Bo Levi Mitchell can sum up his feelings towards new receiver Kenny Lawler in eight simple words: hate playing against him, love playing with him.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats paid a premium to acquire the top offensive weapon on the market this offseason, much to the delight of their quarterback. However, Mitchell wasn’t quite sure what to expect from his new number-one target in the locker room after years of heated battles as opponents.
His early impressions have defied expectations, drawing comparisons to a Ticats franchise legend.
“Man, I have so much respect for that guy. Honestly, it’s a pretty similar feeling that I had towards Simoni (Lawrence),” Mitchell explained this week. “You play against the guy and you see the antics on the field. You see some penalties from Simoni, things like that — (you think) he’s gonna be an a-hole. When you get here, the dude’s probably the best teammate on the team. One of those guys that you love being on this guy’s team. Then you see it happen on the field, like, oh, that’s why he does it. He just loves getting in people’s heads.”
“Kenny is the same way, but in the sense that he is a dog. He loves this game. He is passionate about it.”
Lawrence established a reputation as one of the CFL’s most hated and controversial players during his 10 seasons with the Ticats, but was revered in Hamilton. The five-time all-star remains active within the franchise as a brand and community ambassador, ensuring his legacy continues to influence the next generation of Tabbies.
Mitchell took his fair share of hits from Simoni before the pair became teammates in 2023, which likely influenced his preconceptions of the linebacker. He has only been able to watch Lawler operate from the sidelines but developed a view of him that was equal parts admiration and irritation.
“My opinion was that he was just one of those guys that can go out there and make any play. He probably expected that and expected the ball a lot in a talented receiving group,” the veteran pivot remarked. “I never saw really too many selfish things but you can tell when a guy catches his ball from the way they act. You see him kind of look at the DB, maybe throw the ball at him every now and then. But he’s grown, man. He’s grown in this league and I can tell you, any quarterback has been a fan of him, watching him. Every time you see him catch the ball against your team, you’re like, ‘God, I’d love to throw that guy a go-ball.’”
Lawler has appeared in 63 career CFL games as a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Edmonton Elks, racking up 256 catches for 4,108 yards and 25 touchdowns. The former seventh-round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks has earned two all-star selections since coming north and won a pair of Grey Cups.
While the player on the field has come as advertised, it is the person off of it that has most impressed Mitchell in training camp.
“He’s a great leader. It’s not easy to walk into a new room and I had trouble with it. A 12-year vet at the time, I had trouble walking into this room and owning the leadership because I felt like I had to earn it,” he explained. “Kenny understands what he’s done in this league, and he walks into that room like, ‘Guys, I’m here. I want to be your guy, but I want you all to be here for me as well.’ To watch his leadership is impressive.”
The Ticats hope that the addition of Lawler to an already potent receiving corps will help push their team over the top, sending them back to the postseason in the quest to break the longest Grey Cup drought in the league. There will be plenty of mouths to feed in the passing attack with Tim White, Shemar Bridges, and Kiondre Smith all potential thousand-yard targets, but Lawler’s addition should only help the collective.
The 30-year-old has already drawn praise for his effort in practice and willingness to contribute as a blocker downfield. His knowledge and experience have also made for a seamless transition.
“It’s pretty easy when you’ve got a guy that’s come in and he understands the offence. One of my favourite things that I chuckled at is I started saying the formation and it was the only play we had in of that formation that day, and he finished the play before I said it. That’s impressive from a guy that’s brand new,” Mitchell said.
“A lot of guys here, their heads are swimming and Scott (Milanovich) does not hold back in an install. It’s a lot of plays, we’re in there for hours trying to go over them, and then you’re waking up a couple of hours later to go run them all. To see that, I just know how big of a professional he is and how bad he wants it.”
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats will open their regular season on Saturday, June 7 when they visit the Calgary Stampeders.
The post ‘A-hole’ no longer: Kenny Lawler subverting Bo Levi Mitchell’s expectations just like Simoni Lawrence appeared first on 3DownNation.
