Photo credit: David Mahussier/3DownNation
It’s indeed a true homecoming for Michael Couture. The Burnaby native and pride of both Coquitlam Minor and the Centennial Centaurs football programs was on cloud nine as he basked in the glow of officially putting pen to paper on his two-year contract with the BC Lions. Naturally, the memories of watching his heroes as a kid with season tickets came flooding back.
“Since I was a little kid, it was always a dream to play for this team, and to be wanted by this club at this point of my career was really important and it fell together perfectly for me here,” said Couture during a zoom call with members of the media.
“I used to be that kid that would run down at the end of games and try to slap hands with the players. To have those roles reversed and be in the same stadium where I was a little kid is really a dream. I’m pretty excited about it.”
Couture is British Columbia football to the core. A lot of his love and devotion to the game has to do with his late father Dan, who sadly passed away from cancer in June 2020. His parents separated when he was a young age and Michael’s bond with Dan came from the gridiron. It was his dad who enrolled him on his very first squad back in PeeWee.
“I’ll get emotional just talking about this but he was the reason I’m playing football. I know he’s looking down and I just wish he was here for this,” said a teary-eyed Couture on Dan’s impact.
Couture Represents Big Coup For Campbell And Co.
With Neil McEvoy and Rick Campbell stating from the beginning it wouldn’t be an active buyer’s market for the Lions compared to other years, expectations were tempered in the den fairly quickly. As time went on, however, it became clear the centre position would be one in need of an upgrade with veteran Peter Godber leaving for Saskatchewan. A two-time Grey Cup champion in Winnipeg, Couture was one they zoned in on as soon as the negotiating window opened last week.
“We think he’s a top-rate centre in this league,” said Campbell.
“(It’s)a bonus that he’s from here. It’s not why we did it. But I think it’s a bonus that he’s from here. (A) two-year contract, so we’re excited to get him.”
A second-round selection (tenth overall) by the Bombers in the 2016 CFL Draft, Couture worked his way into a full-time starting in 2019 when he helped Andrew Harris capture a third-straight CFL rushing crown and would earn his first Grey Cup ring despite going down with an injury prior to the Bombers’ playoff run.
The 2021 Blue Bombers will be remembered as one of the best single-season teams in modern league history and Couture would not be denied an appearance in the Grey Cup that December when they took down Hamilton once again. Along the way, he also made a few friends that he is now reunited with in the Lions’ den.
“Sukh Chungh is a big one for me,” explained Couture.
“I spent four years in Winnipeg with Sukh, and every offseason we’ve been in the CFL we trained with the same trainer. So, I’m with him every week. We’re very much on the same page with how we play the game. Dominique Davis is another guy who was a backup (QB), who we just signed, that I was with in Winnipeg early in my career. There are definitely some familiar faces that it will be nice to reconnect with.”
He also had a glowing review of the first old/new teammate to chime in on his signing via Instagram: the one and only Lucky Whitehead.
“Oh, of course. How could I forget Luck? Absolute character. Fantastic teammate. I can’t wait to see him,” chuckled Couture.
The Chungh connection will pay dividends right away, especially for an offensive line that is in transition with the pending departures of Godber to the Riders and starting left tackle Joel Figueroa slated to sign in Hamilton.
A big reason for the recent success in Winnipeg was the continuity amongst key veterans on the offensive line with Couture and the likes of Stanley Bryant, Jamarcus Hardrick, Pat Neufeld and Geoff Gray. The former SFU standout will be counted on to become a leader from day one in what has become a tighter locker room in the last year.
“That was one of the biggest pieces for me. You can see how tight the Lions have become, especially last year,” said Couture.
“Again, that’s one of the hardest things for me leaving Winnipeg, was the brothers in the locker room. It’s very exciting to know I’ll be coming into another room, another family, another band of brothers that are doing the same thing. I’m excited to be a part of that.”
“Championship level football; that’s the level we have to get to,” added McEvoy.
“Having a guy like Michael puts us in that right direction. Being a local guy, being a player that plays at a high level, that’s what we’re looking for. Being local is a good addition to it but he’s a guy we’ve been wanting to sign for a couple of years and we’re grateful that this time it was able to work out.”
Along with the chance to win and be reunited with a few old friends from his Bombers tenure, the local boy is also embracing the chance to give back to his community.
“I went to Forest Grove Elementary in North Burnaby. Geroy Simon and Jason Clermont came to my school,” explained Couture.
“Geroy was my favourite player growing up and to walk into the gymnasium in my school and see him in the flesh is something I’ll never forget.”
It has now come full circle for the gritty leader up front. You just know Dan Couture hasn’t stopped smiling from above.