Courtesy Montreal Gazette:

He is about to begin his 15th Canadian Football League season, but Anthony Calvillo was nervous on the plane ride to Winnipeg yesterday.

And that, the Alouettes’ starting quarterback said, is good.

“I’m anxious to get on the field,” said Calvillo, 35, scheduled to play at least the first quarter of tonight’s final exhibition game, against the Blue Bombers. “I had goosebumps on the plane. To have that excitement is encouraging.”

Calvillo has been extremely durable during his career, rarely missing games. But he played in only 13 regular-season games last season. First, he missed three games with a torn rotator cuff in September. And then, at the end of the season, he took a leave of absence after his wife, Alexia Kontolemos, learned she had cancer. Calvillo missed the final two games, along with the Als’ heartbreaking playoff loss against the Bombers in the East Division semifinal.

He hasn’t played since Oct. 20 against Toronto, when the Als lost 16-9 to the Argonauts at Olympic Stadium. Calvillo completed 18 of 35 passes for 283 yards, but failed to generate a touchdown and was intercepted twice.

Statistically, it was one of his poorest seasons, although he completed more than 67 per cent of his throws. Calvillo generated a modest 3,608 yards and 17 touchdowns with eight interceptions.

He didn’t play last week, in the Als’ exhibition opener against Toronto. Calvillo was scheduled to play a series or two, but was bothered by an ankle problem. Marcus Brady was scheduled to start until suffering back spasms in the warmup.

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