Jay Dearborn chasing Olympic gold during CFL off-season

Only a few years into a bobsleigh career, Jay Dearborn is heading to the Olympics.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive back/linebacker was named to Canada’s team for the Beijing Winter Olympics on Thursday.

(Canadian Olympic Committee/Submitted)

“I never thought bobsleigh when I was a little kid. I feel like a lot of kids grow up watching the Olympics and seeing your Team Canada athletes succeed and do well, then there’s the whole buildup of watching the Olympics every two years,” Dearborn said. “I feel like a lot of kids have an Olympic dream of some sort.”

Bobsleigh wasn’t on the radar for the 27-year-old growing up in Yarker, Ont.

“When I was younger, it was hockey like a lot of kids,” he said. “I never had a dream about bobsleigh but I had a dream about Olympics like a lot of kids.”

It would be football where Dearborn found his first success as an athlete. He turned a solid university career with the Carleton Ravens into a professional career after signing with the CFL’s Roughriders in 2019 as an undrafted free agent.

But after suffering a calf injury during a pre-season game in his rookie year, he was released from the team.

“I was basically hobbling around so (I was) not much use on the football field, so they sent me with my bags packed and said, ‘Let us know when you get healthy. (We) would love to see you again,’ ” Dearborn said.

During that rehab time, the Ontario bobsleigh organization held an introductory course for the sport.

“I was like, ‘Sure, I’ll give it a try. I don’t know if football will come back into my life or not,’ ” Dearborn said. “That’s kind of what got me into the sport.”

With the cancellation of the 2020 CFL season, Dearborn stayed in the loop when it came to bobsleigh and was invited to try out for the national team.

“Bobsleigh is looking for that strong, explosive, fast athlete and that’s exactly what my training has been for football my entire life. It’s nice and they kind of go hand in hand because I don’t feel like I’m ignoring one by training for another,” Dearborn said. “Both of their off-seasons look similar, which allows me to succeed at both.”

In 2021, football did come back into the life of Dearborn. He dressed for eight games with the Riders with the understanding he would continue to be a part of the bobsleigh team when he could.

“Throughout the season, (the Roughriders) were pretty understanding and super supportive. They were happy for me to take off on bye week and do my official testing for the bobsled team,” Dearborn said.

“There were some long weekends where we had a couple weekends off where I zipped off to Calgary and put my time in there to keep that door open while I was continuing to play.”

Things have been moving quickly for Dearborn since the Riders’ season ended with a 21-17 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the West Division final.

“We had our breakdown meetings on the Monday after that game and then I think on Tuesday or Wednesday I was on a plane home and then straight down to Lake Placid to join the (bobsleigh) team there,” Dearborn said.

From there he has gone to places like Latvia, Germany and Switzerland.

And next on his list will be Beijing for the Olympic Games. He’ll ride in the four-man sled piloted by Taylor Austin.

“It’s kind of funny. I just picked it up recently and never thought bobsleigh would be a huge part of my life and within a couple years, it’s one of two sports that I’m extremely passionate about and happy to be in a high level in,” Dearborn said.

And he’s looking to continue participating in both sports as long as he can. Dearborn is a pending free agent for the Riders.

“I’m going to try to keep both alive as long as possible. I love both sports. They are both two totally different atmospheres, two different experiences,” Dearborn said. “They are a ton of fun and this bobsleigh thing is new and super exciting but I’ve loved football since Grade 6.”