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Habakkuk Baldonado Montreal Alouettes vs Ottawa REDBLACKS May 29, 2026 PHOTO: Andrea Cardin/Freestyle Photography It’s a story with many layers, an at-times unlikely journey that wound its way from Italy to the United States to Canada. Through the death of his father, through perseverance and a work ethic to match, through physical and mental strength, through a thirst for knowledge and desire to excel, Habakkuk Baldonado has already navigated through many chapters and challenges in his still-young life. For the soon-to-be (Sept. 6) 27-year-old defensive lineman, in his first season with the Ottawa REDBLACKS after signing as a free agent in February, it’s been a frustrating season on a few levels. Most importantly, his team is off to an 0-10 start, a combination of bad luck and just not playing well enough. And, on an individual basis, it also hasn’t gone as planned. Baldonado missed three games with an ankle injury. In his return to the field, he made two tackles with a sack in a 33-21 setback in Winnipeg a couple of weeks ago. Baldonado and, by extension the REDBLACKS, will be looking to find a rhythm and a win Sunday (7 p.m. start) at home vs. the BC Lions. But let’s get back to Baldonado’s story; it’s one worth telling. It was anything but a traditional route to professional football; he first discovered football on a cable TV station, then followed up by watching YouTube highlights of Ray Lewis and Richard Sherman. Baldonado played a bit of football at the age of 13, then stopped before picking it up again three years later. When he was 17, he was on his way to Florida, more than 7,000 km from home, as a high-school recruit to Clearwater Academy International. But who and what Baldonado is was shaped long before his first big football break. Along the way, there were lessons to be learned. Born to Edgar Baldonado and Paola Franceschelli on Sept. 6, 1999, Baldonado has a brother, Jonathan. From her teenage years, Paola was an explorer – she loved adventure. A free spirit, she lived in France and Scotland, and travelled the world. Her influences still run strong within Habakkuk. “My mom’s an interesting character,” said Baldonado. “She’s Italian; I learned a lot about toughness from her. She always told my brother and me to go out and explore, to live life our own way.” When Habakkuk was 13, his dad was killed in a motorcycle accident. It’s difficult to remember all the details. It’s not hard for him, though, to reflect on how much it hurt to lose a loved one. “It wasn’t a great day,” said Baldonado. “We knew he’d had a crash the night before. But we found out that morning that he had died. “I have pictures of him; I sometimes talk to my mom or brother about him. I was young, so I can’t say I remember much. But I remember what matters about him. I remember everything he tried to teach me, the person he was and what he stood for. He taught me to be a man of my word, to stand up for what I believe in. He taught me the right things, and I try to be the man that he told me to be.” When Baldonado started playing football again at 16, he joined a men’s club team in Rome. One of his coaches had an “in” with the head coach at Clearwater. “My mom was concerned about where I was going,” said Baldonado. “But she always pushed us to walk along our own path. As soon as I explained the opportunity to her, she was all-in.” Baldonado laughs when he thinks about his eye-opening trip to the U.S. “Funny enough, the week I had to leave, I got into a fight with my brother, and he broke my phone, he punched it out of my hands,” he said. “ I was travelling across the world, and I had no phone. “I didn’t know anybody there. But I wouldn’t say it was difficult. I always loved challenges; I love new experiences. “In Italy, I was playing against grown men. So when I went to high school (in the U.S.) playing against kids, it seemed easier. The level of speed, intensity and knowledge was different, but the physicality was the same to me.” At Clearwater, Baldonado tore ligaments in his left elbow in a pre-season game. Surgery was considered. His football days could have been over, just like that. He considered going home, but he was told if he wore a brace, he could play. There would be pain, but … So, Baldonado gutted it out. And he put up attention-grabbing numbers – 83 tackles. 30.5 sacks and nine forced fumbles. He agreed to go to the University of Pittsburgh. At Pitt, he played 40 games over five seasons, with 99 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, two pass knockdowns, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and one punt block. He signed with the NFL’s New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2023. After being released, he agreed to join the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who made him the 12th overall pick in the CFL Global Draft that year. Last season in Saskatchewan, he set career highs in defensive tackles (17) and quarterback sacks (four), while also adding one special teams tackle, one forced fumble and one tackle for loss. And, he won a Grey Cup. Baldonado speaks English, Spanish and Italian and said he’s looking forward to learning some French. Involved in mixed martial arts when he was younger, Baldonado loves adventure – one of his memories is riding a dirt bike on volcanoes in Indonesia. Football, obviously, is also a big deal to him. “When I was younger, I never really thought about playing professional football,” he said. “I went to the U.S., initially thinking I’d be there for six months. And I kept going from there to college, to the NFL to the CFL. “I go hard on the field, and I go hard in life. I just want to be the best player I can be. Football is a tool for me. It’s not who I am, it’s what I do.”