 However, Avery suffered a leg injury in the West Final, which limited his effectiveness in the Grey Cup despite his best efforts.The Eskimos came up short in the Grey Cup game at the hands of the Montreal Alouettes, losing 25–16, but Avery finished the season a winner of the Eddie James Memorial Trophy (as the Western Division's leading rusher) and a CFL All-Star.Avery signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings on February 13, 2003.