Mentorship program gives veteran Masoli insight into options off football field

By Canadian Press on March 9, 2026.

WATERLOO, ONTARIO — He hasn’t closed the door on a 14th CFL season but Jeremiah Masoli is looking at how he can continue chasing a Grey Cup title off the football field.

The 37-year-old quarterback remains a free agent and is open to playing in 2026. But experience has taught the San Francisco native he’s the exception rather than the norm in a game where the average pro career lasts less than four years.

Last week, Masoli participated in the CFL’s mentorship program, a joint initiative between the league and CFL Players’ Association that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the business of football.

Masoli was among a group of players who attended information sessions and did job shadowing at the league’s head office in such departments as football operations, social media and content, marketing and communications and partnerships.

They also visited TSN – the CFL’s broadcast partner – and assisted during the league’s invitational combine Friday at the University of Waterloo. Masoli had always envisioned becoming a football coach upon retirement but said the mentorship program expanded his post-career horizons.

“Before this, the obvious and easy choice for me was coaching and I do want to be able to call an offence one day and earn that and work into that position and title,” he said. “But after going through this, a couple of things really stood out.

“First was partnerships and really being able to get behind our product, take it outside and sell it to somebody and have a partnership with them, and be able to sell the assets we have and just find those joint win-win situations. Another thing I really liked was the strategy behind broadcasting, the times of the game, the schedule, some of the tempo ideas and themes of the week … seeing what it’s like behind the scenes definitely piqued my interest.”

The five-foot-11 228-pound Masoli spent last season with B.C. He broke into the CFL with Edmonton in 2012 and spent time with Hamilton (2013-19, 2021) and Ottawa (2022-24) before joining the Lions.

Masoli’s best season was 2018 with Hamilton when he established career highs for passes (572), completions (378), yards (5,209), TDs (28) and rushing yards (473). He was the East’s outstanding player and a division all-star that year.

Hamilton reached the Grey Cup in 2019 and ’21, losing both times to Winnipeg. A season-ending knee injury sidelined Masoli for the Ticats’ first championship appearance – Dane Evans started – but he relieved Evans in the second, passing for 185 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in a 33-25 overtime loss.

Masoli continues to weigh his ’26 options with his family: wife Vunga, son Kennedy and daughter Serena.

“It’s up in the air right now,” he said. “I’ve been married for 11 years and been so lucky to have someone who supports my career and is willing to come to a different country.

“When I married my wife, I never told her we’d be living in Canada but she loves Canada, our kids were born in the GTA (greater Toronto area) and it’s a second home for us no matter what. I want to continue my career in football and hopefully it’s with the CFL and continuing to grow this game and helping make it better.”

However, Masoli admits pondering retirement isn’t easy.

“It’s tough because you’re a competitor, you just want to win,” he said. “Personally, I’ve never won a Grey Cup and in my mind I’ve always wanted a Cup, wanted to be the best but it doesn’t always happen.

“You meet guys all of the time who had a 10-year career and never got to the Grey Cup so it goes both ways. I’m just grateful for my time. I know I’ll still be in the game … and that call to throw a corner route versus man coverage, that’s always going to be there.”

But the quest for a Grey Cup isn’t the only reason why Masoli would like to remain in the CFL in some capacity once his playing days are over.

“It’s the relationships,” he said. “There’s such a unique cultural aspect to our league to where it’s really a players’ circle and we’re tight.

“Even after I’m done playing, that community, that brotherhood, the cultural aspect of wanting to get better all the time are reasons why I’d love to stay within it. Those are things I believe in personally.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 9, 2026.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press