Alouettes centre Luc Brodeur-Jourdain will play the final game of his 12-year CFL career Thursday when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats visit Molson Stadium (7:30 p.m. Eastern, TSN, RDS, TSN 690 Radio).
The 36-year-old from St-Hyacinthe has spent his entire CFL career with the Alouettes after playing at Université Laval. Thursday’s game will be his 168th with the Alouettes after being the last player selected at the 2008 CFL Draft.
“It’s not an easy decision to make, but my role as mentor to young players since the last few seasons made me realize that there is a life after my playing career and it’s time for me to see,” Brodeur-Jourdain said on the team’s website.
“Thursday’s game will be emotional for me, that’s for sure, but I could not ask for more as a scenario, so I’ll have the chance to know it’s my last game and I’ll be able to play it in front of our fans. Not all players are lucky enough to know they are going to jump on the field one last time.
“There are so many people I would like to thank for allowing me to live this dream of being a professional athlete in this city and province, starting with my family that has always supported me,” the 6-foot-2, 326-pounder added. “(Former team owner Robert) Wetenhall, my bosses, my coaches, the players I’ve worked with and the mentors I’ve had, not to mention the fans, without whom none of this would have been possible.”
Brodeur-Jourdain has started 126 games, mainly at centre, and helped the Alouettes win Grey Cups in 2009 and 2010. He was a CFL East Division All-Star in 2012 and 2014.
“Luc will always remain a member of the Alouettes family and we intend to find him a role in our organization,” Alouettes president and CEO Patrick Boivin said on the team’s website.
Thursday’s game will be the Alouettes’ home opener after losing their first two games of the season — 32-25 to the Eskimos in Edmonton and 41-10 to the Tiger-Cats in Hamilton.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
