GUELPH, ONT.

No one has ever doubted Andre Durie’s passion for football, his commitment, perseverance and professionalism.

Anyone who has ever been in his presence or been touched by his generosity knows how genuine and authentic he is, how grounded he has been and remains.

Bad luck, the kind no athlete should endure, has thrown more curves at Durie than any hitter faces.

As veterans filed into Guelph University for physicals on Saturday, Durie was among the gathering, his story the most compelling as the first day of two-a-days kicks off Sunday.

A knee injury, the kind doctors felt would derail his career, meant Durie went undrafted.

Given his fighting spirit, Durie came back and would evolve into an elite slotback.

His crowing achievement arrived in the 2012 Grey Cup when the Argos, who played host to the historic 100th edition, beat Calgary with Durie scoring a touchdown.

Every time an opponent game plans for Toronto, the first person defences must take into account is Durie, whose versatility allows the Argos to line him up anywhere on the field.

In Week 2 last season, Durie once again tore his knee on a simple cut at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field, as innocuous any exchange between centre and quarterback.

His season was over, leading many to speculate Durie’s career had expired.

“I feel good,’’ said Durie, one of the class acts in the CFL. “My knee is feeling fine and it’s coming along as I expected.”

By his recollection, Durie has played in only eight games the past two seasons, a limited number that speaks to the fickle nature of pro football and how fleeting careers can be at this level.

“I’m going to ease my way back,’’ said Durie. “I’ve got to really ease it back and get football right back in my belt. That’s the plan.”

Time has matured Durie, and the lost time away from the gridiron has strengthened his love for the game.

For someone who has missed so much because of injury, in the past Durie has tried to jump right back into the fire.

He fully understands that he’s not as young as he was once and managing reps and slowly getting reacquainted with the game is what’s required.

“In my mind I want to be ready by certain dates,’’ said Durie. “I have those as my goals in meeting all my goals and I just want to keep on continuing on the same path and be healthy, which is the No. 1 thing. I don’t want to force anything that I’m not ready for or push anything.”

In Regina, a game in which quarterback Trevor Harris showed his mettle by leading the Argos to an overtime win, the locker room was sombre, despite the win.

Durie’s teammates knew of his history with knee injuries and tears were shed.

“I was thinking I’d probably hang them up,’’ said Durie. “But I’ve worked too hard for this and I’ve put too much pride into this, put a lot of my heart, sacrificed a lot to get to where I am and to have my career end like that kind of like how came into the league, it was something I couldn’t swallow.

“I had to make an effort to get healthy and come back and finish the way it should be finished.”

Everyone is pulling for Durie to be healthy, resume his playmaking ways and when the time comes it’ll be his decision to step down.

With the Argos moving into BMO Field this season, the franchise will play host to the Grey Cup.

Each CFL season has its share of surprises, but parity is the norm in the league and every team, including the Argos, can envision themselves in the big game.

How fitting if Durie is back in the Grey Cup.

JEFFERSON DELAYED

A.J. Jefferson was the only veteran who hadn’t reported to camp by mid-afternoon on Saturday, a day when players did their physicals.

The Argos became aware of Jefferson’s plight when he contacted GM Jim Barker earlier in the day.

Seems a weather storm in Idaho forced Jefferson to adjust his plans, but Barker was informed by Jefferson that the player would be in Guelph at some point late Saturday.

Jefferson was a player in Toronto’s secondary last season who made plays and a player who yielded plays.

When the team lined up Jefferson in the return game, he made plays, big plays at times.

There’s no denying his skills and having one year under his belt should allow Jefferson to make more plays and cut down on the plays he gives up.

With new defensive co-ordinator Rich Stubler back in Toronto, Jefferson should relish in Stubler’s schemes that force teams to be patient, especially when getting near the red zone.

fzicarelli@postmedia.com