Special-teams demon has blossomed into one of the CFL’s best defensive players since coming to Montreal.
Beverette’s parents were never married and don’t live together. But she wanted a better life for herself and returned to school while pregnant, getting a degree and becoming a teacher to autistic children. Beverette to this day calls himself a mother’s boy, and says it with pride.
“I get a lot of my traits from her,” Beverette told The Gazette this week. “She motivated me. She was the rock. She was the first one for many things in my family and it pushed me to be better … seeing her accomplish everything with all the things she had to go through — being pregnant, going to work, going to school to get a degree, beating the odds. She wanted to have a better life.”
He also played on special teams, where he first excelled while establishing himself in the CFL.
“There was just something in the air,” explained the 29-year-old. “The whole week I knew I could give more. I hold myself to a high standard and didn’t like how I was performing. I had a few talks with my mom, a few talks with my coach, went to the film room to see what I could fix and perfect.
“I always expect to play good, but you never know it’s going to be like that,” Beverette added. “It was just an electric night. Everything was coming my way.”
Beverette was a star college player at Stony Brook University, a Division IAA school that competes in the Coastal Athletic Association. The Seawolves have only played football since 1984, and while Beverette had a decorated college career, producing 262 tackles, 14 sacks, seven forced fumbles and five interceptions over four seasons, he tore the labrum and rotator cuff in his left shoulder during his final game.
Beverette had a free-agent tryout with the New York Jets and went to training camp with the Cincinnati Bengals, playing in two exhibition games, only to be released after injuring his right shoulder. Otherwise, his career might have taken a different path. “I’d like to think my (NFL) chances would have been better, but you never know. Everything happens for a reason.”
“I always appreciated his film with the Bengals,” general manager Danny Maciocia said. “He was active. He had a physical presence in the box, an ability to tackle in open space as witnessed on special teams. He just needed an opportunity, which didn’t present itself in Hamilton. We projected he could be a weak-side linebacker for us.”
Beverette was named an East Division all-star in 2023 after making 89 tackles, seven sacks and scoring two touchdowns. But he has never forgotten his roots and continues playing on special teams, where he had 20 tackles last season.
While playing at New Jersey’s Lakewood high school, Beverette was part of a team that lost 33 consecutive games before reversing its fortunes and making the playoffs his final two seasons.
“Any time I get the chance to play football, I want to do it to the fullest,” he explained. “I’ve always been a hard-nosed guy. I came from a smaller school. I came from 0 and 33. I always had to work hard and was never a prima donna. If I have the opportunity to play football, no matter what it is, I’m going to do it.”
“Tyrice doesn’t say a lot, but when he does, there’s a lot of wisdom in the few words he says,” Quick said. “What he does between the white lines speaks volumes. Last week … none of those took athleticism. They took effort.”
Beverette never doubted himself, always believing his time would come. Now that it has, his potential appears unlimited.
“Tyrice Beverette is a great player, but I think he still has a lot more potential left in him that nobody knows,” he said after The Gazette asked him to assess himself. “He’s always chasing greatness and is never satisfied. You set the bar high, that’s where you land.”