Michiko Araki
If there’s a Lion who has taken on a bigger role with the team this year, it’s T.J. Lee.
The second year halfback has played in every single game this season, and is ranked second on the team in tackles with 71 to date. Not only does he currently lead the team with four interceptions, but he has also racked up three sacks to go along with it. Compare that with 24 tackles from 9 games from last season, and it’s clear that he’s leaving it all on the field this year.
“He has a bigger role on the team because he’s maturing, he’s playing better,” explains defensive coordinator Mark Washington. “He’s ruling out to become a total football player. Great cover guy, great at making tackles, making plays on the ball – those are the things you want to do to become a total football player.”
After seeing T.J.’s potential in the secondary, Coach Washington decided to give him a call in the offseason after seeing him play in the latter half of last season.
“Mark gave me a call in the offseason and let me know that I was starting this year. He said if I was ready for that role, let him know, and if not, don’t come,” explains T.J. “So I said I’ll be ready for the role. I want to be the face of the defence… I don’t want to be just another player. That’s always been big with me because I want to bring energy to the defence and the team, and that’s something that I can do.”
After getting that call, T.J. knew that he had to be ready to step into a bigger role with the Lions this season. Not just any role, but one that Mark Washington says is one of the hardest positions to play on the field.
“I’ve played a lot of positions in the secondary in U.S. ball and Canadian ball,” explains Coach Washington. “I believe that the hardest position in professional football is that weakside/shortside/boundary side halfback. In most cases you’re covering the team’s best receiver when it’s time to cover, he’s in the box sometimes playing the run… when he’s in the box, he has to play the run like a linebacker. So you go from playing linebacker to covering the best receiver to playing high to playing low – it’s a tough position to be in. With the motion, he has to run around the field a lot, and there’s a lot of things he has to do. He’s playing it well. He’s the type of person he has the right temperament for it, so that’s why he’s progressing.”
With praise like that and the plays to show it, T.J. has really progressed this season alongside his teammates and under the watchful eye of Coach Washington.
“I feel really good, obviously that’s every guy’s goal to have a big role on the team,” he says about having a bigger role. “The coaches, they put the trust in me to come in and do things that [another guy] couldn’t, so they put me in a position to make plays, and I’m happy and fortunate for that opportunity. I want to go against the best guys. Everything he told me about the position, I totally agree with. I go against some of the best guys, but that doesn’t faze me. I’m mentally tough, mentally strong, and I’m ready for any challenge.”
Despite having bigger responsibilities, T.J. has shouldered his new role quite well this season and is looking forward to showing fans what he can do.
“I want [the fans] to know me for my energy – that’s something you can’t coach, something that no one can take away from you: your personality on the field. My agent talks to me a lot about it, he can tell when I play with my energy, with my confidence, my strength. When I come like that, no one can ever stop me. no crowd noise or any type of adversity can stop me.“
One thing’s for sure – T.J. Lee is surely making a name for himself this season in the secondary.