Christian Covington’s pro football career might seem like a fairytale to kids growing up in B.C., but the decision to start a new chapter with his hometown Lions had nothing to do with crafting a storybook ending.
Addressing the Vancouver media from his Houston home on Thursday, Covington stressed that his bombshell signing was never conceived as a one-and-done cap to his career. Despite earning $8.6 million USD during his time in the NFL, he’s committed to strapping on the shoulder pads well beyond 2024.
“I’m going into my 10th year playing professionally, I just turned 30, and I know, for the most part, I have so much left in this tank,” the veteran defensive tackle shared. “My dad played until he was 36 and God forbid any injuries will bar me from doing the same. I know it’s in my blood, I have the determination and the will to be able to continue what he did with his longevity.”
Originally selected in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Rice University, Covington spent nine years south of the border, dressing for 102 games as a member of the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Chargers. He recorded 196 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two pass knockdowns.
While his iconic surname and memorable appearance on HBO’s Hard Knocks as a rookie ensured that the Vancouver native was always among the most recognizable Canadian NFLers, the past few seasons have not been easy. A torn pectoral muscle ended his 2022 campaign prematurely with the Chargers and a triumphant return with Detroit was cut short when he was waived following training camp. Though Los Angeles eventually brought him back into the fold, he languished on the practice roster for the duration of the year.
That experience proved to be both mentally and emotionally challenging for Covington, but it also reinforced his desire to keep playing.
“I took that as a challenge to be able to test myself to see how much I really love this game,” he explained. “At the end of the day, a lot of people are gonna call it quits, a lot of people are just woe is me. But it’s just one of those things where this is a beautiful game that has blessed me and my family so, so much and that fire and that passion has never gone away.”
After a lot of prayer and conversations with his family, Covington knew that he was going to continue his football journey in some capacity. It was going to be on his terms, however, as he decided to shed the excess weight he’d been forced to gain while playing inside in the NFL and return to a build he was more comfortable with.
Now back down to his high school playing weight of 280 pounds and feeling in the best shape of his life, it will be his hometown team who are the beneficiaries. The Lions took a fifth-round flyer on the uber-talented local product in 2015 and will now see their patience rewarded with the addition of a motivated defender nine years later.
“A lot of people probably didn’t think I would be here and I just want to be the one to say, ‘I’m glad I’m here,'” Covington insisted. “I’m ready to work. I am as hungry as ever. I have so much football left in me and this is not me being like, ‘Oh, I’m finishing my career in the CFL, this is the end for me.’ I’m still going.”
It was clear from the moment he was drafted that Covington was never going to take his CFL opportunity for granted, expressing his initial gratitude and sometimes shouting out the Lions during his time in the NFL. His respect for the league was well-earned through his father, Hall of Fame defensive end Grover Covington, who holds the all-time CFL sack record.
After wearing 56 in college and 95 for the majority of his time in the NFL, the second-generation pass-rusher is still unsure as to whether he will wear the number 77 in Canada like his father did. However, the two digits that once graced Grover’s back with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats now hang around his son’s neck in the form of a pendant, reminding him that this next stage of his career can’t be an afterthought.
“I want to be me, I want to be Christian Covington, but I know what the Covington name holds in the CFL. I know what this man has done in this league and I don’t want to disappoint,” he said of his father’s legacy.
“He’s thrilled to have me in this league. He’s thrilled to have me be able to play in front of my hometown, to be able to go back home. I know what this means to him. At the end of the day, he’s just proud that I’ve been able to have the career that I’ve had so far.”
In the end, family ties might be the difference between this signing and other failed late-career repatriations at the position, like Vaughn Martin and Stefan Charles. Covington’s genuine appreciation for what the CFL path can offer and his willingness to reshape his body to a style of game he already understands makes him a perfect fit at a critical moment for the franchise he grew up cheering for.
With the 111th Grey Cup scheduled for Vancouver, B.C. has a chance to break the league’s second-longest active championship drought on home soil. If that happens, Covington will lift the coveted trophy in the very same stadium where his dad did in 1986, a game in which he was named the most valuable defensive player.
“You spin that however you want to spin it, I just think that the timing is perfect,” he grinned. “I didn’t plan it to be this way, God is good in that regard, but I hope for the best. I’m going to do whatever it takes to help my team succeed in the areas that we can and obviously, the end result that we want to have is a Grey Cup.”
Covington hasn’t had the chance to vie for a championship since 2010, when he helped lead his high school team, the Vancouver College Fighting Irish, to a provincial title. That victory also occurred under the dome at BC Place, where he’s been attending games since he was a kid.
All told, it has been nearly two decades since he had to play a game with three downs and a one-yard neutral zone. He’s wise enough to admit that there will be a learning curve associated with going back to his roots but believes the adjustment should come naturally at his leaner weight — at least from a physical standpoint.
“I just know that my first snap in training camp, I’m probably going to line up right beside the ball. I know I’m going to be an inch off, so I’m already having to get that out of my head right now,” Covington laughed. “It’s going to take some time, but at the end of the day, this is a game I’ve watched my entire life.”
While he isn’t closing any doors if the NFL were to come calling again, Covington’s focus is entirely on what could be a historic season for the Lions. That will get underway when rookies report to camp on Wednesday, May 8, the first step in the lead-up to the season opener on Sunday, June 9 in Toronto.
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