His tenure is Edmonton was a short one.

Six days to be exact.

After signing on with the Eskimos in 2017, linebacker Cory Greenwood tore his ACL during training camp and was released by the team.

“I asked for my release, so I knew I was getting cut.” he explained. “Battling through injuries, everyone has been through it, so mentally you have to deal with the ups and downs.

“You have good days and bad days, but if you stick with the grind, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel … I had a mission in the off-season to get right and come back – that was my goal.”

Mission accomplished.

Though, he had to wait until mid-season before getting the opportunity to sign in Calgary.

After inking a deal on Sept. 12, the veteran linebacker transitioned seamlessly into the locker-room.

“It was easy,” he said. “We have such a great group of guys, it was easy. No matter where you’ve been and what you’ve done, I just come out here and earn the respect of the guys and you do that by making plays in the game. I just tried to do that and they welcomed me with open arms.”

The former second-overall pick, who spent three seasons with the Toronto Argonauts (2014-16) and three season down south with the Kansas City Chiefs (2010-12), knows that he has some wisdom to share with a very talented position group.

“I’m the old head in the room by like seven or eight years,” laughed Greenwood. “But I just love (that) we’ve got a really good room. The kids are fun, I call them kids because I’m way older than them, but I don’t feel 33. They make me feel a lot younger.”

“A little bit of leadership, but these guys are self-motivated and I don’t really need to do much. I chime in when I need to and they take it. I’m still learning from these guys, too, it’s not like I know everything. I’m still learning from their mistakes and taking as many mental reps as I can. We’ve got a good group.

“We’re loaded at linebacker, so I’m just trying to carve out a role for myself. I’ll play special teams, if they need me in a package on defense, whatever they need me to do, I’m willing to do it.”

While it’s Alex Singleton and Jameer Thurman that get a lot of media attention as defensive leaders, Greenwood and the rest of the backers are consistently making big plays on special teams and filling in wherever they need to be on defence.

He knows that this group can make a difference in the biggest game of the year by just doing one thing.

“We just need to tackle, really,” said Greenwood. “We just started the game plan and watching film, and all of that kind of stuff. As the week goes on, we’ll go through all of our looks and learn a lot more about them. I haven’t played them this year, so I have a lot to learn.

“I used to be teammates with Trevor, their OC was with me in Toronto, and I’ve played against them in 2016, so I’m familiar with their offence, but things have changed over the years.”

After a lifetime of playing football, this will be Greenwood’s first opportunity to win a championship.

And that’s the only thing on his mind right now.

“This is my first chance at a championship for high school, college, and pro so I’m excited,” Greenwood said. “I’m just trying to keep my focus with all the extra media stuff and just win this damn game.

“Just win it. Nothing else matters.”