VANCOUVER 鈥� With a smile, and a shake of his head, Janarion Grant says there鈥檚 nothing personal for him about Sunday鈥檚 Grey Cup game even though the CFL鈥檚 top punt returner will be facing his old team when the Toronto Argonauts play the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at BC Place Stadium.
No thoughts of revenge, maybe vindication?
鈥淚t鈥檚 not personal,鈥� Grant said during Wednesday鈥檚 media day. 鈥淚t鈥檚 another Grey Cup game. I鈥檓 blessed to be part of it. I鈥檓 just ready to go to work.鈥�
Grant spent four years with Winnipeg, winning Grey Cups in 2019 and 2021. In 41 regular-season games the slippery 30-year-old from Fort Trilby, Fla., scored eight touchdowns on kick returns, making him the franchise鈥檚 all-time leader.
Even when the Bombers allowed Grant to become a free agent last winter he didn鈥檛 take it as a snub.
鈥淚t was a business deal,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t happens. You just move forward.
鈥淭he guys know how I am and how hard I work. They know I鈥檓 ready to play.鈥�
When Toronto head coach Ryan Dinwiddie realized Grant was available he encouraged general manager Michael (Pinball) Clemons to sign him.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 understand why he was a free agent (but) I told Pinball, let鈥檚 get him in here,鈥� said Dinwiddie.
Grant didn鈥檛 disappoint. He returned 67 punts for a league-leading 989 yards and three touchdowns during the regular season. He also was second in kickoff returns with 1,000 yards and a touchdown.
鈥淗e鈥檚 changed some games with his explosiveness on special teams,鈥� said Dinwiddie. 鈥淟ook at his season, it鈥檚 probably three or four games he really impacted. If it wasn鈥檛 for his performance, we鈥檙e probably not sitting here at this stage.鈥�
Grant played a role in Toronto鈥檚 30-28 win over the Montreal Alouettes in last weekend鈥檚 East Final. With the Argo鈥檚 trailing 16-7 late in the first half, he picked up a bouncing ball off a punt and returned it 71 yards for a touchdown.
Grant has a history of playoff heroics. As a Bomber, he returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown in Winnipeg鈥檚 2022 West Final win over the sa国际传媒 Lions.
A week later, in the Grey Cup in Regina, Dinwiddie had a front-row seat when Grant returned a punt 102 yards for a touchdown. The play, early in the fourth quarter, looked to clinch the win for the Bombers but the Argos battled back for a 24-23 victory.
鈥淚t was definitely a highlight,鈥� Grant said about his Grey Cup touchdown. 鈥淚鈥檓 always thinking, every time I touch the ball, I can do it.鈥�
Grant is a compact five-foot-nine and 157 pounds. He is not a bruising runner that plows through people. Instead, he uses his speed and stealth to leave tacklers grasping at air.
He says vision and patience are important ingredients for a returner鈥檚 success.
鈥淵ou have to stay focused, even if something bad happens,鈥� said Grant. 鈥淛ust being out there and make a different one play at a time. You know the next play you鈥檙e going to make a difference.
鈥淭here鈥檚 definitely patience. If something doesn鈥檛 happen right way, you look at film. That鈥檚 why we have the iPads on the sideline.鈥�
The Argos finished second in the East this year with a 10-8 record but head into Sunday鈥檚 game as heavy underdogs. With starting quarterback Chad Kelly out with a serious leg injury, veteran Nick Arbuckle will be the starter.
For a man who can make lots of noise on the field, Grant is quiet and soft-spoken. Dinwiddie says he has the 鈥渂est smile in the world.鈥�
Toronto linebacker Wynton McManis believes that no matter what Grant says publicly, he wants to make a statement against the Bombers.
鈥淵ou just want to win,鈥� said McManis. 鈥淵ou want to get back at the other team in the back of your mind, but you don鈥檛 let that overcome you, don鈥檛 let it overtake you.鈥�
Grant said his focus is to win the Grey Cup. It just happens to do that, he has to beat his old team,
鈥淲e got this far,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e know we can do better. We鈥檙e definitely not satisfied.鈥�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
Jim Morris, The Canadian Press
