Well, that was quick.
On Monday (June 5), BC Lions announced theyB次元官网网址檇 traded Surrey-raised football player Jonathan Kongo, just 15 days after the CFL team signed the standout defensive lineman.
The Lions acquired a 2024 draft pick from Hamilton Tiger-Cats in exchange for Kongbo, who had signed with the Lions partway through training camp and dressed for just one pre-season game, June 1 against Calgary.
ItB次元官网网址檚 not clear exactly what happened, but it seems like team chemistry was a problem.
B次元官网网址淚 think it just wasnB次元官网网址檛 gonna be a good fit,B次元官网网址� Lions head coach Rick Campbell said on Sportsnet 650 radio on Wednesday (June 7).
B次元官网网址淵ou know, we wanted it to work out, thatB次元官网网址檚 why we signed him, but sometimes if players arenB次元官网网址檛 comfortable with the situation, or itB次元官网网址檚 not going to work out, then itB次元官网网址檚 better to move on. It was quite clear to me that he wasnB次元官网网址檛 comfortable with the situation, and thatB次元官网网址檚 too bad.B次元官网网址�
Campbell made it clear that it wasnB次元官网网址檛 KongboB次元官网网址檚 on-field performance or style of play that was a problem.
B次元官网网址淣o, it was just being comfortable on the team,B次元官网网址� the coach said during the Halford & Brough morning show.
B次元官网网址淔or some reason, there was some disconnect there. We signed him, we wanted him and it wasnB次元官网网址檛 going to work out, and itB次元官网网址檚 just the way it goes. It happens once in awhile, and like I said we would have loved to have him. It didnB次元官网网址檛 seem to meshing really well and so we, you know, gave him a new home.B次元官网网址�
After kicking off in Calgary Thursday (June 8), the LionsB次元官网网址� home-opener for the 2023 season is Saturday, June 17 at BC Place Stadium, where LL Cool J is among pre-game performers.
DL speaks with media after today's practice. | |
B次元官网网址� Hamilton Tiger-Cats (@Ticats)
B次元官网网址淣ot a fitB次元官网网址� because I called out star players not showing up for practice, and guys not wanting to work out. Culture matters, itB次元官网网址檚 called pro football for a reason.
B次元官网网址� Jonathan Kongbo 馃嚚馃嚛 (@King_Kongbo)
On Twitter, after being traded, Kongbo said this about his brief time with the Lions: B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址橬ot a fitB次元官网网址� because I called out star players not showing up for practice, and guys not wanting to work out. Culture matters, itB次元官网网址檚 called pro football for a reason.B次元官网网址�
The 27-year-old Kongbo, a Holy Cross graduate who starred for the Surrey-area school team a decade ago, has played in the NFL and also .
Last October he dressed for a pair of games with Denver Broncos after signing a reserve/futures deal in January. , the Broncos lost 12-9 in overtime, but Kongbo scored a personal goal of making his NFL debut five games into DenverB次元官网网址檚 season.
In Hamilton, Kongbo will have to quickly adapt to a new team just days before the start of the CFL season.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e played a couple times here and itB次元官网网址檚 good to finally be on the other side, getting with the guys, see the culture around here, how guys are working, so itB次元官网网址檚 been a really good couple days,B次元官网网址� .
He talked about the B次元官网网址渉ard-working, blue-collar spiritB次元官网网址� of Hamilton and how he thinks heB次元官网网址檚 a perfect fit for the city.
Asked what kind of player he is, Kongbo responded: B次元官网网址淔earless, tenacious, I love the game, love the work, love the cameraderie, I love getting after it, I love winning, so to all the Ti-Cats fans, youB次元官网网址檙e getting a player who loves to compete, a player who loves to get after it and a player who loves to win.B次元官网网址�
While at Holy Cross, Kongbo was something of an accidental football star, a guy who hadnB次元官网网址檛 played the game until Grade 12 at the Fleetwood-area Catholic school. HeB次元官网网址檇 been a basketball player at Kitsilano Secondary until transferring to Holy Cross, where the CrusadersB次元官网网址� coaches eventually coaxed him to try football, a game he didnB次元官网网址檛 embrace at first.
Born in Zaire, Konbgo moved with his family to Canada at age five.
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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