Tyson Hergott: From career-threatening injuries to Canadian football’s biggest stage

April 30, 2024 is a day that every athlete eligible for the Canadian Football League (CFL) draft will remember for years to come. For most, this day will be characterized as regretful, with an unexpected outcome. For the 72 players that do get their name called, this day ultimately marks the first day they begin to live the lifelong dream of playing the sport they love at a professional level. 

The 2024 Male Athlete of the Year, UW’s very own Tyson Hergott was one of the 72 players who heard their name called on draft night. Hergott, a 6-foot-2, 246-pound defensive lineman, was selected 24th overall in the third round of the CFL draft to the Toronto Argonauts. When asked about the draft experience in itself, Hergott shared, “It’s nothing like anything else I have ever experienced in my life, watching the clock, hearing other guys have their name called, it felt like time was at a standstill.” Hergott was joined by close family and friends on draft night to celebrate this outstanding milestone. 

Looking at the statistics from Hergott’s 2023 season playing for the Warriors, it is no surprise that he got selected within the first 25 picks of the annual CFL draft. In just nine games, Hergott racked up 53 total solo tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, one interception, and three forced fumbles. “Tyson’s 2023 campaign was nothing short of special, whenever he was on the field it was clear to see who the most dominant player was,” said Warriors head football coach, Chris Bertoria. 

Not only did these numbers put Hergott as the top-performing defensive player for the Warriors, but also asserted him as a top performer nationwide. Upon completion of the 2023 regular season, Hergott was second in the country for total sacks, only 0.5 behind the nation’s leader. Hergott was selected as a first-team All-Canadian, an honour that is reserved and used to recognize the top players in the country for each respective position. Hergott was also awarded the JP Metras Trophy, an award that is voted on annually and reserved for the top-performing linemen in the Ontario University Athletics system. 

On top of Hergott being an outstanding player during the 2023 U Sports football season, he also produced some great numbers at the CFL National Combine held in Winnipeg, Manitoba on March 19-24. Hergott put up 19 reps on the 225 bench press test, ran a 4.85-second 40-yard dash, jumped a 34-inch vertical, and ranked third amongst his position group in agility tests (three-cone, shuttle). When asked about the combined experience, Hergott commented, “It was a super stressful situation, not only are these scouts interested in how you are as a player, they watch everything you do during those few days — how you interact, your mannerisms, and just overall how you are as a person.” With Hergott getting drafted so high, it’s fair to assume that these scouts were not only impressed with him as a player, but also him as a person. 

There is no denying that Hergott would not have been able to achieve the success he has or reach the heights he did without an exceptionally strong work ethic. “I do not think people really understand how much work is truly required to be put in, to truly be at the top of your game, whatever that may be — athletics, academics, etc.”

However, he noted, “In my circumstance, being a hard worker was only half the battle. I had such a strong support system, not only friends and family but also coaches, teammates and other support staff at UW.” 

His support systems were put to the test and leaned on heavily during winter 2021. During an off-season training session, Hergott was working through routine defensive line drills when he took one wrong step and ruptured his Achilles tendon. “When I first felt the injury and felt my Achilles pop, I was worried — I thought my career and future in football were over. Everyone I talked to more or less made it pretty clear that many people do not come back the same or in some cases come back at all from an injury like this,” Hergott said. After careful consideration and discussion with family and doctors, Hergott decided that the best course of action to resolve this injury was to get reconstructive surgery, a procedure that in the best case scenario means taking 9-12 months to return to sport. 

“When dealing with a serious Achilles injury, as Tyson had, it can go one of two ways, either the rehab process is very successful and the athlete can get back or even come back better than they were pre-injury, or the polar opposite, where the athlete is not even close to where they were pre-injury,” said Kyle Ferggin, a registered physiotherapist at MSK Centre in Waterloo. 

Ferggin was the main physiotherapist that led Hergott through his recovery. “My role was just to put Tyson in the right position that would allow him to succeed, he put in the work that was needed, there is no replacement for that,” Ferggin said. “The decision that Tyson made to get the surgery overall proved to be a good one to say the absolute least, not only was he able to get back to where he was pre-surgery, but all his testable numbers as far as strength went, he recorded better numbers after his rehab.”

Following the completion of his Achilles rehabilitation, Hergott was able to return to the Warriors for the 2022 season, his first time playing in a legitimate football game since 2019. The time off did not change much and he hit the ground running. Not only did he get through the entire season injury-free, but his performance that season earned him the nod for East-West 2023, a showcase for all players eligible for the 2024 CFL draft. 

However, during the offseason of 2023, near disaster struck again as Hergott faced many question marks regarding his ability to play the sport that he loves. This time, Hergott was facing disc problems in his back that impeded his everyday function. Naturally, this led to many questions about his ability to play such a physically demanding game like football.

But, once again, just like his Achilles injury, Hergott bet on himself and trusted the work and practices of Ferggin, attacking the rehab process head-on. “Tyson was so bought in and would not take no for an answer,” Ferggin said. “He was willing to do anything and everything that would put him in a position that would ensure he was healthy and ready to go for the 2023 season.” To say the least, he did just that. Hergott’s 2023 season is something that will go down in Warrior football history. 

When writing this and taking a deep look into who Tyson Hergott is as an athlete or even more so as a person, it is quite clear that he is somebody who has such a compelling story and is an inspiration to others. “Not only is Tyson one of my best friends, but he is also someone that I look to for motivation.  Understanding his story and his battle with injuries and how he just kept pushing and pushing to get back on the field and play beside each other is something that fires me up,” said Kyle Dawdy, a former teammate of Hergott. 

Having grit, being a hard worker, and staying determined are traits that Hergott has emphasized and used throughout his journey to finally achieving the dream of playing football at the professional level. He could have sat back and let his mishaps from injury change his path. Instead, Hergott kept his shoulder to the boulder and kept pushing. Now, he finds himself living out the dream of professionally playing the sport he loves.