Veteran cornerback Houston is starting a new CFL chapter with the Calgary Stampeders

Demerio Houston is hoping quarterback Jake Meyer doesn't hold a grudge when the Calgary Stampedes open training camp next month.

Houston caught Mayer twice last season against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and returned one 45 yards for his first CFL touchdown. The two are now teammates after Houston signed a two-year deal with Calgary in February that included $275,000 in hard money.

Houston's TD sealed a 19-18 win over Winnipeg on Aug. 18 that swept the two-game season series. The pick-six capped a stellar campaign in which Houston led the CFL in interceptions (seven) and defense (10).

“It was my first (six) as a pro, so it will always stay with me,” Houston said. “I hope they (Mayer, Stampeders) forgive me now that we're on the same team.”

The five-foot-10, 173-pound Houston was a 2023 CFL All-Star who added 50 tackles in 15 regular-season contests. He helped Winnipeg to its fourth straight Gray Cup appearance, but the Bombers lost 28-24 to the Montreal Alouettes in Hamilton.

Houston originally signed with Winnipeg for 2020, but that season was canceled due to the global pandemic. He started 2021 on the practice roster and then cracked the active roster late in the year.

He was in his last three championships with Winnipeg, including a 33-25 overtime win over Hamilton at Tim Hortons in 2021. The following year, the Bombers dropped a heartbreaking 24-23 decision to Toronto in Regina.

“It (the loss in Montreal) will stay with me and probably stay with me for the rest of my career,” Houston said. “But it's something I use as fuel and grow from.

“I can't change it. I would change if I could, but you have to learn from it and improve.”

The Stampeders have made the CFL playoffs for 18 seasons, the longest active streak in league history and the fourth longest. They have won eight Gray Cups, most recently in 2018.

Houston, of course, has a nose for football in 2023, attributing his success to careful film study, preparation off the field and staying active during the game.

“It starts with running the ball,” he said. “A lot of my plays are with the ball in the air, but I also had three fumbles last year, and he's running the football, and good things happen when you do that.

“Film study helps you know when you need a big play and when they go deep or try to take a short route. It's taking full advantage of the opportunities when they come.”

Calgary's defense already has top players in defensive lineman Mike Rose (11 sacks) and linebackers Micah Ave (club-record 134 defensive tackles) and Canadian Cameron Judge (90 defensive tackles, team-high five tackles). However, more is expected of Houston, which is a good thing.

“I feel like people ask if I can do it again and I wonder if I can do it myself,” Houston said. “There will be pressure to go to a new team and have to learn everything and a new system.

“I've been doing it my whole career and I'm betting on myself again. Calgary is betting on me too.''

Houston recorded 84 tackles, three special teams and nine interceptions in 30 regular-season games with Winnipeg.

“Teams are always looking for dominant, playmaking corners, and Demerio, coming off a stellar '23 season, had plenty of opportunities to explore,” said Kenny Kim, Houston, Florida agent of Summit Athletes. “We all understand what professional football is all about, and Demerio went to a team that values ​​him as a man and a star-caliber quarterback.”

Ideally, Houston would like to stay with Winnipeg, but if that's not possible, Calgary is his top destination, he said. Houston won't have to wait long to meet his former team, as the Stamps and Bombers not only meet in the preseason (May 31 at Winnipeg) but also twice during the regular season (June 29 at McMahon Stadium, July 12 at Queens). Autostadion).

“(Facing the Bombers) will be different,” Houston said. “My wife and I were talking about it and she asked me if I thought (the Winnipeg fans) were going to cheer or cheer me.

“I hope they're happy, but if they praise me, that comes with the territory. I'm excited (to be back in Winnipeg), but honestly, I go into every game with the same mindset and attitude … play my best and win.”

This Canadian Press report was first published on April 12, 2024.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press