By Mitchell Blair
For Riderville.com
Andy Fantuz is back in Rider green and he wants to concentrate on the present before thinking about what the future holds.
The 27-year-old receiver stepped onto the Mosaic Stadium turf for the first time in 2011 after returning from a failed attempt at landing an NFL job with the Chicago Bears. While his dream of playing football south of the border was derailed for the time being, Fantuz is happy to be back in Regina doing what he loves best.
“It feels great,” Fantuz said. “I missed these guys and I’m excited to get going again.”
While he is ready to strut his stuff in a Riders uniform again, he is not giving up on his chance to be in the NFL saying he will welcome an opportunity to try it again if he can.
“I will be a free agent at the end of this season, and if the opportunity comes up I will revisit it.” Fantuz admitted. “As it stands right now though, I am focused on the end of this season. I will let my agents and Brendan (Taman) talk about a possible contract extension and it’s nothing I want to think about right now. My thoughts are centered on Sunday’s game against Winnipeg.”
Quarterback Darian Durant was smiling after being reunited with his top weapon.
“It was like old times,” said a smiling Durant. “It was nice having that big body to throw to and I look forward to throwing it to him on game day.”
Durant also realizes that having number 83 back in the lineup is a tremendous positive for a football team that looks to make a run in the second half of the CFL season after having a first half to forget.
“Andy was the leading receiver on this team and in this league last year,” Durant stated. “He has a great feel for the inside slot position and he is one of the top players in this league. Having him back is huge for us.”
Head Coach Ken Miller agrees with that statement.
“It’s really good to have him back,” Miller said. “He did what we expect him to do. He’s a great addition to our team and he will be ready to go on Sunday when we go to Winnipeg.”
As for Fantuz’s future, Miller says that is something he is not involved with at this time.
“I know he and Brendan have had some discussions,” confided Miller. “I just don’t know what the status of those discussions is right now.”
There has been some talk amongst certain factions of the Rider Nation that Fantuz’s return can save what has been a dismal 2011. Fantuz says to call him a saviour and expect a miracle is ridiculous.
“You can’t say things like that,” Fantuz concluded. “I can tell with Ken Miller back that there is some energy back in that dressing room. We have some other guys that are getting back into the lineup and we are all looking forward to having a great second half. I certainly can’t do it by myself.”
Having the CFL’s top Canadian in 2010 will certainly help an offence that showed signs of getting out of its first half funk in the Labour Day Classic. How much of an impact Fantuz will have this season will be found out soon with hopes that if NFL dreams are done that the future will see him doing the same thing he has been doing since showing up in 2007.
That is catch passes and be a dynamic force in the Saskatchewan lineup.
