Receiver suffered ligament damage to the lisfranc joint in his right foot after his cleats got stuck in the Molson Stadium turf.
“Anyone in that situation, the outcome would have been the same,” Philpot told The Gazette by telephone on Monday — the first time he has talked publicly about the injury after recently announcing it on his Instagram account. “Just the way when I spun around and got tackled, my foot got caught in the turf. But it had nothing to do with the turf.
“The funny thing is I’ve had no pain through this whole time,” he added. “That’s why I was so confident I’d be able to come back. Even when I hurt it, there was an awkward feeling but no pain.”
Philpot will remain in the walking boot for the next three or four months. He underwent August surgery to have a screw inserted in the foot, and will undergo another procedure in December to have it removed. Although it can take a year or more to return to intense exercise with this type of injury, Philpot has been advised his recovery period will be nine months, since no bones were fractured. He’s optimistic he’ll be ready for the start of training camp next May.
In only nine games, Philpot caught 58 passes for 779 yards (13.4-yard average) while scoring five touchdowns. A deep threat for quarterback Cody Fajardo, Philpot had already caught six passes of 30 yards or longer, had three 100-yard games and a season-long 76-yard reception.
“I didn’t believe that was going to be my last play for the season, especially with the way I was playing,” Philpot said. “the team was looking for a No. 1 receiver. That was something I prided myself on and decided I wanted to become. I was doing that.
“The team will carry on. It’s been a little bit rough for the last couple of weeks but I believe we’re finding our groove. Cody’s getting comfortable with the receivers. I was such a deep threat. I like the big splash plays. Maybe we’ve missed on some of those. Rambo seems to come down with it every time you throw it up to him.”
“Until somebody tells me no, that has been my dream and I remain very confident,” he said. “I love it in Montreal and there’s nowhere else I’d want to play. But I’m confident, if I play my best through a full season. I really do think I can get a chance. I’ll put my best foot forward. If it’s not enough, it’s not enough. It’s only on hold for a year.”