The Ottawa Redblacks' quarterback tandem of Jake Maier and McLeod Bethel-Thompson, known as "MTB," came together through a series of interconnected CFL moves. Bethel-Thompson will serve as Maier's backup on Friday night when Ottawa hosts the Saskatchewan Roughriders, marking his first game action with the Redblacks.
Chain of Quarterback Moves
The quarterback carousel began with Dru Brown, who replaced Jeremiah Masoli as Ottawa's starter in 2024. Brown is now back with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, playing behind Zach Collaros. Collaros himself had replaced Masoli as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' starter in 2017. Bethel-Thompson, who had been staying sharp by working out with Masoli in the San Francisco Bay Area, took Brown's spot in Ottawa as the backup.
Maier will face former Redblack Trevor Harris (2015-2018), with whom he won a Grey Cup in Saskatchewan last year. Had Harris not decided to play in 2026, Maier could have been the Roughriders' starter. And if the Redblacks hadn't had a contract dispute with Harris in 2019, he might still be in Ottawa.
Maier Praises Harris
"He's one of the best preparers I've ever been around," Maier said Wednesday of the 40-year-old Harris. "He's a great leader, he's somebody that doesn't cheat the game, ever. Factor all those things in, and that's what you get. A true professional that can play any system, play for a bunch of different teams, bond with all different types of players, different types of teammates, and yeah, he's one of the best in the business for a reason."
Maier added that he learned a lot from Harris last year. "He gave me all kinds of advice on preparation and how I can structure my days, and how I can get the most out of my teammates," Maier said. "To sum it all up, he never turns it off. He is always the quarterback. He's the quarterback with his kids, he's the quarterback with his family, with his teammates. When he's at Costco … he just carries that with him. Like, I am the quarterback; I'm the leader. And he walks with that confidence. I think that's really cool to see."
Bethel-Thompson Ready if Needed
Head coach Ryan Dinwiddie confirmed that Bethel-Thompson could play Friday if needed, despite having only one practice with the team. "I think he's probably another week (from being fully ready), but he went out there today and ran all the scout team reps, and the ball was jumping off his hand, he was ripping it," Dinwiddie said of Bethel-Thompson, who was his quarterback in Toronto during the Argonauts' Grey Cup-winning season in 2022. "He's got an understanding of the offence already, he's obviously been in it. Now there are some different tweaks to it, but yeah, I think if we had to play him this week, I wouldn't be afraid to put them out there."
