Hamilton Tiger-Cats offensive lineman Brandon Revenberg takes part in a practice at Tim Hortons Field, in Hamilton, Ont., on Dec. 10, 2021.Nick Iwanyshyn/The Canadian Press
Brandon Revenberg has quietly become a model of consistency with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The 6-foot-4, 301-pound offensive lineman has missed just one game since being taken third overall in the 2016 CFL draft. On Friday night, the veteran guard will appear in his 100th career regular-season contest when Hamilton visits the Calgary Stampeders.
“He’s exactly what you hope [for] when you draft a lineman like that, you hope they’re all 10-year guys,” Orlondo Steinauer, Hamilton’s head coach/president of football operations, told reporters this week. “Excited for him and us that he’ll be playing in his 100th game.
“I don’t know if he wants to play 100 more but he’s one of those guys that, at one point, you’re really going to miss.”
Predictably, the humble Revenberg, 29, of Essex, Ont., played down the significance of the milestone.
“I realize it’s a decent career so far but at the end of the day it’s just a number,” Revenberg said. “Definitely happy to be with the same organization for that long.
“It’s a good amount of games but it’s just another game.”
However, it’s one that means a lot for both teams.
Hamilton (5-10) assumed control of its playoff destiny with last week’s 18-14 home win over the idle Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-10) in the battle for the East Division’s third and final postseason berth. The Ticats can clinch the No. 3 seed by winning all three of their final regular-season contests.
Calgary (10-5) remains in contention for second in the West Division and home field advantage for the conference semi-final. Currently the Stampeders are tied with B.C. (10-5) but must finish with more points than the Lions, who own the tiebreaker after having won the season series.
History certainly isn’t on Hamilton’s side. The Ticats have lost 15 straight games at McMahon Stadium, their last victory there coming in 2004.
What’s more, Calgary is 5-0 against East Division teams. Hamilton is 2-5 versus the West but 0-7 on the road.
“They’re facts and so we deal with it,” Steinauer said of Hamilton’s record at McMahon Stadium. “It is what it is.
“It’s great to talk about, we don’t run from it. We just feel like it has no bearing on what’s going to happen this Friday.”
Revenberg quickly established himself as one of the league’s top offensive linemen. He’s a three-time CFL all-star and twice has been named the East Division’s top lineman.
Revenberg has also helped Hamilton reached the Grey Cup game the last two seasons.
“He’s built for this city,” Steinauer said of Revenberg. “He’s just tough, consistent.
“It’s like the ultimate compliment, right, when you’re unnoticed he just goes to work.”
Revenberg said offensive linemen playing in Hamilton understand the city’s blue-collar persona.
“It’s hard-nosed football,” he said. “That’s what the city is about and at the end of the day that’s what the O-line is about.”
Revenberg’s durability gives the franchise peace of mind that he’ll always be there.
“The one thing you can’t do is create experience,” Steinauer said. “I think the other thing that’s so unnoticed is just the steady presence of what nobody sees, just being in the building and having been there before.
“He’s that guy and it’s fun when you actually have some conversations with him and find out what his interests are and those type of things. But he’s a pretty private guy, pretty much to himself. But that O-line room is always special.”
Against Saskatchewan, Wes Hills ran for 132 yards on 25 carries. Hills said a big part of his success was the play of Revenberg and the entire offensive line.
“It’s critical,” Hills said. “You can’t have a game like that without the guys up front.
“And they’re playing on a whole different level, as you can see. You can see it in practice, you can see it in games. They play a huge part.”
Revenberg said the Ticats offensive line enjoys blocking on run plays.
“That [run blocking] is a lot of fun, man,” he said. “We love running the ball here.
“At the end of the day we’re going to do whatever play is called. We know we have to execute but when we get to hit guys a little more, that’s a good time.”
Hills said when an offensive line is playing well, the entire offence benefits.
“Once you kind of get into your zone, you see them in their zone and you just kind of feed off of it,” he said. “You just continue to build up that confidence, not only just as a running back but as a quarterback also.
“It’s critical. What they’re doing up front right now is a real big game-changer.”