There’s plenty for cornerback Lorenzo Burns and the Montreal Alouettes to be happy about these days.
After enduring a five-game losing streak, Montreal (8-7) has won three straight games to move within two points of the first-place Hamilton Tiger-Cats (9-6) in the East Division.
What’s more, starting quarterback Davis Alexander has returned, passing for 350 yards and a touchdown in last week’s 38-20 victory over the Calgary Stampeders.
Alexander, 26, had missed eight straight games with a hamstring injury and Montreal had gone 3-7 this season without him. But last week Alexander improved to 9-0 as a CFL starter, setting a league record for most wins to start a career.
“It’s a great thing to get Davis back, he has that fire and that drive,” Burns said. “But he’s been around the whole time.
“He has been talking to everybody, he’s been keeping the fire going on the sideline, he has been travelling to road games and been keeping us motivated. Having him back is a big thing.”
Although Montreal is in striking distance of first in the East, it will help to overtake Hamilton. In the event of a tie, the Ticats would finish higher after winning the season series.
“We’ve got to focus on what’s in front of us and that’s Ottawa back to back (Oct. 13 and Oct. 18) and then Winnipeg (on Oct. 25),” Burns said “We can’t worry about something later if we don’t handle the business that’s right in front of us.”
Burns, a 27-year-old Californian, signed with Montreal on Sept. 9, 2024 and appeared in five regular-season games, registering 17 tackles and one special-teams tackle. This year, with the benefit of a full off-season and training camp, Burns has played in 13 contests, accumulating 58 tackles, three special-teams tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
“Last year, I was just coming off a season in the spring (with UFL-champion Birmingham Stallions) and my body was pretty worn down,” Burns said. “The Canadian game wasn’t that hard to get adjusted to but the reason why it looks so much different for me this year is because physically I feel much better.”
Burns also has familiarity with Montreal defensive co-ordinator Noel Thorpe. The two won a 2022 USFL championship with Birmingham.
“He’s so creative,” Bruns said. “He’s like a painter, when he’s working you’re trying to understand what the final product might look like.
“But when he’s done you’re like, ‘OK, I see what you’re talking about.’ I love playing in his defence, he always has a great defensive plan.”
Burns joined the Alouettes with a definite winning pedigree, having played on three straight Stallions championship squads (USFL titles in 2022 and ’23, ’24 UFL crown). Birmingham’s secondary coach/defensive co-ordinator is Corey Chamblin, who was Saskatchewan’s head coach when the Roughriders won the ’13 Grey Cup.
“It’s funny because he was showing us film of the year they went to the Grey Cup and it was snowing, I mean pouring down snow,” Burns chuckled. “And I thought to myself, ‘I’d never go up there and play in the snow, I couldn’t do it.’
“I had a conversation with him to come up here and all he told me was, ‘Just do what you do, get adjusted to the rules. The game is going to be the game, you’ll get adjusted to that fast. Just do what you do and you’ll be fine.’ That’s always stuck with me.”
Chamblin has an extensive CFL coaching background. He served as an assistant with Winnipeg (2007), Calgary (2008-10), Hamilton (2011) and Toronto (2017, winning another Grey Cup) and was also the Argos head coach (2019).
“What Zo’s doing is who Zo is,” Chamblin said. “He’s going to attack everything like a bulldog, he doesn’t know any other way but one way.
“They (Alouettes) have a good one who’s going to give them stability in their back end. In the playoffs, his experience will show. He has experienced big games so he understands how to thrive and excel in them. He’s not going to have butterflies, he’s not overthinking it. He’s out there with one purpose, to literally the best on every play.”
The CFL is the latest stop on quite the football odyssey for Burns.
Following five years at the University of Arizona (2016-20), Burns joined the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals as a ’21 undrafted free agent. He also spent time with Jacksonville (2021) and Cleveland (2023) and had the stints with Birmingham before signing with Montreal.
“I’d be lying if I said I’ve never looked back at my journey and said, ‘Wow, it’s been wild ride,'” Burns said. “The biggest takeaway is it’s a blessing to get the opportunity to experience all of these different atmospheres and environments.
“But to be honest, any player up here has had similar experiences to mine. You’ve got to be resilient no matter where you go on this football journey, that’s definitely key.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2025.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
