Staying on the field is top priority for Alouettes receiver Austin Mack

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It would be premature to suggest Alouettes receiver Austin Mack was a one-season phenom, but he has been unable to duplicate his outstanding 2023 accomplishments since then.

The good news is there’s plenty of football left this season. Now all Mack has to do is remain healthy after recurring injury issues.

“It’s part of the game,” Mack said this week after a practice at Stade Hébert. “It’s not always about talent. It’s always about availability and being on the field. That’s the biggest thing about being a pro — being able to manage through those and stay available for the team.

“As good of a player as I may be, if I’m on the sidelines, it’s of no help to the team. It’s making sure I do the little things, take care of the body and maximize the rest of the season on the field.”

Mack, 27, was expected to return Thursday, when the Als met the defending Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts at Molson Stadium (7:30 p.m., TSN1, TSN4, TSN5, RDS, TSN Radio-690, 98.5 FM). The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder missed the last two games with a hamstring injury and has struggled to remain healthy the last two seasons.

Mack, a former Ohio State Buckeye, arrived in Montreal in 2023 after NFL stints with the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers. Signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2020, he played 11 games as a rookie, catching nine passes for 91 yards. He was released the following season after being placed on injured reserve.

Mack was one of the Als’ most exciting players during their 2023 championship run. He had a team-leading 78 catches for 1,154 yards while scoring four touchdowns and was named a CFL all-star. He would have been a candidate for the league’s outstanding rookie award, but his NFL stint made him ineligible.

The NFL’s Atlanta Falcons took notice and he was signed as a free agent in 2024. Mack received a reported US$24,000 signing bonus, but was released after the Falcons’ opening exhibition game. Still under contract to the Als, he returned to the team on Aug. 19 and played six days later against Edmonton.

Mack caught three passes for 32 yards in the Als’ 21-17 victory, but was never able to find a groove with quarterbacks Cody Fajardo or Davis Alexander. It also likely didn’t help Mack’s cause that he was frequently deployed from the wider field side and not the boundary.

He said the timing of his return, after the team had been established, was onerous. Nonetheless, realizing his potential, general manager Danny Maciocia signed Mack to a four-year contract extension.

Mack also missed four games with an ankle injury, sustained during a practice, and was a healthy scratch when the Als travelled to B.C. on a short week. In three games, Mack caught 10 passes for 145 yards. While he was held to three receptions for 32 yards in Montreal’s East Division final loss to the Argos, his 15-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter provided the team with a spark, pulling the Als to within 27-22. But Toronto held on for a 30-28 victory.

“That’s absolutely the goal. I’m looking forward to staying healthy and being on the field,” he said. “We play a contact sport. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of nicks and bangs during the season. You don’t feel as good as you do at the start of the year. Regardless, you’ve got to manage and make sure the body’s good and you’re available for the team.”

Heading into Thursday’s game, Mack has caught 12 passes for 185 yards. But that included an impressive performance against Ottawa on June 13, when he caught five passes for 103 yards in the Als’ 39-18 win.

There’s no doubt the talent remains.

“There’s a lot of ball left,” he said. “I’m not worried. We’ve got a lot of games left. I’m excited to build with this team. We’re phenomenal. We’re dominant. In 2023, we didn’t have five (receivers) everybody had confidence in that could go for 100 yards. It’s definitely a different offence, where any one of us could go for 100 yards (in a game) and for 1,000 yards (over a season).

“All I care about is winning. If I’m getting the ball or not, helping our team to be the best that we can and be a good leader for our room. The biggest thing for me is staying on top of things and not getting any more setbacks. I’m ready to build some momentum and finish off this year strong.”