While the NFL pre-season really means nothing when it comes to determining which teams will look good when the games actually count, the exhibition schedule can be an excellent stage for players to show they belong in the spotlight.
Canadians John Metchie III and Mathieu Betts took advantage of their opportunities in pre-season play on Saturday.
Metchie, a receiver for the Houston Texans, dove to haul in a three-yard touchdown pass from Case Keenum in the second quarter of the team’s victory over the New York Giants.
It was the first touchdown for Metchie, 24, since 2021 in the NCAA ranks for Alabama. He missed all of 2022 after being diagnosed with leukemia before making 16 catches for 158 yards in his first NFL season last year.
Metchie, raised in Brampton, Ont., led the Texans with six catches for 68 yards on Saturday.
“It’s exciting to see Metchie make those plays,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Nobody is more fired up than all of his teammates, you see the other receivers and their genuine excitement for him when he makes those plays. The entire team, as a whole, is pulling for him to do well.”
The Texans are loaded at receiver, but star quarterback C.J. Stroud was singing the praises of Metchie after the game.
“Metchie’s been working really hard. He’s a great friend of mine, somebody I have a lot of love for,” Stroud said. “It’s just exciting for him to be able to put all his talents on display. I’m really excited for him. … It’s only just the beginning for him.”
Meanwhile, Betts, a rookie defensive lineman with the Detroit Lions, shot through the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line to sack quarterback Carson Wentz in the second quarter of their game.
The 29-year-old Montreal native signed with Detroit in the off-season after recording 18 sacks and being named top defensive player in the CFL last season with the B.C. Lions.
Betts entered the CFL with Edmonton in 2019 after a training-camp look with the Chicago Bears in the aftermath of an excellent university career at Laval.
— with files from AP.