Well, that was quick.
On Monday (June 5), BC Lions announced they含羞草研究社檇 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.
It含羞草研究社檚 not clear exactly what happened, but it seems like team chemistry was a problem.
含羞草研究社淚 think it just wasn含羞草研究社檛 gonna be a good fit,含羞草研究社� Lions head coach Rick Campbell said on Sportsnet 650 radio on Wednesday (June 7).
含羞草研究社淵ou know, we wanted it to work out, that含羞草研究社檚 why we signed him, but sometimes if players aren含羞草研究社檛 comfortable with the situation, or it含羞草研究社檚 not going to work out, then it含羞草研究社檚 better to move on. It was quite clear to me that he wasn含羞草研究社檛 comfortable with the situation, and that含羞草研究社檚 too bad.含羞草研究社�
Campbell made it clear that it wasn含羞草研究社檛 Kongbo含羞草研究社檚 on-field performance or style of play that was a problem.
含羞草研究社淣o, it was just being comfortable on the team,含羞草研究社� the coach said during the Halford & Brough morning show.
含羞草研究社淔or some reason, there was some disconnect there. We signed him, we wanted him and it wasn含羞草研究社檛 going to work out, and it含羞草研究社檚 just the way it goes. It happens once in awhile, and like I said we would have loved to have him. It didn含羞草研究社檛 seem to meshing really well and so we, you know, gave him a new home.含羞草研究社�
After kicking off in Calgary Thursday (June 8), the Lions含羞草研究社� 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. | |
含羞草研究社� Hamilton Tiger-Cats (@Ticats)
含羞草研究社淣ot a fit含羞草研究社� because I called out star players not showing up for practice, and guys not wanting to work out. Culture matters, it含羞草研究社檚 called pro football for a reason.
含羞草研究社� Jonathan Kongbo 馃嚚馃嚛 (@King_Kongbo)
On Twitter, after being traded, Kongbo said this about his brief time with the Lions: 含羞草研究社満卟菅芯可鐧Not a fit含羞草研究社� because I called out star players not showing up for practice, and guys not wanting to work out. Culture matters, it含羞草研究社檚 called pro football for a reason.含羞草研究社�
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 Denver含羞草研究社檚 season.
In Hamilton, Kongbo will have to quickly adapt to a new team just days before the start of the CFL season.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e played a couple times here and it含羞草研究社檚 good to finally be on the other side, getting with the guys, see the culture around here, how guys are working, so it含羞草研究社檚 been a really good couple days,含羞草研究社� .
He talked about the 含羞草研究社渉ard-working, blue-collar spirit含羞草研究社� of Hamilton and how he thinks he含羞草研究社檚 a perfect fit for the city.
Asked what kind of player he is, Kongbo responded: 含羞草研究社淔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, you含羞草研究社檙e getting a player who loves to compete, a player who loves to get after it and a player who loves to win.含羞草研究社�
While at Holy Cross, Kongbo was something of an accidental football star, a guy who hadn含羞草研究社檛 played the game until Grade 12 at the Fleetwood-area Catholic school. He含羞草研究社檇 been a basketball player at Kitsilano Secondary until transferring to Holy Cross, where the Crusaders含羞草研究社� coaches eventually coaxed him to try football, a game he didn含羞草研究社檛 embrace at first.
Born in Zaire, Konbgo moved with his family to Canada at age five.
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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