Eugene Lewis has his Week 5 return to Edmonton circled on the 2025 CFL schedule.
“100 percent, I can’t wait. Listen, a lot of people are gonna be waiting for it. It’s so much talking that has been through it now, it’s like you can’t deny it,” the 31-year-old told 3DownNation. “We’re gonna take it one game at a time but, yes, when that game comes around, I’m gonna feel a little more hype. I hope they don’t let me score.”
Lewis’ public back-and-forth with Elks’ general manager Ed Hervey has been the most intriguing story this offseason. That makes his return to the Alberta capital must-see TV. What began as a dispute over his treatment in free agency took on a life of its own when the longtime executive responded to Lewis’ claims he was a superstar by him stating: “I don’t know any superstar players in the CFL.”
That comment sparked outrage from current and former players, with the CFL Players’ Association issuing an official statement calling them “insulting and ignorant.” Hervey has yet to issue a public apology to the union, though later clarified his superstar definition only includes athletes who are internationally recognized. To say the least, Lewis has a much different definition.
“If I’m not a superstar… I’m an all-star four times now. I’m on the verge of breaking CFL receiver records. I had the most touchdowns in the league last year and that’s counting the second-down quarterbacks that do sneaks. You know how hard that is?” he asked rhetorically.
“You can’t say there’s not superstars in this league. Maybe it’s a couple but there’s stars in this league, there’s all-stars in this league. The MOP — that’s not a superstar in this league specifically? I’m not talking about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali. That’s global.”
The reigning All-CFL receiver’s unceremonious exit from the Green and Gold may have ignited a debate over the nature of three-down stardom, but it has not shaken his confidence. In some ways, the fact the story has captured so much attention validates Lewis’ argument.
“You can’t hide if you was born to be noticed,” he said self-assuredly. “Part of the reason why this conversation has been going is because it’s about me. If we were talking about a player that just got into the league, he would literally tell them: ‘You don’t have the credentials to talk to me or say anything because you’re in your first year.’ It’s going back and forth and people are picking sides, it shows that I have some impact on this game and I have some impact on the fans and the people.”
Hervey kick-started the feud between the two men in January when he said publicly the open market would help him decide Lewis’ contract valuation, stating he would not pay the receiver anywhere close to the $320,000 Edmonton’s previous regime gave him. Lewis shared his truth after signing with Ottawa in free agency, claiming the Elks’ GM did not contact him directly and called Hervey’s outburst degrading.
The University of Oklahoma product has remained adamant his issue with Hervey is not financial. He turned down more money from the Stampeders to sign with the Redblacks and would have considered taking a similar pay cut to stay in Edmonton had one been offered respectfully.
“I know that he didn’t wanna give me the money that I got before, which is fine. But at the same time, tell me what you’re willing then. Tell me where you’re at because at that point in time, then we can make everything a lot easier,” he said. “It don’t have to be disrespectful. It don’t have to be this and that. It can be a real conversation. I stand on those morals and I stand on those principles.”
“Depending on how we had the conversation and how they felt that they valued me and the things that they wanted to do with me, that’s what it all comes down to. It’s not all about the money.”
Hervey’s approach disappointed some CFL alumni due to his status as a former player himself. The 51-year-old spent eight seasons as a receiver in Edmonton then made the jump to the front office, twice earning all-star recognition. He currently sits 454 yards ahead of Lewis on the three-down league’s all-time receiving list.
While Lewis did not address Hervey’s playing status directly, he was pointed when explaining his advocacy for fair treatment and increased pay is meant to help the next generation.
“I want them to get more than I did. I want them to beat my records. I want them to get more money than I did. I want them to go out there and beat my yards,” he said. “The whole goal is to make the next generation better because they gonna appreciate that and always remember that he didn’t try to hold me back. He wasn’t hating on me, he wasn’t looking at me because he was so proud for that and didn’t want me to beat his records or he’s not looking at me because he never got that type of money or he never did this in the league. I would never hate on somebody or try to hold somebody back because of my own pride.”
Hervey and Lewis both insist the two are better off after the dispute. The Elks believe the team appropriately maximized savings from letting the high-priced receiver walk, using it to invest in Canadian content and along the trenches. Lewis is excited to join a loaded offence in the nation’s capital and has raved about his treatment from Redblacks’ GM Shawn Burke.
While Lewis isn’t shy about laying out his side of the story, his demeanour remains calm and matter-of-fact. This is part of the business in pro football and while he is excited to prove his worth for the first time against his old team on Sunday, July 6, he won’t be seeing red anywhere except the trim on his jersey.
“It comes to a point in time where you gotta be unbothered sometimes about certain things because if I let that bother me and then I go into the game and I do bad, people are gonna say: ‘Oh, it’s because of that, Geno. You were not focused and you were worried about it,’” he said. “Listen, what I’m worried about is when [Adarius] Pickett comes to me and says: ‘G, we starting this party right now.’”
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