Ayden Eberhardt’s journey from adversity to REDBLACKS Most Outstanding Player

The journey for Ayden Eberhardt - to get to where he is, to put up the kind of numbers it takes to be considered his team’s best player - tells you a lot about the player himself.

The football path for the 28-year-old receiver, announced Thursday as the Ottawa REDBLACKS’ Most Outstanding Player, has had some significant speed bumps. We’re talking about stuff that not only sidetracked him, it made him question whether it was worth pushing ahead toward his dream of becoming a professional football player.

But before we backtrack in his story, let’s stick to the present. When the REDBLACKS signed Eberhardt in the CFL free-agency period early this year, they not only got a talented pass catcher; they got a student of the game, a player who is well prepared for any adversity thrown his way.

In 17 games this season, Eberhardt has 86 receptions for 1,097 yards and eight touchdowns. It’s the first time he's eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark; in his three seasons as a BC Lion, his numbers went from 69 to 639 to 863 yards.

Asked about Eberhardt, head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said: “He’s got a high compete level; you wish you had a bunch of them on your team.”

Let’s circle back to early in Eberhardt’s football journey. A smallish quarterback, he was switched to receiver as a walk-on at the University of Wyoming.

Then, came the adversity, things that put a lot of questions into the young football player’s mind.

In 2021, his season was derailed by a knee injury; he tore his ACL and meniscus. A month after surgery, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. It was a stunning turn of events.

Here’s how he found out the news.

Explained Eberhardt: “The nurse came in and said, ‘How many units do you have on you?’ I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ They asked again, ‘How many units?’ I was like, ‘I still don't know what you're talking about. I've got like five bucks if you're talking about money’. And they're like, ‘Oh, you don't know you're diabetic?’ I said: ‘I think you have the wrong room, I'm not diabetic.’ They’re like, ‘Buddy you have enough of a blood sugar number right now that you probably should be in a coma.’

“It was very difficult. I bawled my eyes out. Finally, it was just like, ‘Okay, how do we move on? What can I eat? How much insulin should I take? How do I make this work?’

‘It was probably the darkest six months I've had of my life. The diabetes thing was just another knock, and I didn’t know if I was going to play football again. My thoughts were, ‘I’m going to give myself a week. I'm going to be pissed off at the world. I can just be super mad.’ After that week was up, I was like, ‘Okay, I want to play football again. What do I have to do? What's my plan?’ I dedicated all my time to getting back into rehab for my knee and I also had the obstacle of diabetes.

“Adversity is always tough. You're going to be mad at the world, but you have to find a new normal. I didn’t want to be a person who stopped playing and said diabetes or a knee injury stopped me from doing what I love and want to do.”

It’s not like the diabetes magically disappears. It’s something Eberhardt deals with each day. He wears a pump that supplies insulin underneath his skin. Every five minutes, he gets a number of where his sugar level is at and the pump will react accordingly. He takes the pump off during games, but keeps his monitor on. The trainers have his phone so they can keep him posted. So far, there have been no issues.

The REDBLACKS are coming off a thrilling 40-39 victory over the Toronto Argonauts - Eberhardt hauled in a 24-yard touchdown pass with six seconds left - and finish their season Saturday (3 p.m.) in Hamilton.

Bryson Barnes gets his second straight start at quarterback after completing 27-of-37 for 339 yards, with two of the passes connecting for touchdowns, a week ago. The team will want to get another extended look at the rookie; it wouldn’t be surprising if he played the entire game against the Ticats.

One significant change for the REDBLACKS is at running back, with Ricky Person Jr. (added to the practice roster a month ago) listed as the starter. Daniel Adebeboye (head injury) shifts to the injured list.

“We want to finish on a high note, end the season right, especially after last week,” said Dinwiddie. “We’ve got that taste of winning in our mouth now, so the guys are excited about the opportunity.”

The win over Toronto, after 16 straight losses, was the sort of uplifting moment the team desperately needed.

“It was the monkey off the back, finally,” said Eberhardt. “It was an improbable way to win, but that added a bit more emotion to it. You show up every day with a great attitude. But when you’re losing, it challenges you to look at yourself and say, ‘Where can I prepare better? How can I get better on the field?’

“Now the feeling is, ‘Let’s get to Hamilton and keep this going.’ ”

Asked if anything about Eberhardt has surprised him, Dinwiddie said: “I didn't know he was as physical as he is, and he's really good with the ball in his hands after the catch. I loved his film in BC; I didn't know how fast he was going to take off, but I knew he'd have a good season. He’s got a lot of good football left in him. I see him being here for a long time."

“I expect (to have success),” said Eberhardt. “Any ball thrown my way, I need to be able to come down with it; I think that's what any receiver expects of themselves. At the same time, (the success) is not necessarily a reflection on just me. It's a reflection on the offence as a whole. To be able to make a play, others have to do their job.

“I was a free agent coming into this year. I’m thankful (to the REDBLACKS) for believing in me and giving me opportunities to make plays that I wasn't having a chance to do elsewhere. I'll forever be grateful for that. I think I've been ready for a long time, but it’s been a learning process (in the CFL). The game slows down. (In B.C.), the opportunities and the number of times the ball came my way kept building. That’s still on the rise. I feel blessed by the opportunities.”

The journey continues for Eberhardt, who has found plenty of motivation and inspiration along the way.

“Being told you’re too small to play quarterback, being told you’re not fast enough, that stuff definitely motivated me,” he said. “But I was lucky to be around the people (including his parents Kyle and Desi) and coaches I was surrounded by. A lot of people have believed in me."