Sask Roughriders and fans bid goodbye to Andy Fantuz

[Mowich]

Andy Fantuz signed a contract with the Chicago Bears ending speculation about his move from the CFL to the NFL. Andy was the CFL's outstanding Canadian and top receiver in 2010. Andy entered free agent status at the end of the regular season in 2010. He tried out with several teams in the NFL and received offers from at least three of those teams. According to his twitter, he decided on the Bears as the club most resembled the Riders in their management style and feels he will be a good fit with the team.

All Rider fans will miss him and we wish him well in his new career in the NFL which hopefully will NOT go into lock-out in March.

Thank you, Andy and all the best with the Bears.

 

[coldstream]

Anyone offered a contract with the NFL will take it, since salaries are in the order of 4 or 5 times at a minimum of what they can expect in the CFL. That said the standard NFL contract has no guaranteed length. Any player can be put on waivers or cut at any time. There have been any number of CFL players who follow the siren song of the NFL, and find that their talents are not so easily transportable to the American game, and vice versa. It's a much different culture and skill set, and success is not guaranteed either way.