy again, we’ll definitely be out there on Sainte-Catherine.
TSN: You’ve had a number of quarterbacks this season, whether it’s McLeod Bethel-Thompson, James Morgan, Caleb Evans, or Davis Alexander. How do you adapt to the different touch and feel when you have so many quarterbacks in a given season?
Philpot: “It’s definitely difficult, finding those little tendencies that each quarterback does, and picking up on those. Just remembering each route and how they want to do a certain thing. But I think all that work comes in practice and leading up into the game and just making sure you’re getting that extra work – especially on big plays where you know they can impact the game. Just making sure that you’ve got it down to a tee. So, it’s just all about the preparation, really, and just allowing you to go into those games and playing fast. That’s the biggest thing with having multiple quarterbacks throughout the year.”
TSN: What makes Bethel-Thompson unique?
Philpot: “He’s just a gunslinger, man. He trusts in his arm, which, as a receiver, that’s always a great thing, because you know you’re going to get a jump ball – regardless of if it’s one-on-one [coverage]. He trusts his arm to put [the ball] in a spot where only you can go make a play. So now it’s on you to go do it. That’s something he excels in, and also just his leadership. He’s a Grey Cup-winning quarterback. He’s been there. He’s been through tough things. So, just to see his resiliency, and being able to just feed off of that has definitely helped the team.”
TSN: How is the team using the championship pedigree from winning the Grey Cup back in 2023?
Philpot: “It’s that experience. Throughout that year we went through a lot of ups and downs, ebbs and flows, It’s got a lot of similarities to this year. We’ve gone up and down. We haven’t established ourselves fully the way we want to, like that 2023, season towards the end of it. But just using that experience of being in a situation of being a losing football team, being a winning football team, and just trying to use that veteran leadership to let the guys know that there’s nothing that we need to be worried about. Championship football happens in November, so just stack each week.”
TSN: Your brother is playing well here in Calgary. Are you keeping tabs on him?
Philpot: “Absolutely. I’m super proud of him doing his thing. They had Reggie Begelton go down early, so they needed somebody to step up. I think he’s done a really good job of that, just establishing himself over there. He’s a No. 1. I definitely did check the stats after the game to see if I had caught up to him [in receiving yards] and I did see that I did. So that’s definitely a one up in my books. It’s a friendly competition every single year. We’re trying to beat each other out and it just makes us better competitors, better teammates, and better friends.”
TSN: Did you text him right away after that?
Philpot: “We had a little conversation after. I wasn’t bragging too much. He was congratulating me, happy to see me back out there and just doing what I do best. We both have that matchup in two weeks circled on our calendar. Hopefully we can be close in yards there.”
TSN: Do you guys play for a prize at the end of this season?
Philpot: “Our rookie year, we had joked about doing dinner or something like that. We’re both so competitive. We both want to win so bad. So I think that’s enough bragging rights on its own.”
TSN: Last one, Tyson, just your life away from football. What do you do for fun?
Philpot: “I’m an adventurous guy. I like to get outside of the city, go for hikes, and travel. I’ve been up to Mont Tremblant a couple times, up to Quebec City a couple times too. I just like to be outside with nature. I’m a foodie too. I’ve had my fair share of poutine. I’ve tried some good, some good delicacies out here, some good sandwich shops. I’m a free spirit. I like to do a lot of stuff outside of the house.”
TSN: Are you, are you going to the touristy spots like Schwartz’s or La Banquise, or more hidden gems?
Philpot: “Year one, I did La Banquise. I did the Schwartz. Now I’ve kind of done some of the fine dining, some Gibbys. But if you have some recommendations, I’m always down.”
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