Johany Jutras/CFL
OTTAWA — The passionate fan base, a prolific offence or unfinished business – whatever the reason, Chris Williams showed no interest in leaving the Ottawa REDBLACKS this off-season.
The 28-year-old extended his contract with Ottawa this month, deciding after just one year in the nation’s capital that he and the REDBLACKS are a pretty good fit. Williams finished third in the CFL in receiving yards and helped Ottawa win the East Division and appear in the Grey Cup Championship.
“It was just a decision me and my family made, it’s the best for us at this moment in time,” Williams told OttawaREDBLACKS.com. “I really love it here in Ottawa, it’s been an amazing first year there and I look forward to year two.”
Williams was by far the most talked about addition to any team during last year’s off-season, signing with the REDBLACKS in April to cap off a busy few months for General Manager Marcel Desjardins. While some grew wary of a hyped up REDBLACKS team looking to rebound from a two-win inaugural season, Williams and the offence delivered on all the talk.
Watch: Williams’ first TD ignites REDBLACKS
With a career-high 88 catches for 1,214 yards and five touchdowns over 16 regular season games, the third-year CFLer put the rest of the league on alert that the best offence in the league plays in the nation’s capital.
Williams and the REDBLACKS were exactly that, leading the league in passing yards and total yards while boasting a Most Outstanding Player in Henry Burris at quarterback and four 1,000-yard receivers.
“You just had a good feeling going into the year,” said Williams of his team’s successful season. “I saw some of the guys we assembled on this roster and give it up to Marcel for putting this all together and giving us a chance to compete at a very high level.”
Williams teamed up with four new additions to the receiving corps – Ernest Jackson, Brad Sinopoli, Greg Ellingson and Maurice Price – to take an offence from dead last in the CFL in points in 2015 to an elite level.
Price was traded this week to Saskatchewan while offensive coordinator Jason Maas left town to become the head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos, but outside of that the REDBLACKS can maintain the key ingredients that allowed them to win their division and make a run to the Grey Cup game in Winnipeg last November.
“It’s a sold out stadium and it’s rocking in there no matter who’s in there, whether the team is doing good or doing bad.”
Chris Williams
That’s something Williams clearly feels he wants to be a part of, along with an Ottawa fan base aching get behind a championship team – one that proved so much last year when the city erupted following an Eastern Final win over the Ticats.
“Passion – passion and the enthusiasm they bring to each and every game,” Williams said if the REDBLACKS fans. “It’s a sold out stadium and it’s rocking in there no matter who’s in there, whether the team is doing good or doing bad.
“Even with us last year, I wasn’t there the year before but in the 2-16 season I heard the same thing was going on – just the passion they bring and the excitement for football in Ottawa.”
For Williams, his first season in the nation’s capital was a dream year, teaming up with a future Hall of Famer in the 40-year-old Burris while helping ignite a fan base during one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in CFL history.
Williams and the REDBLACKS believe they started something special in 2015, but for Williams there’s still that matter of unfinished business.
“We were a few minutes away from bringing home a Grey Cup title,” said Williams, “so I definitely feel like we can build on that and finish the job this year.”
– With files from OttawaREDBLACKS.com
