Elks, Alouettes stage final Grey Cup walkthroughs

Cody Fajardo, quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes, will follow his usual ritual of going out for a meal with teammates Justin Rankin and Austin Mack on the night before the Grey Cup. This tradition, carried out since his rookie season, signals the team's readiness for the championship game. Fajardo, who was the MVP of Montreal's 2023 Grey Cup victory, will be accompanied by his mother Nancy, echoing the same family dinner tradition.

The Montreal Alouettes and Edmonton Elks held their final walkthroughs on Saturday, leaving the players and coaches with some free time before the championship game on Sunday. Both teams are determined to repeat their success, with Montreal seeking its second league title in a row and Edmonton making its first appearance since 2015.

Despite the unpredictable weather forecast, with temperatures expected to range from 8 to 4 degrees Celsius and winds gusting up to 23 km/h, the teams are optimistic about the playing conditions. Montreal has sold or distributed 30,832 tickets for the game, leaving around 4,768 tickets still available. Both Montreal head coach Jason Maas and Edmonton head coach Mark Kilam emphasized the importance of the players relaxing and being with their families before the big game, while still maintaining their rigorous preparation and routines.

The final depth charts for both teams were released on Saturday, with game-time decisions pending until 30 minutes before kickoff.