Inside the CFL: 'The Montreal Alouettes changed my life,' Tanner Marsh says
While the former QB struggled during his three years with the team, he met and fell in love with his wife while in our city.
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While Tanner Marsh’s brief CFL career had few memorable moments, the former Alouettes quarterback can always lay claim to getting the girl. And isn’t that the way every professional athlete’s story should unfold?
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Inside the CFL: 'The Montreal Alouettes changed my life,' Tanner Marsh says Back to video
Marsh, 34, was hardly a star during his three seasons with the team, beginning in 2013. Third on the depth chart as a rookie, he eventually became a short-yardage specialist and had few starts. There were some highs and far too many lows. But at 6-foot-4 and 218 pounds, combined with his Texas drawl and good looks, many would have considered him a catch.
That it was Chelsey Narvey, a 33-year-old Dollard-des-Ormeaux native with little football knowledge, who did the catching probably came as a shock to Marsh.
The two met through mutual friends almost a decade ago, were married at Montreal’s posh Mount Stephen Club in August 2022, and are expecting their first child — a girl — in November. The couple have returned to the city this week to visit family, have Narvey’s baby shower and for Marsh to attend Saturday night’s Als game against Calgary at Molson Stadium.
“It must have been my charm and Texas accent,” Marsh quipped this week during a lengthy interview. “I must have tricked her really well. She found me when I was playing and I was in good shape. We want to be challenged as players. We have a competitive nature. She challenged the hell out of me. She’s obviously gorgeous, loved to have a good time and is smart.”
The two have a home in the Houston area. Narvey is an assistant professor in the department of criminal justice and criminology at Sam Houston State in Huntsville, Tex. She did her undergraduate studies at Concordia, received her master’s degree from the University of California in Irvine and her PhD in criminology from the University of Texas.
In the football world this is known as outkicking your coverage. “She completely changed my life,” admitted Marsh, who has found financial success in the commercial and residential real-estate market, purchasing investment properties.
“I love the city and love coming back. The Montreal Alouettes changed my life. I found the love of my life … and met the person that literally changed my life.”
On the field, however, it was another story, Marsh one of a revolving door of pivots with the misfortune of arriving as Anthony Calvillo’s illustrious career was ending, sparking some of the darkest days in the organization’s history.
“It was a s—show,” Marsh said, succinctly summarizing his Als tenure. “That was a weird era we were in. All those quarterbacks were highly affected by not being around the best offensive coaches. It was a weird time.
“Replacing A.C. was tough,” added Marsh. “As someone who came in after him, those were very big shoes to fill.”
If Marsh failed he was hardly alone, joined by — in no particular order — Josh Neiswander, Troy Smith, Jonathan Crompton, Alex Brink, Dan LeFevour, Rakeem Cato, Brandon Bridge, Anthony Boone and Tajh Boyd over a three-year period. There was never an heir apparent to Calvillo, forced to retire after suffering a concussion during an August 2013 game at Saskatchewan. Marsh was one of seven quarterbacks used in 2015.
That revolving door was a microcosm of the instability that plagued the organization, which went through three head coaches — four counting general manager Jim Popp’s two stints — along with numerous offensive co-ordinators and QB coaches. But there was always something different, magical at times, about Marsh. Reckless and unpredictable, yet strangely exciting, he was the antithesis of Calvillo.
When Marsh was good, he was very good. His first career win came as a rookie against B.C., a dramatic 39-38 comeback, during which his 57-yard desperation throw to Eric Deslauriers set up the winning field goal and started the Marsh Madness phenomenon. At Toronto the following week, Marsh won his first game as a starter, passing for more than 300 yards. During a 2015 game at Hamilton, Marsh came off the bench for the injured Cato and led the Als to a 26-23 victory.
But there was plenty of bad as well, including a September 2015 loss at home against the Lions during which Marsh was intercepted five times, held to 103 yards passing. The following day, offensive co-ordinator Turk Schonert was fired.
Marsh’s final game as an Alouette took place that November in Edmonton, his fate seemingly sealed by a costly fourth-quarter fumble with the team primed to score. The loss eliminated Montreal from the playoffs for the first time in 20 years and Marsh was released the following January.
In all, Marsh played 44 games for the Als, passing for 1,351 yards and five touchdowns. He also was intercepted 15 times.
Marsh regrets that another CFL opportunity never presented itself and wonders how his career might have unfolded had he been exposed to Ottawa in the 2014 expansion draft or traded the following season, when ordered to renegotiate his contract or be released.
“I’m that guy who was going to give you either 400 passing yards or four interceptions,” Marsh admitted. “I wish I would have got that fresh start and opportunity. I thought I could have helped numerous teams. I can’t tell you how many CFL players had their careers ended by bad coaches.”
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