It’s not every day you to get to go to work with your best friend but for Hamilton Tiger-Cats receivers Kevin Elliott and Brian Tyms, they’re two of the lucky ones who do.
Elliott and Tyms both re-signed with the Ticats this off-season – Elliott joined the Tabbies in 2016 for three regular season games and the Eastern Semi-Final after being released late in the season by the Argos, while Tyms signed with Hamilton after spending his career in the NFL and played in two games with the Tabbies, including the playoff match against Edmonton.
Seven years after their friendship began – they were teammates in college at Florida A&M, where they both suited up for the Rattlers in 2010 and 2011 – the stars aligned and they were once again teammates, donning the same colours and playing for the same goal.
“That’s like one of my best friends,” Tyms gushed about Elliott. “Me and K, we’ve had a great competition together for a long time, pushing each other and pushing each other’s limits too as far as how fast we run at combine. Who will lift more? Whose shuttle time would be quickest? Who’s going to catch the most passes with one hand? That’s my boy.
“That was another reason why I came back (to the Tiger-Cats). Kevin and I have great chemistry together because that’s one of my best friends. I’m excited to be playing with him again. Both of us know each other like the back of our hand as far as where we will be on the field so it makes me feel more comfortable.”
Having that comfort with each other will come in handy when the two hit the field together in June. With Chad Owens headed to Saskatchewan to join the Roughriders and Andy Fantuz’s status still up in the air (he’s a free agent and is still recovering from knee surgery), Tyms and Elliott with likely be two of the go-to receivers – along with Terrence Toliver and Luke Tasker – for Zach Collaros to turn to.
With so many targets for opponents defensive backs to have to cover, there will be more opportunities for the wideouts to make plays and for Elliott, there will be more opportunities to show off his signature celebration – the ball spin.
“It’s definitely pick your poison,” Elliott laughed about the receiving depth in Hamilton. “I’m just looking forward to not having a lot of double teams and (having) a lot of single coverage and that just means more big plays and more ball spins for me too. Hopefully that leads to more wins for our team.”
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Brian Tyms makes a play in the Eastern Semi-Final against Edmonton (The Canadian Press)
To go along with their stellar on-field chemistry, Elliott and Tyms take that chemistry off the field too. While playing together in Florida, the two connected with their passion for music. When they weren’t preparing for games, or actually playing in them, the duo would get together with Tyms on vocals and Elliott helping to write the rest.
“We’ve been doing that since college,” said Elliott of their jam sessions. “I was never the rap guy but I would come up with the extra hooks and stuff. It’s more spontaneous (now). If we’re just hanging around and we hear a beat, we might start something.”
Perhaps the duo might start that something in the locker room once the 2017 campaign gets underway as they look to build on the rather disappointing end to the 2016 season.
Hamilton faced the Eskimos in the Eastern Semi-Final and despite a furious comeback in the second half, the Tabbies’ season was ultimately cut shorter than they had anticipated.
But, as any true competitors would, both Tyms and Elliott have put that behind them and have their eye on one thing – victory. Elliott, who has yet to win at Tim Hortons Field, is “really looking forward to that (winning at home)” and Tyms? He’s already visualizing helping to take his new team to the Grey Cup.
“Winning,” Tyms confessed when asked what he’s most looking forward to in 2017. “I love to win. I know the team loves to win. When you win, you make it to the championship. That’s the goal for every CFL player or any person playing any kind of sport. You always want to win. You want to win it all because that’s what we work so hard for in the off-season. We grind to prepare for those opportunities.”
Kevin Elliott celebrates a touchdown with teammate Xavier Futon in a contest against the Ottawa REDBLACKS (The Canadian Press)
And the 28-year-old proved to the Tiger-Cats that he deserves the opportunity and wants to be with the Tabbies for the long haul after signing a two-year deal in February.
In the one regular season game Tyms suited up for last season, he had four catches for 33 yards and a major score but it was the playoff game against the Eskimos at Tim Hortons Field that he really made an impact. Tyms was the go-to receiver for the Ticats that contest, catching eight passes for 114 yards – the most of any receiver on either team.
The Seattle, Wa. native only needed two games and a few weeks to feel at home in the Hammer, making his decision to stick around an easy one.
“Any time I need to watch extra film there was always somebody there to help me and open the door for me,” Tyms said of the Tiger-Cats organization. “It’s just a really well run organization. They’re friendly, very honest, very up front and I just appreciate that. The team comradery (is great) and I love the competition with the guys. How the defence and offence go at it at the beginning of practice, I love that, I live for stuff like that. It just made sense for me to be a part of something like that.”
Elliott split the 2016 season between the Argos and the Ticats, playing eight games in the double blue and hauling in 23 passes for 294 yards and two major scores. In the three regular season games he played in Hamilton, the 28-year-old caught 15 passes for 220 yards and one touchdown.
Elliott, too, felt Hamilton was the place he wanted to stay and signed with the club through the 2017 season.
“I don’t think I could put it in words honestly,” Elliott said about his reunion with his old pal. “God works in mysterious ways. We started this path with each other going to the professional football career and it’s just a blessing to be on the field and compete with during practice and then compete during the game with him. I’m really looking forward to the season.”
