He was rumbling with the defensive line, making crucial stops and enjoying being part of a unit that was putting up historic credentials for the Lions — a promising first-round pick Nathan Cherry was molding into.
Then In week 11, the young defensive tackle was so eager to perform in front of his family while playing in his home province against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. When he was chasing down the opposition and dragging the ball carrier along with him on a tackle, Cherry ended up at the bottom of a pile that put his 2023 season in jeopardy.
Cherry was carried off the field surrounded by teammates and trainers. A few days later, the doctor confirmed that it was an ACL injury.
“It was devastating at the moment. I was so pumped because that was our only away game in Saskatchewan, where all my family is. I had about 25 people there to come see me, Cherry recalled. The injury happened early in the first quarter. At first, I thought I had just tweaked my knee but when the doctor told me it was an ACL, I was devastated.”
There’s a first to everything. Cherry said it was his first ever serious long-term injury.
“It’s new to me. It’s been tough but at the same time, it gave me a new perspective on things and made me realize how much I miss playing football, especially seeing all my teammates still playing and going deep into the playoffs. I want to keep playing and will do everything I can to get back out there,” he added.
The injury was a humbling experience for the second-year defensive tackle. He went from living in a routine of football to a routine of physio and doctor meetings. Cherry wants to pass his gratitude to the doctor who performed his surgery and the staff at Ignite Athletics whom he’s been working together since college.
Because of them, Cherry said he is ahead of schedule. He is hoping to be back on the field for week one.
After spending the second half of the season at home in Saskatchewan, riding the highs and lows with the team through the screen, Cherry feels compassionate for the die-hard fans as he went through the same emotions every single game.
“I’m way more relaxed on the field. From far away, I couldn’t handle it. It gives you a new perspective on what it’s like watching as a die-hard fan because that’s what I’ve become when I’m not playing,” he added.
Cherry was one of three Saskatchewan Huskies selected in the 2022 BC Lions draft class. He, Riley Pickett and Noah Zerr were able to represent the Huskies on the West Coast. But in less than two years, the trio is dealing with challenges of their own.
For Cherry, it’s bouncing back from this ACL injury. For Pickett, he’s itching to solidify himself as a long snapper after learning to play a new position in one winter. For Zerr, he’s looking to find his footing in the CFL after signing in Saskatchewan last December.
“All three of us have had our challenges. Pickett is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever known. I’ve never seen anyone learn a new position in one offseason at this level, I’m super proud of him. Noah, although it didn’t work out in BC, he’s working his butt off and is training as hard as ever. He has a chip on his shoulder and I’m excited to see what happens in his career,” Cherry added.
In his second season with the Lions, Cherry was able to progress quickly with the group of players he was surrounded with like Mathieu Betts, David Menard, Sione Teuhema, Josh Banks, Woody Baron and more.
Cherry said he is shameless when it comes to cloning playstyles. He’s able to apply what the vets have taught him and learn from their best traits. Cherry stepped up big time in the first half of the 2023 season, registering nine total tackles, one quarterback sack and a forced fumble.
“I’m very proud to take what I’ve learned from year one and apply it to year two. I’m lucky enough to have the vets around encouraging and showing me the right way to do things. That’s the key is to grow and learn each year. If you do that, you’ll have a good career,” Cherry said.
As of right now, Cherry is treating this injury like a full-time job. He wakes up every morning to rehab his knee and he’s also on track to finish his business degree at the University of Saskatchewan.
A fun fact about Cherry is he never planned on going to the CFL. He was going to complete his fifth year and play one more season for the Huskies. It’s truly been a privilege for him to settle in BC and he’s excited to see what the future holds regardless of a challenging 2023 season.
“I’m just grateful that I ended up in BC. Honestly, from the bottom of my heart, I’m lucky to have coaches like Rick [Campbell], Bow [John Bowman] and RP [Ryan Phillips]. I think it all worked out. I couldn’t have asked for a better spot to land, the team, the organization. I know we are all hungry for the Grey Cup.”