Cody Michael Fajardo (born March 29, 1992) is an American professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
quarterback
The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
for the
Edmonton Elks
The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division (CFL), West Division and plays their home games at Commonw ...
of the
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...
(CFL).
Early life
Fajardo was born in
Brea, California. He played high school football for
Servite High School
Servite High School is a private, Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized ...
in
Anaheim, California
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orang ...
. As a senior, he led Servite to a state championship and a No. 3 ranking in the national polling.
He won the
Glenn Davis Award in 2009 as the best high school football player in California.
Fajardo's father played
college football
College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
for the
Texas Tech Red Raiders, and his grandfather played for the
Colorado Buffaloes.
[
]
College career
Fajardo committed to the University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada, the University of Nevada, or UNR) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Reno, Nevada, United States. It is the state's flagship public university and prim ...
in late January 2010. He was redshirted
Redshirt, in United States college athletics, is a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility. Typically, a student's athletic eligibility in a given sport is four seasons, aligning with the ...
during the 2010 season as Colin Kaepernick
Colin Rand Kaepernick ( ; born November 3, 1987) is an American civil rights activist and former professional football quarterback. He played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). In 2016, he gained na ...
completed a four-year run as the starting quarterback for the Nevada Wolf Pack football
The Nevada Wolf Pack football program represents the University of Nevada, Reno in college football. The Wolf Pack competes in the Mountain West Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Bowl Subdivision level of the NC ...
team.
As a redshirt freshman, Fajardo became the starting quarterback for 2011 Nevada Wolf Pack football team. Playing against Texas Tech in the third game of the 2011 season, Fajardo rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries and completed four of six passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. On October 15, 2011, he led the Wolfpack to a 49–7 win over New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
, running for two touchdowns and completing 20 of 25 passes for 203 yards. He finished 2011 with 1,707 passing yards, 6 passing touchdowns and 694 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns.
Fajardo had 2,786 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns, 1,121 rushing yards, and 12 rushing touchdowns. In 2013, he passed 2,668 yards, 13 passing touchdowns, 621 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. As a senior in 2014, he passed for 2,498 yards and 18 passing touchdowns and rushed for 1,046 yards and 13 touchdowns. Fajardo accounted for 101 touchdowns in his career at Nevada.
Fajardo became the second player in NCAA history with 9,000 yards passing and 3,000 yards rushing, the first having been Colin Kaepernick
Colin Rand Kaepernick ( ; born November 3, 1987) is an American civil rights activist and former professional football quarterback. He played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). In 2016, he gained na ...
, another alumnus of the University of Nevada.
College statistics
Professional career
Oakland Raiders
After going undrafted in the 2015 NFL draft
The 2015 NFL draft was the 80th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football, football players. It took place in Chicago at the Auditorium Theatre and in Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park ...
, Fajardo signed with the Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...
on May 8, 2015. On September 1, 2015, he was waived by the Raiders.
Toronto Argonauts
On October 8, 2015, Fajardo was signed to the practice roster of the Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Argonauts compete in the East Division (CFL), East Division of t ...
of the Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...
. He re-signed with the Argonauts on May 17, 2016. Fajardo scored his first professional rushing touchdown on July 13, 2016, before throwing his first professional touchdown pass on July 25, 2016. Fajardo would see his role expand during 2017 into a change-of-pace backup while starter Ricky Ray
Ricky Ray (born October 22, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback. Ray spent the majority of his professional career with the Edmonton Eskimos and Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL) ...
was injured but remained the short-yardage quarterback when Ray returned. He scored the game-winning touchdown with 23 seconds remaining in the 2017 East Final in short-yardage on a 1-yard plunge against the Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a professional Canadian football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division. The Roughriders were founded in 19 ...
, sending the Argonauts to the 105th Grey Cup
The 105th Grey Cup was played on November 26, 2017, between the Calgary Stampeders and the Toronto Argonauts at TD Place Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario.
In a re-match of the 100th Grey Cup, the Argonauts won the game 27–24, winning their 17th cham ...
game. The Argos would go on to win the championship game over the Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division (CFL), West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium a ...
. Although Fajardo showed considerable promise and poise when he played, the Argonauts were unable to sign him to a contract extension with the acquisition of James Franklin from the Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at Commonwealth Stadium. The E ...
.
BC Lions
After entering free agency, Fajardo signed with the BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lions compete in the West Division (CFL), West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and play their home games at BC Place.
The Lions playe ...
on February 16, 2018. Fajardo continued his role as a short down rusher and change of pace quarterback behind Travis Lulay
Travis Lulay (born September 27, 1983) is a former professional Canadian football quarterback. Lulay played ten seasons for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 2009 to 2018. In his first season as a full-time starter, Lulay wo ...
and Jonathon Jennings, registering 14 completions on 20 attempts for 153 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, as well as 42 rushes for 108 yards and 5 more scores.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
On the third day of free agency in 2019, Fajardo signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a professional Canadian football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division. The Roughriders were founded in 19 ...
on a one-year contract, joining a quarterback room featuring Zach Collaros and David Watford. Fajardo became the starting quarterback following an injury to Collaros in the opening game of the season. He led the team to a win on July 1, 2019, throwing for 430 yards against the Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Argonauts compete in the East Division (CFL), East Division of t ...
. Fajardo continued to play well in the following weeks which prompted the Roughriders to trade Collaros to the Argonauts, solidifying their trust in Fajardo. On October 21, 2019. Fajardo agreed to a two-year contract extension with Saskatchewan. He signed a contract extension through the 2022 season with the team on January 5, 2021. Fajardo remained the starting quarterback for the Riders in 2021, leading the team to 9–5 record and secured a home playoff match against rival Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division (CFL), West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium a ...
, whom they defeated 33–30 in overtime despite Fajardo throwing four interceptions. The Riders were defeated in the Western Final by the eventual champions the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division (CFL), West division. They play thei ...
. On January 31, 2022, Fajardo and the Roughriders agreed to a restructured contract for the 2022 season. After starting the season with four wins in their first five games the season proved to be challenging for Fajardo and the Riders as the team would go on to lose nine of their next 11 matches, culminating in Fajardo being benched for the Riders penultimate match. On February 13, 2023, one day before becoming a free agent, Fajardo posted on Twitter announcing that he would not be returning to Saskatchewan.
Montreal Alouettes
On the first day of free agency Fajardo signed a two-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: ''Les Alouettes de Montréal'') are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has disbanded twice and been re-established thrice. The Alouettes compe ...
. Coincidentally, Trevor Harris, the Alouettes' starter in 2022, replaced Fajardo in Saskatchewan. Fajardo had a 9–7 record as a starter and helped the Alouettes to a playoff spot as runners-up in the East Division. The Alouettes reached the 110th Grey Cup, in which Fajardo was named the game's Most Valuable Player
In team sports, a most valuable player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particular competition, or ...
. He threw three touchdowns in the championship game, including the winning score to Tyson Philpot with 13 seconds remaining.
Fajardo returned as the Alouettes' starter in 2024, winning his first five games before suffering an injury in the team's sixth game against the Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Argonauts compete in the East Division (CFL), East Division of t ...
. Fajardo missed the next four games before returning to the starting role, sharing starts and playing time with Davis Alexander as the Alouettes went 12-5-1 and received a bye to the East Final. In the East Final, Fajardo threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns but was also intercepted twice and lost a fumble as the Alouettes lost 30-28 to the Argonauts. Following the season, Alexander was given a three-year extension, signaling the Alouettes' commitment to move on from Fajardo as their starter.
Edmonton Elks
On December 17, 2024, it was announced that Fajardo had been traded to the Edmonton Elks
The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division (CFL), West Division and plays their home games at Commonw ...
in exchange for McLeod Bethel-Thompson. Fajardo is expected to serve as the backup to Tre Ford in Edmonton.
CFL career statistics
Regular season
Post-season
References
External links
Edmonton Elks bio
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fajardo, Cody
1992 births
Living people
American football quarterbacks
BC Lions players
Canadian football quarterbacks
Edmonton Elks players
Montreal Alouettes players
Nevada Wolf Pack football players
Oakland Raiders players
Sportspeople from Brea, California
Players of American football from Orange County, California
Players of Canadian football from California
Saskatchewan Roughriders players
Servite High School alumni
Toronto Argonauts players
Hispanic and Latino American players of American football