Article content

‘Johnny Football’ was talked up plenty leading into the Calgary Stampeders season opener.

But then he never saw the field at McMahon Stadium.

One team and 16 CFL weeks later, the threat of Johnny Manziel breaking out his talent against the Stamps is again front and centre.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats-turned-Montreal Alouettes quarterback is once again the focus of pre-game hype for the Red & White tilt Thanksgiving Monday at Molson Percival Stadium (11 a.m., TSN/770 CHQR).

And this time, they will see the Alouettes pivot — at least to start the contest.

“The type of person that he is, the media is going to follow who he is on the field just from what he’s done in the past,” said Stampeders linebacker Jameer Thurman.

“Just his way to escape the pocket, he’s unlike anybody else in the league. He finds a way to get out of there.”

Ironically enough, the best comparison is likely the QB Manziel couldn’t overthrow in Hamilton, Jeremiah Masoli, which helped prompt the trade of Johnny Football to the Alouettes.