Former Auburn Tigers QB Payton Thorne highlights key reasons why he signed with Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL
Payton Thorne made it clear why he decided to sign with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Just before Christmas, former Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne made the decision to sign with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL.
It’s always an interesting decision for a quarterback to head north of the border. There have been multiple success stories of quarterbacks going to the CFL. Warren Moon won five-consecutive Grey Cups, Doug Flutie was voted the CFL’s best player, and some recent success stories like Zach Collaros and Trevor Harris.
Payton Thorne explains decision to go to CFL
Thorne fits the archetype of players who don’t always fit the mold of a franchise quarterback in the NFL, but succeeds in the CFL: shorter with plus running ability. He got exposed to the CFL during his time with the Tigers, as his quarterback coach is former CFL quarterback, head coach, and Grey Cup champion Kent Austin.
“It was great playing for Coach Austin. He’s a really solid guy as well off the field,” Thorne told John Hodge on the 3 Down Nation podcast. “We definitely had conversations about Canada. We knew how good he was, how good of a coach he was. He had an incredible career up there, and we definitely heard a lot of stories about different games. It’s still football, but there’s an extra guy. There’s a lot of different rules as well. So we talked to him about those things as a quarterback group. Heard some of the different concepts that he would run. He always said that it’s more creative up there and it’s more fun all the time. You throw it more, and you got one less down.”
When you watch the CFL game, two things stand out: It’s a very different game, but it still feels like real, not gimmicky football. It will be an adjustment for Thorne heading to Canada, as it is for any American-born player.
Thorne also revealed he had CFL interest before he entered the NFL Draft and signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.
“After my senior season playing there, he [Austin] had brought it up,” Throne explained. “There were a few teams interested, and they were asking him about things. And at that point, I was going through the draft process and NFL, but we had the conversation about it, which was a long conversation, but obviously, he’s a wealth of knowledge for all things CFL and was a fantastic player up there, as well as, I believe, coach and executive.”
Timing is important, as Thorne made it clear that he wanted to give the NFL a go before heading north. There’s also the element of the UFL in the United States. Thorne saw the appeal of the CFL.
“I’ve just seen what guys have done in the past, a lot of really good players, really good quarterbacks, have gone up there,” said Thorne. “Talking with people in Canada and hearing the list of of coaches, because I plan on getting into coaching after I’m done playing, and follow my grandfather and father footsteps in that area, and seeing the list of great coaches here in college and in the NFL that played in the CFL at quarterback, and then here, Coach Austin had to say about the creativity of the game and the things that he brought from Canada down here to this game is something that was very interesting to me. And then I just, I like to play, and I want to play.”
Thorne walks into a fascinating quarterback room with Zach Collaros as the starter for the Blue Bombers, but he’s getting close to retirement. They also signed UFL MVP Bryce Perkins and have Taylor Elgersma’s draft rights, meaning the Blue Bombers have a plethora of options at their disposal. Thorne has a chance to get acclimated in Winnipeg while Collaros is still the quarterback and playing at a high level.
Thorne will have some competition this year with the Blue Bombers, but he’s got the right attitude and skill set to be successful.
Auburn Tigers News
Former Auburn Tigers quarterback finds opportunity to continue playing career with clear path to success
Former Auburn Tigers QB Payton Thorne signs with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and there is a path to becoming the starting quarterback.
