Jason Maas Jason Maas ( born November 19 , 1975 in Beaver Dam , Wisconsin ) is a former Canadian football quarterback and current quarterbacks coach for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League . He is best known for his career in the CFL , which was largely spent with the Edmonton Eskimos . He has also spent time with the Montreal Alouettes and the Hamilton Tiger - Cats . Amateur career . During his high school career in Yuma , Arizona , Maas gained his first notice as a football player when the " Phoenix Prep Sport " magazine selected Maas as the most outstanding high - school quarterback in the state of Arizona as a senior . Maas went to college at the University of Oregon starting in 1994 but was buried deep on the depth chart for the first two years of his career . In his second year , Maas threw only eighteen passes in unimportant situations . However , in his third year , Maas was considered a solid bet to take Oregon ' s starting job , until the arrival of high - profile transfer Akili Smith . Smith was drawing rave reviews from the football establishment as a better pure athlete , but Maas ' s numbers early in the year were comparable . Maas drew rave reviews by throwing for five touchdowns in a game against Stanford , but it was Smith who ended up taking the long - term starting job . Maas spent the rest of his time at Oregon as a backup , finishing with career totals of 120 completions on 226 attempts , 1 , 763 yards , nineteen touchdown s and eight interception s . Both Maas and Smith left Oregon in 1999 , and while Smith was drafted third overall by the Cincinnati Bengals , Maas took a Bachelor of Science in sociology and , undrafted , tried to continue his professional career the hard way . The pattern of losing a starting job to a flashier new arrival despite his own strong play would repeat itself twice later in Maas ' s career . Professional football . As a career backup in college , Maas drew little interest through the professional ranks . On April 23 , 1999 , Maas signed with the National Football League ' s Baltimore Ravens during preseason . He appeared in a single preseason game and did not impress the coaching staff enough to win a roster spot . Joining the CFL . For the 2000 CFL season Maas signed with the Edmonton Eskimos , where the coaching staff intended to use him as a backup and ( with Dan Crowley ) the holder on field goal and extra point attempts . The Eskimos were , at the time , one of the league ' s deepest teams at the quarterback position , with Maas , Crowley , and incumbent starter Nealon Greene all eventually assuming starting jobs somewhere in the CFL during their careers . Maas dressed for all eighteen games but saw significant action in only one , going 16 of 25 for 165 yards , a touchdown , and an interception . The Eskimos were eliminated in the Western finals by the B . C . Lions . During the preseason of 2001 , Eskimos head coach Don Matthews was fired in a famously messy separation , allegedly for health reasons , and was replaced by Tom Higgins . Higgins would later develop a reputation for changing quarterbacks frequently , and although the flashy Greene had been the starter in Edmonton for two years , his spotty arm was beginning to draw criticism from fans . The door was wide open for the two backups , Crowley and Maas , to show that they could take the reins from the faltering Greene . Crowley was strong and Greene fought valiantly to keep his job , but by Week 7 it was Maas who had taken the starting quarterback spot that he would keep to the end of the year . Maas picked the league apart in his first year as a starter , and despite his late start was a West Division All - Star and the Edmonton nominee for CFL Outstanding Player . He threw 231 complete of 391 attempts for 3 , 646 yards , recording 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions . His performance in the 2001 Labour Day Classic , when Maas was the offensive star and recorded a late 23 - yard run to set up the winning field goal as time expired , made him an instant fan favourite . Maas led the Eskimos to first place in one of the weakest Western Divisions of all time , as the Esks won the division by winning only as many as they lost . The end of the year was sour as the Eskimos were blown out by the rival Calgary Stampeders in the Western Finals , 34 – 18 . Maas emerged with little credit in the defeat , and after two straight years of disappointment , the local media were beginning to speculate whether the Eskimos were " ever " going to get past the Western Final . Professional setbacks . Maas emerged from the 2001 season secure as the incumbent starter . Potential rivals Crowley and Greene were gone for 2002 , Crowley to the newly minted Ottawa Renegades in the expansion draft , where he would become their starting quarterback , and Greene to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a trade . The two backups were Bart Hendricks and an unknown named Ricky Ray , neither of whom were expected to challenge Maas for the starting job . Maas was named Offensive Player of the Week in Week 2 , and was on pace for another All - Star season . However , in Week 4 against Nealon Greene ' s Roughriders , Maas suffered a separated shoulder in his non - throwing arm and the injury was serious enough to sideline Maas for several games . The nominal number two was Hendricks , but he was unavailable , and the third - stringer Ray temporarily took over the starting role for the Eskimos . Ray seized his chance , and in his first CFL start threw for four touchdowns against the B . C . Lions . As fans watched with delight , Ray piled up remarkable numbers during Maas ' s recovery , leading to an inevitable showdown when the former starter returned . After missing three weeks , Maas returned against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and was utterly forgettable . One mediocre game was all Higgins needed to see and Maas was immediately sent to the bench in favour of Ray , who started the next five games . However , reminiscent of Maas ' s junior season in Oregon with Akili Smith , Higgins seemed unable to make up his mind . In a game against the Hamilton Tiger - Cats , Ray struggled and Maas came in , successfully engineering an Eskimos comeback . Ray started the next game but in the game after , the second - to - last game of the season , Maas again appeared in relief and was again solid . Finally , in the last game of the year , Maas got the start and played well . In his first season , Ray had recorded almost 3 , 000 yards and a quarterback rating over 100 , helping the Eskimos win the West Division for the third consecutive year with the third consecutive starting quarterback . Maas had played less often but still well , and had started to win back the confidence of the fans and of the team with a strong end to the season . But for the playoffs Higgins returned to Ray , who led the Eskimos to the 90th Grey Cup , which they lost to the Montréal Alouettes , coached by Maas ' s first CFL head coach , Don Matthews . In 2003 , Maas was looking to regain his starting job from Ray , but suffered a back injury during the off - season . The condition was severe enough to require surgery and Ray became the starter out of training camp . Maas was the holder for kicker Sean Fleming as he healed , but by Week Eight he was completely healthy . However , Higgins had drawn criticism for his " quarterback by committee " in 2002 and had little desire to repeat the adventure . Maas was entrenched on the bench as Ray helped deliver the Eskimos the 91st Grey Cup in a rematch with the Alouettes . Opportunity knocks . After 2003 , Ray was a hot commodity . NFL scouts were known to be looking at Ray , and during the off - season Ray was able to stick with the New York Jets . The loss of the star quarterback dismayed Eskimos fans , but this was tempered with calm knowing that Maas was around to fill the void in 2004 . The pressure on Maas was high , but his performance was up to it . Maas threw for an incredible 5 , 274 yards , well higher than Ray ' s 2003 total of 4 , 640 . Maas threw for " only " 31 touchdowns , four fewer than Ray ' s 35 in 2003 , but his 105 . 1 quarterback rating ranked among the great seasons ever . In an ironic scene for Maas , he lost out on the Most Outstanding Player award to Lions quarterback Casey Printers who took over the starting role after an injury to incumbent superstar Dave Dickenson , similar to Ray taking over for Maas . Maas had a strong playoff performance in his single game , throwing for 369 yards in the West Semi - Final . But despite Maas ' numbers the offense just was not there as the Eskimos lost a wet and miserable game to Henry Burris and the Saskatchewan Roughriders 14 – 6 . Maas ' s career playoff record fell to 0 – 2 , and head coach Higgins was fired as a result of the loss . Return to the bench . Unfortunately for Maas ' s individual numbers , Ray struggled south of the border . He never threw a regular - season pass with the Jets , and after being released tried in vain to catch on with another NFL team in time for the 2005 NFL season . Conjecture immediately ran high that Ray would be lured back to the Eskimos with a relative big - money deal , which soon followed . In addition , Maas faced additional competition from recently signed former Most Outstanding Player Khari Jones . Former offensive co - ordinator and new head coach Danny Maciocia had led Maas ' s offense during his 2004 season , but he also knew that the starting quarterback had to be decisively selected and stuck to . After preseason , Maciocia chose and stuck to Ray , returning Maas to the bench for the 2005 CFL season . Maas saw little game action in the regular season , appearing only in relief for the final game , a blowout loss to the Calgary Stampeders . However , entering into the next week ' s Western Semi - final game against the Stampeders , Ricky Ray was being criticized for his recent play , and after a relatively poor first half , Maciocia put Maas in for Ray for the second half . Maas re - ignited the dormant Eskimos offense and led them to a comeback victory , resurrecting the old quarterback controversy that had plagued the Eskimos for years . Maas followed this up by again appearing in relief during the fourth quarter over Ray in the West Division final against the Lions , scoring the winning touchdown and leading the Eskimos to another victory . Once again , perhaps because of rumours Maas had already been traded to the Hamilton Tiger - Cats for veteran quarterback Danny McManus and lineman Tim Bakker , Maciocia opted to start Ray in the 93rd Grey Cup . Ray played the whole game and won it , being named MVP in the process . After the game , confirming what TSN called " the CFL ' s worst - kept secret " , Maas was traded to the Tiger - Cats . Starting in Steeltown . The Tiger - Cats had a busy off - season after the 2005 season . Along with Maas , the Tiger - Cats also acquired running back Josh Ranek from the defunct Ottawa Renegades , running back / return man and reigning Most Outstanding Special Teams Player Corey Holmes from the Saskatchewan Roughriders in exchange for the firstoverall pick in Ottawa ' s dispersal draft ( Saskatchewan selected quarterback Kerry Joseph ) . Significantly for Maas , the team also added his former favourite target in Edmonton , receiver Terry Vaughn , from Montreal as a free agent . In spite of the big names added to the offense , the Tiger - Cats struggled immediately and badly . On July 10 , 2006 , the Tiger - Cats relieved head coach Greg Marshall of his duties after an 0 – 4 start , appointing 67 - year old veteran head coach Ron Lancaster as his replacement . The team also fired offensive co - ordinator Joe Paopao , offensive line coach Kani Kauahi , and replaced interim general manager since 2005 Rob Katz with former Montreal assistant GM Marcel Desjardins later in the season . Before the Tiger - Cats ' Labour Day Classic game against Toronto , Hamilton was in last place in the East Division . Maas was seventh in the league in passing yardage , tied for seventh in touchdown passes , and tied for second in interceptions . Two of the players ahead of Maas in yardage and touchdowns , Dave Dickenson and Kerry Joseph , had struggled with injuries during the season , and the player tied with Maas ' s seven touchdowns was British Columbia backup Buck Pierce . The Tiger - Cats would fall to 2 – 10 after Labour Day , with Maas getting no credit in a 40 – 6 pummelling by the Argonauts . For the 2007 CFL season Maas began the year as the starter for the Tiger - Cats . They had another rough start to the season at 1 – 8 , prompting the pick - up of NFL castoff , and 2004 CFL MOP , Casey Printers . Traded to Montreal . On Sept . 7 , 2007 , in the wake of Hamilton ' s signing of Casey Printers , recently cut by the Kansas City Chiefs , Hamilton traded Maas to the Montreal Alouettes in exchange for Canadian fullback Jeff Piercy . Maas initially refused to report to his new club , a move which momentarily held up formalization of the transaction . Maas served as the team ' s third string quarterback behind Marcus Brady and Anthony Calvillo . Mass saw limited time on the field with the Alouettes and was released on December 31 , 2007 . Back to Edmonton . January 16 , 2008 the Edmonton Eskimos announced Jason Maas was back in the green and gold . Come training camp , Maas and Lefors battled for the second string quarterback spot but were both named 2 and 2A by head coach Danny Maciocca . Maas saw about two quarters of playing time in the second pre - season game of 2008 and impressed , completing 16 of 19 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown . Maas remained the Eskimos backup for 2009 , but for 2010 seemed to have been demoted to third stringer early in the season in favour of Jared Zabransky . Maas ' s new tenure was rumored to be an apprenticeship for a coaching job within the organization . However , Maas wished to continue playing if he couldn ' t play for the Eskimos , so he was released on February 22 , 2011 to potentially land with another team . Jason Maas officially retired May 26 , 2011 from the CFL after an eleven - year career . Coaching career . Toronto Argonauts . On December 20 , 2011 , Maas was named the receivers coach for the Toronto Argonauts . On February 24 , 2012 , it was announced that Maas would shift duties to become the quarterbacks coach . Personal . Maas ' s father , a police officer , was shot and killed when Maas was only ten . Maas is married and lives year - round in Sherwood Park , Alberta with daughter Makaela and wife Marjean .