WINNIPEG — Davis Alexander took his offensive linemen to dinner after the Montreal Alouettes arrived in Winnipeg for Sunday's Gray Cup game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The big men tasked with protecting the injured defenseman made sure he didn't feel too much pain in his wallet.
“We were gentle with him. We didn't have any 30-ounce steaks or anything like that,” Alouettes defenseman Pierre-Olivier Lestage said.
Alexander is also being handled cautiously on the football front this week after he injured his left hamstring in last weekend's CFL East Division final win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
He is receiving up to five treatments a day for the same injury that sidelined him for seven regular-season games in his first full season as Montreal's starter.
The Alouettes and Roughriders did not practice Tuesday, but Montreal head coach Jason Maas expects their undefeated leader to play Sunday.
“We'll see what he can and can't do,” Maas said. “I know he’ll go out and play.”
After landing in Winnipeg, Alexander left no doubt that he would be at the centre, adding that news from medical staff had been positive regarding the extent of the injury.
“I’m going to play 100 percent,” said the 27-year-old from Gig Harbor, Washington.
Alexander enters the game with a 13-0 record as a starter, including an 11-0 CFL regular season record, capping a career that dates back to last year.
This season, he completed 158 of 218 pass attempts for 2,024 yards with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions.
It's what Alexander does when he gets out of the pocket that has made him a star.
“He gives us an absolute weapon with his feet, his ability to run and what he does with his feet,” Maas said.
If Alexander's mobility is affected on Sunday, Maas didn't express much concern.
“Ultimately, what (Alexander) has, I think, is special, but I think you can run our offense without it,” he said.
After Alexander injured his hamstring in the fourth quarter against the Ticats, he did not run. Instead, he orchestrated the winning drive, combining passes and runs from Stevie Scott III to set up Jose Maltos Diaz's 45-yard field goal for a 19-16 victory.
Lestage, who is recovering from a neck injury that caused him to miss the East finals, said the offensive line knows one of the keys to Sunday could be providing Alexander with a deep pocket.
“We definitely have to protect him,” Lestage said. “He’s a game changer, a guy who can really win a game for us.”
He points to Alexander's unique personality, which makes him a leader with the whole team behind him.
“He’s different in that he’s a little cocky, but not too cocky,” Lestage said. “He has a bit of arrogance and I think that's what makes him special.
“He has great energy. When he's in the game, which is almost always, it's special to watch him play. It's especially nice to see him in the crowd. We're really excited to see what he can do on the field this Sunday.”
Alouetta defensive lineman Isaac Adeyemi-Bergland called Alexander an “exemplary” leader.
“What we're saying is that (Alexander) may not be 100 percent,” he said. “I'm telling you, no matter what his percentage is, man, he's going to go on stage and perform 1,000 percent.”
According to him, this is due to the desire and heart of Alexander.
“You guys won’t notice the difference, man, you won’t,” Adeyemi-Bergland said. “And that’s mental toughness.”
Maas was asked if he had ever suffered a hamstring injury during his 10-year career as a defensive back in the CFL.
“I’ve had a few surgeries because of the impacts, but I could never run fast enough to pull anything out,” he said with a smile.
“So I can't have anything to do with what (Alexander) did. I'm just grateful and grateful that he was able to play as many games as he could with what he had to deal with.”
Saskatchewan head coach and defensive coordinator Corey Mace said all players are exhausted at this point in the season, but his defense is preparing for Alexander to take the field — and playing well.
“I expect the best version of (Alexander),” Mays said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 11, 2025.
