Mitchell Blair
John Chick is back home and he couldn’t be happier in Rider green.
“I’m loving it,” Chick stated. “The last couple of weeks have been tough with this losing streak, but its great being back. I feel better than I have in a long time and I’m happy to be back in Regina.”
After spending three years with the Riders, the Utah State product decided to test his luck in the National Football League. Following the 2009 season where he was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Chick disappointed many in the Rider Nation when he signed with the Indianapolis Colts. After spending 2010 on their practice roster, he ended up with the Jacksonville jaguars in 2011 where he played 11 games. He spent six weeks on the active roster of the Jaguars in 2012 before suffering a knee injury that not only ended his season, but his NFL career as the Jaguars eventually waived him paving a path back to the CFL.
Once Chick realized his NFL days had come to an end, he did not hesitate to return to a place where he had success and where he was embraced by the passionate fan base. He does not look at his NFL experience as a failure and feels that while he left as the CFL’s best three years ago that he is a better player now.
“Absolutely,” the 30-year-old Chick said. “The more football you see, the more awareness you have. As you get older, you get smarter too. When you are down there, you work a lot on skill and technique and how to react to certain situations.”
The 6-foot-4 defensive end was just starting to make an impact with the Jaguars when he was cut down with his knee injury. While he never got a chance to show teams he was ready to play, he won’t classify his three years down south as a failure saying it was a learning experience and one he will always cherish.
“I have no complaints with what happened. I had a good shot and it’s not about woulda, coulda, shoulda.” Chick believes. “Injuries are a part of the game. I have no problems with my time down there, but that’s the past and this is my future. My love is playing football and I am in a place I love and loved even when I went south. This is a great place and I was very familiar with it. I want to be in a place where I can win and I’ve always felt this is that place.”
Chick, who goes into Sunday’s game at Montreal having registered 19 tackles and four quarterback sacks, does admit it took him a while to re-adjust to the Canadian style of game and the fact you have to give one yard from the line of scrimmage. He says it did take him a little longer than he thought it would.
“It’s tougher than you think,” Chick stated. “I know you have to give a yard in the CFL and while I struggled with that at first in the NFL, I got used to it and then I come back up here and struggle with it. Its fine now though.
As Chick returns to the CFL after an NFL stint, he says he will certainly talk to players whether they be Riders or players across the league thinking of wanting to continue their career playing south of the border. He says you do have to have the right attitude if you are going to try your luck in the NFL, but he certainly isn’t going to dissuade anyone from taking an opportunity they want to present to themselves if it arises.
“I’ll always offer advice if someone wants it,” Chick said. “If someone wants to try the NFL, I would never tell them not to if they want to do it. I wanted to try it and I did it. The fact I came back here didn’t sadden me one bit. In football, you never know what the next day might hold and there are no guarantees. You take advantage of every opportunity you can. If someone wants to try their luck in the NFL, I will wish them good luck, but I will offer some advice as well if they want to take it.”
Chick holds no bitterness towards the NFL even though he went from being a wanted player to someone no team wanted in a short span of time. He isn’t looking back though, he is just looking forward and wants to do what he didn’t do when he left the Riders the first time and that is win a Grey Cup. He and the rest of his teammates will keep on that quest Sunday when the team looks to get back into the win column as they head into Montreal to play the Alouettes in a game that will start at 11AM Saskatchewan time.
