 Fajardo with theEdmonton Elks in 2025 | |||||||||||||
| No. 7 – Edmonton Elks | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||||||
| CFL status | American | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born | (1992-03-29)March 29, 1992 (age 33) Brea, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school | Servite(Anaheim, California) | ||||||||||||
| College | Nevada (2010–2014) | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2015: undrafted | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| Career CFL statistics as of 2025 | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Stats atPro Football Reference  | |||||||||||||
Cody Michael Fajardo (born March 29, 1992) is an American professionalfootballquarterback for theEdmonton Elks of theCanadian Football League (CFL). He playedcollege football for theNevada Wolf Pack. He has also played in the CFL with theToronto Argonauts,BC Lions,Saskatchewan Roughriders, andMontreal Alouettes. He was theMVP of the110th Grey Cup in 2023, leading Montreal to a 28–24 victory over theWinnipeg Blue Bombers.
Fajardo was born inBrea, California. He played high school football forServite High School inAnaheim, California.[1][2] As a senior, he led Servite to a state championship and a No. 3 ranking in the national polling.[3] He won theGlenn Davis Award in 2009 as the best high school football player in California.[4]
Fajardo's father playedcollege football for theTexas Tech Red Raiders, and his grandfather played for theColorado Buffaloes.[3]
Fajardo committed to theUniversity of Nevada, Reno in late January 2010.[5] He wasredshirted during the 2010 season asColin Kaepernick completed a four-year run as the starting quarterback for theNevada Wolf Pack football team.
As a redshirt freshman, Fajardo became the starting quarterback for2011 Nevada Wolf Pack football team.[6] Playing againstTexas Tech in the third game of the 2011 season, Fajardo rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries and completed four of six passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. On October 15, 2011, he led the Wolfpack to a 49–7 win overNew Mexico, running for two touchdowns and completing 20 of 25 passes for 203 yards.[7][8][9] He finished 2011 with 1,707 passing yards, 6 passing touchdowns and 694 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns.
Fajardo had 2,786 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns, 1,121 rushing yards, and 12 rushing touchdowns. In 2013, he passed 2,668 yards, 13 passing touchdowns, 621 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. As a senior in 2014, he passed for 2,498 yards and 18 passing touchdowns and rushed for 1,046 yards and 13 touchdowns. Fajardo accounted for 101 touchdowns in his career at Nevada.
Fajardo became the second player in NCAA history with 9,000 yards passing and 3,000 yards rushing, the first having beenColin Kaepernick, another alumnus of the University of Nevada. Fajardo was inducted into the Nevada Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024.
| Season | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2010 | Nevada |  Redshirt | ||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Nevada | 10 | 8 | 5–3 | 150 | 218 | 68.8 | 1,707 | 7.8 | 6 | 6 | 89.7 | 128 | 694 | 5.4 | 11 |
| 2012 | Nevada | 12 | 12 | 6–6 | 246 | 367 | 67.0 | 2,786 | 7.6 | 20 | 9 | 97.5 | 190 | 1,121 | 5.9 | 12 |
| 2013 | Nevada | 10 | 10 | 3–7 | 243 | 358 | 67.9 | 2,668 | 7.5 | 13 | 3 | 98.3 | 141 | 621 | 4.4 | 8 |
| 2014 | Nevada | 13 | 13 | 7–6 | 239 | 405 | 59.0 | 2,498 | 6.2 | 18 | 11 | 80.5 | 177 | 1,046 | 5.9 | 13 |
| Career | 45 | 43 | 21–22 | 878 | 1,348 | 65.1 | 9,659 | 7.2 | 57 | 29 | 135.0 | 636 | 3,482 | 5.5 | 44 | |
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft1+1⁄2 in (1.87 m) | 223 lb (101 kg) | 31+3⁄8 in (0.80 m) | 9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) | 4.63 s | 1.62 s | 2.70 s | 4.10 s | 6.95 s | 32.5 in (0.83 m) | 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) | ||
| All values fromNFL Combine[10][11] | ||||||||||||
After going undrafted in the2015 NFL draft, Fajardo signed with theOakland Raiders on May 8, 2015.[12] On September 1, he was waived by the Raiders.[13]
On October 8, 2015, Fajardo was signed to the practice roster of theToronto Argonauts of theCanadian Football League.[14][15] He re-signed with the Argonauts on May 17, 2016.[16] Fajardo scored his first professional rushing touchdown on July 13, 2016, before throwing his first professional touchdown pass on July 25, 2016. Fajardo's role expanded in 2017 into a change-of-pace backup while starterRicky Ray was injured. After Ray returned, Fajardo returned to his role asshort-yardage quarterback. He scored the game-winning touchdown with 23 seconds remaining in the2017 East Final in short-yardage on a 1-yard plunge against theSaskatchewan Roughriders, sending the Argonauts to the105th Grey Cup game.[17] The Argos won the championship game over theCalgary Stampeders. Although Fajardo showed considerable promise and poise when he played, the Argonauts were unable to sign him to a contract extension with the acquisition ofJames Franklin from theEdmonton Eskimos.
After entering free agency, Fajardo signed with theBC Lions on February 16, 2018.[18] Fajardo continued his role as a short down rusher and change of pace quarterback behindTravis Lulay andJonathon Jennings, registering 14 completions on 20 attempts for 153 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, as well as 42 rushes for 108 yards and 5 more scores.
On the third day of free agency in 2019, Fajardo signed with theSaskatchewan Roughriders on a one-year contract,[19] joining a quarterback room featuringZach Collaros andDavid Watford. Fajardo became the starting quarterback following an injury to Collaros in the opening game of the season.[20] Fajardo threw for 360 yards in his first start for the Roughriders, setting a franchise record for most yards in a first start.[21] He led the team to a win on July 1, 2019, throwing for 430 yards against theToronto Argonauts.[22] Fajardo continued to play well in the following weeks which prompted the Roughriders to trade Collaros to the Argonauts, solidifying their trust in Fajardo.[23] On October 21, 2019. Fajardo agreed to a two-year contract extension with Saskatchewan. He signed a contract extension through the 2022 season with the team on January 5, 2021.[24] Fajardo remained the starting quarterback for the Riders in 2021, leading the team to 9–5 record and secured a home playoff match against rivalCalgary Stampeders, whom they defeated 33–30 in overtime despite Fajardo throwing four interceptions.[25] The Riders were defeated in the Western Final by the eventual champions theWinnipeg Blue Bombers.[26] On January 31, 2022, Fajardo and the Roughriders agreed to a restructured contract for the2022 season.[27] After starting the season with four wins in their first five games the season proved to be challenging for Fajardo and the Riders as the team would go on to lose nine of their next 11 matches, culminating in Fajardo being benched for the Riders penultimate match.[28] On February 13, 2023, one day before becoming a free agent, Fajardo posted on Twitter announcing that he would not be returning to Saskatchewan.[29]
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On the first day of free agency Fajardo signed a two-year contract with theMontreal Alouettes.[30] Coincidentally,Trevor Harris, the Alouettes' starter in 2022, replaced Fajardo in Saskatchewan. Fajardo had a 9–7 record as a starter and helped the Alouettes to a playoff spot as runners-up in the East Division. The Alouettes reached the110th Grey Cup, in which Fajardo was named the game'sMost Valuable Player. He threw three touchdowns in the championship game, including the winning score toTyson Philpot with 13 seconds remaining.
Fajardo returned as the Alouettes' starter in 2024, winning his first five games before suffering an injury in the team's sixth game against theToronto Argonauts. Fajardo missed the next four games before returning to the starting role, sharing starts and playing time withDavis Alexander as the Alouettes went 12–5–1 and received a bye to the East Final. In the East Final, Fajardo threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns but was also intercepted twice and lost a fumble as the Alouettes lost 30–28 to the Argonauts. Following the season, Alexander was given a three-year extension, signaling the Alouettes' commitment to move on from Fajardo as their starter.
On December 17, 2024, it was announced that Fajardo had been traded to theEdmonton Elks in exchange forMcLeod Bethel-Thompson.[31] Fajardo began the 2025 season as the short-yardage quarterback and the backup to starterTre Ford.[32] After the Elks began the year with a 1–4 record, Fajardo was named the starter; he started the remaining 13 games, going 6–7 as a starter and passing for 3,408 yards, 14 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.[32][33]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won the Grey Cup | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | ||
| 2016 | TOR | 8 | 0 | 0–0 | 11 | 18 | 61.1 | 107 | 5.9 | 2 | 0 | 114.8 | 21 | 89 | 4.2 | 3 |
| 2017 | TOR | 18 | 0 | 0–0 | 18 | 30 | 60.0 | 154 | 5.1 | 2 | 0 | 95.7 | 59 | 240 | 4.1 | 5 |
| 2018 | BC | 18 | 0 | 0–0 | 14 | 20 | 70.0 | 153 | 7.7 | 1 | 1 | 88.1 | 42 | 108 | 2.6 | 5 |
| 2019 | SSK | 18 | 16 | 12–4 | 338 | 473 | 71.5 | 4,302 | 9.1 | 18 | 8 | 105.2 | 107 | 611 | 5.7 | 10 |
| 2020 | SSK | Season cancelled | Season cancelled | |||||||||||||
| 2021 | SSK | 13 | 13 | 9–4 | 281 | 404 | 69.6 | 2,970 | 7.4 | 14 | 11 | 90.9 | 78 | 468 | 6.0 | 4 |
| 2022 | SSK | 17 | 15 | 6–9 | 282 | 401 | 69.8 | 3,360 | 8.4 | 16 | 13 | 95.4 | 81 | 357 | 4.4 | 8 |
| 2023 | MTL | 18 | 16 | 9–7 | 322 | 454 | 70.9 | 3,862 | 8.5 | 15 | 12 | 96.6 | 57 | 341 | 6.0 | 3 |
| 2024 | MTL | 14 | 13 | 7–5–1 | 268 | 364 | 73.6 | 3,105 | 8.5 | 16 | 7 | 105.6 | 51 | 277 | 5.4 | 3 |
| 2025 | EDM | 18 | 13 | 6–7 | 282 | 385 | 73.2 | 3,408 | 8.9 | 14 | 7 | 104.6 | 55 | 319 | 5.8 | 7 |
| SSK career | 48 | 44 | 27–17 | 944 | 1,346 | 70.1 | 11,046 | 8.2 | 53 | 33 | 97.6 | 388 | 1,873 | 4.8 | 35 | |
| CFL career | 142 | 86 | 49–36–1 | 1,811 | 2,538 | 71.3 | 21,406 | 8.4 | 97 | 50 | 99.7 | 551 | 2,810 | 5.1 | 48 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | ||
| 2017 | TOR | 2 | 0 | 0–0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1.0 | 1 |
| 2018 | BC | 1 | 0 | 0–0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | SSK | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 27 | 41 | 65.9 | 366 | 8.9 | 0 | 1 | 83.9 | 3 | 23 | 7.7 | 0 |
| 2021 | SSK | 2 | 2 | 1–1 | 41 | 60 | 68.3 | 454 | 7.6 | 2 | 4 | 73.9 | 16 | 110 | 6.9 | 1 |
| 2023 | MTL | 3 | 3 | 3–0 | 54 | 74 | 73.0 | 677 | 9.1 | 6 | 3 | 111.2 | 11 | 118 | 10.7 | 0 |
| 2024 | MTL | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 27 | 42 | 64.3 | 330 | 7.9 | 3 | 2 | 92.4 | 8 | 49 | 6.1 | 0 |
| Career | 10 | 7 | 4–3 | 149 | 217 | 68.7 | 1,827 | 8.4 | 11 | 10 | 92.1 | 43 | 304 | 7.1 | 2 | |
