Edmonton Elks general manager Ed Hervey is not one to mince words, and he didn't when asked about Canadian quarterback Tre Ford's future with the team.
“It's going to be a big discussion for us. I think it's one of those times where we really need to assess whether he's right here or not, or maybe a fresh start is a big deal for him,” Hervey said on Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.
“He and I had a great talk this afternoon, but in terms of what we're doing and want to do, we have the opportunity to talk, talk to him again, talk to his agent, really digest the whole season and see.”
The 27-year-old signed a three-year extension in December last year.making him a clear champion of the franchise. He started five games for Edmonton to start the 2025 season and after a 1–4 start, Ford remained on the bench and Cody Fajardo took over as QB1.which upset the University of Waterloo product.
“Obviously I wanted to do the best I could and play,” Ford said. “We were able to achieve some positive results this year, and not all of them were negative.”
Fajardo went 6-7 as a starter for Edmonton and finished the 2025 CFL season while helping the Elks reach the playoffs. The Green and Gold ultimately lost and did not make the postseason in Mark Kilam's first year as head coach.
“I feel like Tre Ford can play quarterback in the CFL. If he's here, so be it. If he's not, maybe a fresh start will benefit him. I know he's learned a lot from watching Cody, the way he's carried himself day in and day out, in practice, in meetings. I know it's helpful,” Kilam said.
“I also know that starting quarterbacks take some time. Look at guys in the league like Trevor Harris, Vernon Adams Jr., even Cody – they spent a lot of time as backups before they had a chance, or before they really figured out what they wanted to be and how they were going to do it. Tre is no different.”
Fajardo, 33, spent more than three years in the Canadian Football League before taking the field in his first game. He signed with the Toronto Argonauts in October 2015 and learned from Ricky Ray while watching the four-time Gray Cup champion lead the Argos to the 2017 CFL title. The 2023 Gray Cup MVP gave Ford some advice after sharing the QB room with him for one season.
“The main thing for him is to let his emotions, wear them on his sleeve. He's a level-headed guy, and I'm the opposite. I'm a little short-tempered, as you guys can see sometimes, but sometimes that motivates guys. Tre loves football, that's obvious, he wants to win, he wants to be great in this league. But sometimes from the outside looking in, when you're level-headed, people can take it the wrong way,” Fajardo said.
“I know how much he cares about this game because I saw him every morning on film that was with me every step of the way, I talked about the rules of the game, I talked about teams, I analyzed teams. I saw him, I know he loves the game. Sometimes you have to show it so your teammates can feel it. I think he took it very well.”
Ford admitted he learned a lot from Fajardo. He asked questions about decision making, footwork, reading and more. The dual-threat key player tried to pay attention to the little details every day and hopes that approach can pay off big in his football future. There is a timeline for his future in Edmonton as he is due to receive a $110,000 bonus on February 1st.
Hervey's stated goal is to do right by all of his players and make sure the athletes he deals with feel respected regardless of the outcome. He believes fans understand the Moose's main goal is to win and build a team that will give Edmonton a chance to compete for a championship.
“Sometimes in these situations, there are unpopular decisions made and there are popular ones. In this case, I know what he is like, but we have to look at the overall roster and how it makes us better. Considering we're talking about Cody on the one hand and keeping him and everything else, you guys know something's going to have to give up,” Hervey said.
“I don't want to make it a game of him versus him or me versus him or us versus him. That's the reality of the football business. After the season is played, we look at it and say, 'How do we evaluate our roster and continue to add to it?' To be able to get a deal done with Cody Fajardo, but also deal with a sensitive situation like the Tre Ford situation.”
