Friday is a big day in the nation\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n
Not only are the Ottawa REDBLACKS taking on their rival Montreal Alouettes in their 2025 home opener, but RNation will get their first look at a prized offseason acquisition in receiver Geno Lewis.<\/p>\n
A three-time All-CFL receiver, and 2022 Most Outstanding Player, Lewis heads into tonight\u2019s contest with 403 catches for 6,318 yards and 42 touchdowns, since he broke into the league in 2017 as a member of the Alouettes, making his debut in the nation\u2019s capital a can\u2019t-miss occasion for fans.<\/p>\n
Lewis, who says he has always enjoyed playing in Ottawa as an opponent, shares the enthusiasm for his first true meeting with REDBLACKS fans, but Friday\u2019s game against his former team also carries a wealth of personal significance for the 32-year-old.<\/p>\n
Not only does Lewis\u2019 \u201chomecoming\u201d happen to be his 100th CFL game, but he also is one catch away from making history. With touchdown grabs in his last nine games dating back to 2024, Lewis is one away from becoming the second player in league history to extend such a streak to 10, and the first since Terry Evanshen in 1968.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s crazy, and I think it all comes full circle,\u201d said Lewis of the occasion. \u201cI just look at everything like: God sets everything up the way it needs to be set up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Were there not enough storylines related to Lewis heading into the matchup, an unfortunate injury to starting quarterback Dru Brown \u2014 who threw for 413 yards and two touchdowns in last week\u2019s season opener \u2014\u00a0 will see Matt Shiltz under centre for the REDBLACKS; throwing to Lewis once again, as he did for a time in Montreal.<\/p>\n
Those thinking the change at quarterback puts a damper on Lewis\u2019 touchdown hopes for Friday would do well to remember that Shiltz is one of just three quarterbacks who have thrown him multiple touchdown passes in a single game. A distinction he shares with Vernon Adams, and Trevor Harris.<\/p>\n
Needless to say, Lewis has all the faith in the world in Friday\u2019s pivot.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know what he\u2019s capable of. He\u2019s going to play ball. He\u2019s going to give us a chance, an opportunity to help him and help our team,\u201d said Lewis. \u201cHe\u2019s started some games, he\u2019s done his job, so for him this is like reading a book.\u201d<\/p>\n
Regardless of whether or not Lewis breaks, or even ties the record, it\u2019s an accomplishment that stands as a testament to an outstanding career, still in its prime.<\/p>\n
That isn\u2019t to say there hasn\u2019t been growth along the way. For a man who did everything from attend rookie minicamps with the Cincinnati Bengals, and Seattle Seahawks, to playing semi-pro basketball, the road to CFL stardom has required a steady hand on the wheel, and an ability to make a sharp turn when necessary.<\/p>\n
Adapting to the Canadian game upon his arrival in 2017 came with its share of adjustments. There is, of course, learning the waggle, a 12th defender, and a larger field, but Lewis\u2019 biggest evolution may have happened off the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe game has slowed down for me,\u201d the Norristown, Pennsylvania native said. \u201cI\u2019ve learned so much over all the years through my teammates, quarterbacks, coaches, and just being in different organizations. I\u2019m prepared for everything, anything really that this game brings.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is, perhaps, no one better to attest to that fact than another of Ottawa\u2019s marquee free agent signings: running back William Stanback.<\/p>\n
Joining the Alouettes in 2018, the man who would go on to become a two-time All-CFLer in his own right developed a tight-knit friendship with Lewis, even after the latter joined the Edmonton Elks in 2023, and the former signed on with the BC Lions in 2024.<\/p>\n
Now both established as top players in the CFL, and playing together once again, Stanback wholeheartedly agrees with Lewis\u2019 self-assessment, in that \u201cmaturity\u201d is the word that comes to mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would just say having those thoughts of a loss, back in the day when were younger, dwelling on the past and everything,\u201d said Stanback. \u201cNow that we\u2019re older, we know that it\u2019s a long season, and if you lose one game, it doesn\u2019t determine what type of team we are. I think he shows that a lot in his character.\u201d<\/p>\n
Older, and wiser, the hunger to win remains, but Lewis acknowledges the meaning that Friday\u2019s game carries for him. Not only because of the nature of his achievements, but because he is reaching them in a place where he has felt welcomed with open arms.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s a blessing. I\u2019m just happy and grateful to be here in Ottawa, \u201c said Lewis. \u201cThis is the closest place to my family, and I just feel really embraced here. Everything that I\u2019m doing right now, I\u2019m grateful to be doing it as a REDBLACK.\u201d<\/p>\n
Individual achievements, and championship rings are great, but when all is said and done, Lewis says he hopes to be remembered as an unselfish player, who did everything he needed to do to help his team win.<\/p>\n
As previously stated, perhaps the best person to attest to whether or not Lewis\u2019 will leave behind such a legacy is Stanback, who points to Lewis\u2019 dedication to his training, in the film room, and every aspect of his craft.<\/p>\n
But to Stanback\u2019s children, \u201cthree-time All-CFL receiver Geno Lewis\u201d is just \u201cUncle Geno\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Geno is] a true stand-up guy. Whether it\u2019s doing stuff on the field, or community work off the field, he\u2019s someone that kids can look up to,\u201d Stanback said. \u201cMy kids look up to him. I love him like a brother. He\u2019s family to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kickoff is set for 7:30pm ET between the REDBLACKS and Alouettes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Friday is a big day in the nation\u2019s capital. Not only are the Ottawa REDBLACKS taking on their…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":511299,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[437],"tags":[49,48,521,522,520,82],"class_list":["post-511298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cfl","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-canadian-football-league","tag-canadianfootballleague","tag-cfl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/511298","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=511298"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/511298\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/511299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=511298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=511298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=511298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}