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Andrew Harris has had a lot of big moments in his CFL career at Mosaic Stadium.
He’s hoping for one more big one before possibly calling it a career.
“(It’s) definitely a thought, but I’m not ruling anything out,” the 35-year-old running back said when asked if the 2022 Grey Cup will be his final game as a player. “I’m getting up there in age and injuries have been piling on the last little bit. We will reassess after and I’m just focused on right now and the task at hand.”
The task at hand is a large one for Harris and the Toronto Argonauts. They’ll look to put an end to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ run of dominance over the past three seasons by beating them in Sunday’s Grey Cup game.
Kickoff for the game is set for 5 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium.
Harris has rushed for 10,151 yards — the most ever by a Canadian-born running back — and 51 touchdowns in his CFL career.
The game also has a more personal feeling for Harris, who is from Winnipeg and who was a key member of the Bombers for five seasons (2016-21). He helped them win Grey Cups in 2019 — their first since 1990 — and 2021.
But the Bombers elected to roll with Brady Oliveira and Johnny Augustine heading into the 2022 season, which led to Harris signing with the Argonauts.
“When I really look at the full spectrum and everything that’s happened over the past five years (in Winnipeg) to now, it is amazing,” Harris said. “It’s very impressive that they have continued to do what they’ve done and the season they had, they just keep getting stronger.
“Now that I’m on the flip side, I’m looking forward to trying to rip that down now.”
Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said on a personal level, it was tough to move on from Harris at the position.
“This is pro football and decisions are made and transitions happen and the team is different every year, but that doesn’t mean as a head coach you stop caring about the person you’ve been around for a long time,” O’Shea said.
While Oliveira was Harris’ replacement in Winnipeg, Harris is glad to see the young running back thriving. Oliveira had 1,001 yards rushing — third-most in the CFL — in the 2022 regular season.
“Brady was training with me back when he was 13 or 14 years old — or at the same gym, anyways,” Harris said. “Once we signed him in Winnipeg, I really took him under my wing.
“I just messaged him (Wednesday) just to say that, ‘I’m really proud of you and how you’re handling yourself.’ He has really come into his own and it’s great to see.”
Harris has often been a thorn in the side of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and their fans. Playing for a hated rival, he has been treated to a chorus of boos from the Green and White’s faithful.
But Harris admits it’s that sort of passion from the fans that has made Mosaic Stadium a great place for him to play.
“It’s a great atmosphere and it’s a gorgeous stadium and gorgeous field and there have always been great rivalries playing here and I always get fired up for those big games in a big environment,” Harris said. “Fans are going crazy — how can you not get up for that?
“I do whatever I can to help my team win and there have been some really good games here, so sorry Riderville.”
While there are some personal feelings involved in the game for Harris, he knows he can’t let that overshadow everything else.
“I can’t get too worked up and too personal on that side of things and the fact is if we were to win, Winnipeg is probably going to disown me for a little bit. But I’m looking forward to that opportunity,” Harris said.
