Ricky Foley took offence to the idea of lowering the amount of Canadian starters.
“I was upset that there was a select few amount of American guys suggesting to decrease the ratio and I just think that’s going to be a detriment, not only to the Canadians in the league but also to the Americans,” Foley said on 980 CJME The Green Zone.
Both the CFL and CFLPA are in favour of reducing the number of national starters. Currently, seven of the 24 starters on offence and defence must be nationals, part of the 21 non-imports on the 44-man game day roster. But those numbers might change at the bargaining table.
Foley was known for his outspoken nature during a 12-year CFL career that ended in 2017, but he delivers salient points and backs them up.
“A lot of the issue with Americans that they have with the ratio is the difference in pay scale, the discrepancy in the wages,” Foley said.
“That creates the issues of dissension between American and Canadian players. If you drop the ratio, one of the issues would be that I think it’s going to be predominantly Canadian offensive lineman that fill that ratio and I think then you’re just going to continue that pay discrepancy between offensive linemen and starting Americans, that’s my opinion.”
Foley was selected in the first round, fourth overall of the 2006 CFL draft by the B.C. Lions. He went on to win three Grey Cups, won the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 2009 on the strength of a CFL-best 12 sacks with the Leos.
The 36-year-old played 193 CFL games making 347 tackles, 63 special teams stops, 61 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, one interception and one touchdown. There were stints in NFL along the way for Foley with the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets.
“No, I wouldn’t have and I’m completely okay with saying that. I know how fortunate and lucky I am to have had a 12-year professional football career. But I will say the first year that I was starting I led the CFL in sacks, American, Canadian – anybody,” Foley said.
“Another issue I see with the ratio being decreased is that’s going to set a precedent. By being part of the CFL union for a few years that was a main thing we were worried about. Because once you open the door to decreasing the ratio to say five, the next CBA you’re opening the door to decreasing it to three or to less than that. It’s dangerous for everybody in the league if they do that.”
