Austin Mack has produced his most productive campaign to date with the Edmonton Elks, posting personal bests in receptions, yards and touchdowns. The resurgence comes amid a healthy season, a good fit in offensive coordinator Jordan Maksymic’s scheme and the renewed partnership with veteran quarterback Cody Fajardo. Edmonton’s 12‑4 record now puts the franchise on the brink of its first home playoff game since 2015 and a possible West final showdown.
Mack’s record‑breaking numbers
Through sixteen regular‑season games Mack has hauled in seventy‑nine catches for one thousand two hundred and twenty‑nine yards and scored eight touchdowns. Those figures eclipse his previous bests, which were set during his rookie year with the Montreal Alouettes in 2023 when he finished with seventy‑eight receptions, one thousand one hundred and fifty‑four yards and four touchdowns. The improvement marks a clear step forward in his development as a receiver.
The Fajardo factor
The constant in both standout seasons has been quarterback Cody Fajardo, who guided Montreal to a Grey Cup triumph in 2023. After being released by the Alouettes on January 26 ahead of a reported $45,000 roster bonus, Mack signed a two‑year deal with Edmonton just three days later. He recalled the persistence of his former teammate:
> “It’s funny because Cody never calls anybody in the off‑season because he’s with his family,” Mack said. “But he called me every single day until I signed.”
Mack added that the decision was made with his family’s input and that he valued preserving their friendship. Fajardo, for his part, explained his motivation:
> “There was a reason why I called him 360 times to try and get him here,” Fajardo said. “I just know how good he is and how good he was for me in Montreal. Everything I thought he’d do here he has done and exceeded. I’m just really happy he’s on the green and gold with me.”
Roster moves and team chemistry
Beyond the quarterback‑receiver connection, Mack pointed to his own health and the scheme installed by offensive coordinator Jordan Maksymic as key contributors. The Elks’ recent form bears this out: a twenty‑seven‑to‑twelve road victory over Hamilton clinched a home playoff contest, marking the team’s second straight win over the Tiger‑Cats and their sixth triumph in the last seven outings. Edmonton sits six‑two within the West Division, having already secured the season series against Winnipeg and splitting the series with Saskatchewan.
General manager Ed Hervey reshaped the roster over the off‑season, extending contracts for defenders Robbie Smith and Tyrell Ford, running back Justin Rankin and persuading the thirty‑four‑year‑old Fajardo to delay his retirement. In free agency the club added offensive linemen Coulter Woodmansey, Brendan Bordner and Jordan Murray, receivers Brendan O’Leary‑Orange and Joe Robustelli, and defensive lineman Malik Carney. Mack praised the atmosphere:
> “This locker room has a lot of great guys who want to win, who want to sacrifice,” Mack said. “It’s a lot of team guys and you need that in this league.”
Road to the West final
Edmonton still needs to navigate its final two regular‑season fixtures—a home game against Winnipeg and a trip to Saskatchewan on October 24—to guarantee first place in the West and host the division final on November 7. Should they achieve that, Mack envisions a raucous Commonwealth Stadium:
> “We’ve still got to make sure we secure [a West final home berth] and that’s our biggest focus. If we could, that would be amazing and I’d hope we’d see 60,000 people in Commonwealth [for a division championship game].”
The Elks last hosted a postseason game in 2015, when they defeated Calgary forty‑five‑to‑thirty‑one in the West final before beating Ottawa twenty‑six‑to‑twenty to capture the Grey Cup. A return to that stage would end a five‑year hiatus and signal a renewed era of competitiveness for the franchise.
Why it Matters
Austin Mack’s resurgence illustrates how a familiar quarterback‑receiver duo, combined with astute roster management and player health, can transform a struggling franchise into a playoff contender. For Edmonton, securing a home West final would not only end a prolonged postseason drought but also rekindle the city’s appetite for Canadian football, potentially drawing record crowds and reinforcing the Elks’ status as a legitimate championship threat in the CFL. The storyline also underscores the broader theme that continuity and trust—qualities often celebrated in hockey’s locker rooms—are equally vital on the gridiron, especially as the season heads into the cold, meaningful games of late autumn.
