Cody Fajardo and the Montreal Alouettes are unlikely Grey Cup champions.
Fajardo's 19-yard touchdown pass to Canadian Tyson Philpot rallied Montreal to a thrilling 28-24 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sunday in Hamilton.
It earned the Alouettes their first CFL title since 2010 and came after an uncertain off-season that saw the franchise taken over by the league in February before it was sold the following month to businessman Pierre Karl Peladeau.
Fajardo's toss capped a stellar seven-play, 83-yard march. It included a clutch 31-yard completion to Cole Spieker on third-and-five before a Tim Hortons Field sellout of 28,808 as Montreal ended 2023 with eight straight victories.