Our Time. – Grey Cups and Greatness – 2025 Riders

What a celebration it has been in Rider Nation! The 2025 Rider anthem ‘Green and White 2025’ that I made with my brother is now connected to a Championship. The last true CFL Grey Cup. 12 long years after winning the Grey Cup at home and the Riders are once again Grey Cup champions. It has been a journey of highs and lows but the last 2 years have def seen more highs than lows leading to the greatest high that only one team gets to taste every year. Couldn’t ask for a better team to get it done, the men on this team have brought back that energy that made Rider Nation so much fun to be a part of. It started with Roy Shivers and Danny Barrett building the foundation, then Kent Austin and Kerry Joseph brought it to the next level with a Grey Cup win over our biggest rivals. 2009 was as devastating as it gets on the field for Rider Nation and that threw some water on the fire. I noticed a palpable difference after 2009 bc instead of the Riders being the cool thing to cheer for, we became the butt of everyone’s joke. I think we lost some younger fans bc the games weren’t as rowdy as they were before that. 2010 hurt almost as much bc we got back there against the same team and lost again. Another big Grey Cup drought would have been really bad.

But Corey Chamblin and Darian Durant were not going to be denied their destiny and delivered a Home Grey Cup win for the first time ever. That def put the fire back in Rider Nation but injuries cut Durant’s career short and Chamblin was replaced leading to a 12 year Grey Cup drought. The Chris Jones era was full of lows but it wasn’t a total loss. It built a defensive foundation that has endured to this day. Craig Dickenson gets a lot of shit from Rider fans haha some deserved and some not but I believe his biggest contribution was bringing back some of that energy we lost after 2009. You could feel the difference from the Chris Jones era but there was still something missing, most importantly playoff success. Fajardo played his heart out for us behind an o-line that was not great and had us on the cusp but just couldn’t get over it.

Enter Corey Mace and Trevor Harris. My God did we get blessed with Corey Mace bc he was not our first choice but God knew this is exactly where he was supposed to be. Just like Chris Jones he attracted defensive players to come here and has built a Grey Cup champion defence. He has built an absolute beast of an O-Line. A Murderer’s Row of a secondary. A front 7 that will fcking dominate you. A deep well of WRs that just keep stepping up into greatness when another goes down. He brought us Thor’s Hammer haha but most importantly he brought back that energy we have been missing. I noticed it at the 2024 LDC, that game but esp the end felt like 2007. We should’ve hosted the Western Final in 2024 but it took an act of witchcraft to summon an insane gust of wind that sent it back to Winnipeg haha we lost that one but it was clear that coming into 2025 no matter where the games were played, we would be back in Winnipeg for the Grey Cup.

What more can you say about Trevor Harris man he played the best football of his career in 2025 at age 39 lol I don’t think anyone can say they expected that but from game 1 he kept delivering right up to a record setting performance to win the Grey Cup. The accuracy of his passes this year was insane. He showed poise and confidence leading us and had Rider Nation thinking a Grey Cup was not only possible but inevitable. 2025 was such a fun year as we were rolling and then the commissioner drops the bomb on us that the board of governors and owners of every team had voted to make changes to “Americanize” the CFL.

I could not believe that during 1 of the most exciting seasons in CFL history they announce devastating changes to the uniqueness of our game. I absolutely despise these changes and am beyond disgusted that the ppl in power decide to steal our game from us. I will never understand why nobody hates the CFL more than the people responsible for running it. The commissioner is taking the heat bc that’s his job but these changes are on the board of governors and the owners. Here are the changes:

-In 2026 they will end the rouge for missed FGs or balls that roll out of the endzone. This one doesn’t bother me as much bc I have advocated for a change to the rouge so that any missed FG after the 3 min warning in the 4th Q quarter would not result in a rouge. I’ve never liked that a missed FG could win a game but after hearing opinions from legends like Ray Elgaard I think I’m wrong. They have said the rouge isn’t rewarding failure, it’s rewarding field position. When you think about it like that, it makes more sense to keep it.

-The biggest, most significant change coming in 2026 is the play clock will now be 35 seconds and will start automatically after the previous play ends. This change will be devastating to the most exciting aspect of the CFL, the fact that the game is never over until the very end. Someone on Reddit applied the new clock rule to 2025 games and there were so many that came down to the end that would’ve never happened bc the clock could be killed with the new rules. This cannot be allowed to happen there is no justifiable reason for it. All it does is kill the excitement of CFL games. Hopefully ppl can make enough noise to stop this from happening.

-but those changes are nothing compared to 2027 when they are aiming to blow things up. They want to move the goal posts back from the front of the endzone to the back like the NFL. Then they want to shorten the field from 110 yards to 100 just like the NFL. I feel like someone is letting me know in advance they are going to kill my best friend and it feels like there is nothing I can do about it. It made me sick listening to the commissioner in his state of the league address at Grey Cup talk about how they are committed to the Canadian game and tried to highlight the unique rules that they aren’t changing. But it all felt so disingenuous considering they are making significant changes that could be devastating to the future of the CFL. The length of the field is just as important as the width and 3 downs.

It’s no secret that the CFL struggles to stay alive and that most teams are not turning a profit. The TV deal pays the salary cap and attendance is either stagnant or regressing for most teams including Saskatchewan. But there is room for optimism considering 5 of 9 teams saw an increase in attendance from 2024. Of the other 4, TOR/MTL are basically even with last year but EDM/OTT had concerning drops. Fans in Ottawa have talked about how the game experience has become pretty bad which is such a shame bc there seemed to be so much energy when they first came back with the Lumberjack theme and things like cutting the log after a TD. Edmonton’s issues are directly related to the performance of the team the last 10 years combined with changing the name that has so much history. Improved product on the field will bring back the fans in Edmonton but trust has to be re-established.

The issues in Ottawa are the most concerning since they have lost their team on multiple occasions in the past but their problems are reflective of the problems the entire league has. The game day experience is regressing in many places including Saskatchewan as ticket and concession prices continue to rise forcing tough decisions on whether to attend games or not. As a kid I loved going to games hoping to catch a mini-football they would fire into the stands after every score. Those are a great collectible for fans but especially for fans that don’t get out to many games. The excitement of catching a football increases the game day experience and makes it more likely that fan will attend a game in the future. They stopped doing it for years but thankfully the Riders brought them back for a few games this year. Things like that might seem insignificant but they really do add to the experience. I’ve always said the pre game festivities should be like a carnival, lots of fun games to play and win some team merch. Kids would love it and you could promote it as a date night destination for young people.

That moves into another big problem the CFL has; marketing. The state of marketing the league is abysmal and it’s a miracle that the CFL is as strong as it is. Long gone are the days of ‘Radically Canadian’ and ‘Our balls are bigger’ promotions trying to sell the uniqueness and excitement of the game. This marketing worked with my generation, we loved the slogans and it made us want to support ‘our’ league. But these days there is nothing being done to sell the excitement and uniqueness of the CFL. They have tried nothing and are now giving up completely by making these potentially devastating changes. I’m not saying any change is bad I mean moving the hashmarks in was the greatest thing that has happened to the CFL in years. Since that change the bad, boring games have been rare and the excitement that the league has been known for returned. 2025 was an incredible year of football with so many games turning into shootouts and going down to the wire. That’s what makes it so frustrating they want to make these changes now.

It would be nice to know the reasoning behind the changes they want to make but they made these decisions in the shadows with no outside input. I understand the change to the rouge but the clock change makes no sense at all considering it will negatively effect the excitement and competitiveness at the end of games. I don’t support moving the goalposts but I can understand that moving them might increase scoring and make the game more visually appealing for TV. I loved the fact that the goalposts almost acted as another defender in the endzone even if it has cost the Riders on more than 1 occasion.

But making the field 100 yards instead of 110 is a big red flag. Only logical reason I can see is that they have US expansion on the table if the change is made. Stadiums in the US are made for 100 yards and can’t adapt to 110 without making it unsafe for players. If the CFL goes to 100, now they can add US teams without making significant changes to the field, making it wider doesn’t affect player safety the way making it longer does. The last time CFL tried US expansion it was a disaster so trying it again does not inspire a lot of excitement or confidence. However there are places like St Louis that had their NFL team stolen and are starving for professional football. If adding a team in St Louis where they would actually support the team and league helps the CFL grow and become financially stable, would it be worth it? If they can find other cities with the passion like St Louis where expansion could be successful, would it be worth it? Would expansion to the US deliver a strong US TV/Streaming deal that would ensure the survival of the league?

These are def tough questions. I, like most fans, want a strong, stable league that can actually focus on positive development instead of the doom and gloom talk about league survival every year. But at the end of the day this is still the Canadian Football League and the unique rules that make it what it is need to be embraced. But they are already making significant changes to the rules that make the CFL great and Canadian. Doesn’t leave me with a lot of optimism. I’m not sure there are many other cities like St Louis that have the base of support waiting so finding other cities could be a challenge like the first attempt. I think US expansion would be the end of the East and West divisions but I know many fans would see that as a good thing. I don’t know I guess if I could look into a crystal ball and see the field changes leading to US expansion and a thriving CFL with strong TV/streaming deals, how could I say that is a bad thing?

But US expansion isn’t even being talked about it’s just my theory. So as of now they just want to make these changes bc they think it will make the game better but a majority of fans including myself are vehemently opposed to these changes. Since the owners/BOG all voted for them I don’t know that there is much we can do to stop them other than to not support the league but then that would lead to the end of the CFL. At this point I’d be willing to meet them halfway. For 2026, change the rouge rule and keep the play clock as it is. For 2027, move the goalposts back and leave the field at 110 yards. Would make FGs tougher and it would eliminate missed FG returns 1 of the most exciting plays in football but at least it wouldn’t Americanize the size of the field. I honestly hope enough noise can be made by fans and significant voices connected to the league to stop most or all of these changes but as I said I’m not optimistic.

I also recognize something needs to change so that every team has a solid base of support year to year and can turn a profit. The CFL has been blessed with owners that have stayed the course despite losses but they are getting older and the younger generations don’t have the same love for the CFL so we need to figure out how to keep the league ownership engaged. I believe a US TV/Streaming deal is the key bc the if the Canadian TV deal pays the salary cap, then the money from a US deal could help with the day to day expenses and even increase the salary cap allowing us to recruit more talent. I thought having a former TSN exec as commissioner would give us a great chance to achieve that but I never dreamed that it would be the catalyst to Americanizing the league. With the rise of sports betting, the CFL is in a great spot to draw in US viewers during the June-Aug window when the only competition is MLB and after they see how exciting the CFL game is, I’m confident they would continue to watch even after NFL/College/NHL/NBA gets started. I guess we’ll see what happens.

As it stands right now, the Riders have won the last true CFL Grey Cup and man what a great season it was. It seemed like every week a different WR would step up and have a big game making it very had for Defences to plan against us. Gonna go through the season week to week bc why not haha

Week 1 vs OTT – W

Great but scary start to the season. Got the win but AJ Ouellette was injured so tensions were already high in Rider Nation. But Bertrand-Hudon stepped up and had a big game. I remember the excitement about his performance and the Thomas the Train nickname haha Trevor Harris started the season at a high level throwing for 277 yards and 2 TDs. 1 of those TDs to Emilus who also had 133 yards on 8 catches. Keesean Johnson made some big catches to put up 4 for 68 yards. O-line established dominance right from the start not allowing a sack and opening running lanes. ‘Big Tom’ Tommy Stevens punched in a 1 yard TD to start an epic season from him. The PM Malik Carney had 2 sacks, Jameer Thurman had 1 and Habakkuk Baldonado came through with the rare D-line INT. Ottawa made I close towards the end but couldn’t ask for a better start to the season.

Week 2 @ Hamilton – W

Riders had to fight for this one as it was back and forth and came down to the late stages of the 4th Q. In a good news/bad news situation, Bertrand-Hudon was hurt after game 1 and didn’t play but Ouellette was good to go delivering a 47 yard TD run at the end of the 1st half. Thor’s Hammer is back lol last years rightful MOP Roland Milligan continued his run of greatness with a 64 yard pick 6 to give us our 1st lead of the game. Keesean Johnson capped off a big game of 8 catches for 124 yards with a game winning 15 yard TD. Jameer Thurman made it 2 games in a row with a sack and CJ Reavis got his 1st sack of the season. Harris continued his strong start to the season with 295 yards passing and 1 TD. Lauther went 2 for 5 on FGs which unfortunately would be the start of a rough season for him.

Week 3 @ Toronto – W

Mario Alford cements himself as a Rider legend with 243 total return yards capped off by a walk off Kick Return TD to get us to 3-0 on the year. What a moment man this is when I knew we were in for a special year. Bailed out a 33 yard Lauther missed FG that would have sealed the game. Absolutely dominant game from the D-Line they got pressure on almost every QB drop back with Micah Johnson, Habakkuk Baldonado, Mike Rose getting a sack. AJ Allen secured the first of what will be any sacks in his career. Tevaughn Campbell rang up his 1st INT of the year. Thor’s Hammer returned to Toronto and smashed for 91 yards and a TD. Dohnte Meyers put himself on the map with a monster day of 125 yards and 2 TDs. Trevor Harris continued his efficient play going 17 of 21 for 234 yards and 2 TDs. 3rd win and a different WR had the biggest game in each so it was clear this Offence would be dangerous. Never want to give up a lead but we always struggle on the Eastern swing so it was so huge to win this.

Week 4 – vs BC – W

Trevor Harris was too banged up to start this one so we turned to Jake Maier who did a great job of controlling the clock and leading the offence to defeat a strong team. Maier went 13 of 23 for 170 yards and a TD to Del Duncan-Busby which was his 1st of the year. Keesean Johnson led all receivers with 53 yards on 4 catches. The O-Line shined as they opened lanes for Ouellette who smashed for 139 yards and a TD, his 1st 100 yard game as a Rider. Brett Lauther got back on track going 5 for 5 on FGs including 2 tough ones from 45 and 48. Also 2 for 2 on XPs. Crucial performance to support Maier. Our Murderer’s Row of a secondary showed up big time. Tevaughn Campbell got his 2nd INT of the year in style delivering an 89 yard pick 6 to swing the game just before halftime. DeMarcus Fields, Roland Milligan and Antoine Brooks Jr each locked down a pick. CJ Reavis with the double stat forcing a fumble and recovering it. To not have our QB1 and still end up 4-0 heading into our week 5 bye put us in the drivers seat in the West.

Week 6 – vs Calgary – L

The smoke game, less said about it the better haha if you looked at Harris’ stats you would think the Riders destroyed them but that was the worst 36 of 44 for 425 yards and 1 TD 0 INT game I’ve ever seen lol the bright spot was the emergence of Joe Robustelli as a major threat exploding for 191 yards and a TD off 11 catches. The amount of talent in our WR room this year was insane. 4 different players had 50+ receiving yards and 5 had over 40 including Keesean Johnson, Dohnte Meyers and Mitch Picton. Ouellette only had 9yards rushing on 6 carries but put up 58 yards receiving off 6 catches. This game was supposed to be played Friday night but bc of heavy smoke in the stadium they moved it to Saturday afternoon. I thought the longer wait would favour the Riders but they played flat in all phases while the Stamps showed much more energy. It started good with AJ Allen picking off Vernon Adams on the first play of the game but it was all downhill from there. CJ Reavis added another pick while Shane Ray picked up the lone sack of the game. This was a big wake up call to a 4-0 team that there was still work to do and it’s all about going 1-0 every week.

Week 7 – @ BC – W

this was the game where I started to believe this was a Grey Cup bc this is a game we always lose. Come off that loss against Calgary and get blown out of BC. But this team showed right from the start of the game that they were not gonna accept that reality. On the 1st drive of the game Harris hit Dohnte Meyers for a 50 yard TD and they never looked back. Meyers would dominate this game finishing with 135 and 2 TDs on 7 receptions. O-Line was dominant not allowing a sack to a talented d-line and opening lanes for Ouellette to smash for 72 yards and 1 receiving TD. Harris was back to form here taking total command of the offence with 4 30+ yard plays going 23 of 30 for 395 yards 3 TDs 1 INT. Emilus, Duncan-Busby and Keesean all came down with 65+ yards. Lauther was unbelievably clutch going 4 for 4 on FGs including 2 from 45 and 41. It’s important to remember games like this bc it wasn’t all struggles for him. A key point in the game was a fumble on STs forced by Melique Straker and recovered by Jayden Dalke that turned into 3 points. Marcus Sayles helped seal the win with an INT late in the 4th Q and KeeSean Johnson made it official recovering the onside kick to end the game. After a win like this, there was no doubt now who the front runner to the Grey Cup was but still lots of season left.

Week 8 – vs Edmonton – W

Riders D-Line welcomed Cody Fajardo back to Sask in his first start vs the Riders with 8 sacks. Front 7 was absolutely ferocious all game but esp in the 2nd half. Micah Johnson and Shane Ray had 2 sacks each including 1 each on Edmontons final drive with Micah’s coming as time expired to seal the victory. The PM Malik Carney added 2 while CJ Reavis and AJ Allen each had 1. Under attack all day, the Argos were only able to put up 25 rushing yards. Despite starting 9 different O-Linemen coming into Week 8, they only allowed 1 sack and paved the way for Ouellette to rush for 62 yards. Trevor Harris continued his strong play going 25/33 for 268 yards and 2 TDs. This made it 10 consecutive games with at least 70% completion percentage. It was Emilus’s turn to have a big day snagging 6 receptions for 113 yards and a TD. KeeSean Johnson was clutch all day coming down with 9 receptions for 78 yards and a TD. Lauther went 2 for 3 on FGs missing from 47 but connecting from 46 and 51, his 22nd career FG from 50+. The early miss resulted in a rouge which turned out to be important with the Riders only winning by 3. The win moved the Riders to 6-1 and put them in the drivers seat to win the West and ensure the road to the Grey Cup went through Mosaic.

Week 9 – @ Montreal – W

This was a big test for the Riders to determine if they were pretenders or contenders. Well a 34-6 Win left no doubt that the Riders were not only contenders, but the team to beat moving to 7-1 their best start since 2013 and we know how that season ended. Riders set the tone immediately engineering a TD drive that took 6:48 off the clock. Tommy Stevens showed how dangerous of a weapon he is converting 2 3rd downs and capping off the drive with a 1 yard TD. Front 7 was dominant allowing just 59 rushing yards with 2 sacks coming on a key drive in the 3rd Q. Mike Rose got his on 2nd down and Shane Ray dropping Bethel-Thompson for a turnover on downs after the Riders were called for roughing the kicker. Jameer Thurman also came through with his 1st INT of the season. We lost Emilus to the 6 game with a knee injury but enter Tommy Nield who stepped up and immediately contributed making 2 big catches on the 2nd drive including 1 for a TD. Dohnte Meyers continued to be a crucial weapon for Trevor Harris posting 5 catches for 136 yards. KeeSean Johnson was also a big presence making 4 catches for 62 yards and a TD that sealed the win. Trevor Harris was surgical again going 19 of 27 for 289 yards and 2 TDs. Pretty clear at this point Harris was playing this best football of his career. AJ Ouellette didn’t score but was clutch putting up 74 yards rushing with Mario Anderson Jr posting 48 yards as well. Brett Lauther with another strong game going 4/5 on FGs with a long of 48. With Alford injured, Drae McCray stepped up with 65 yards on punt returns and Dohnte Meyers with a big 46 yard Kick Return to add to his big receiving day. Montreal is a tough place to win especially for us so to put up a dominant win like that was huge to build the championship confidence we needed.

Week 11 – vs Hamilton – W

Riders had built up a 7-1 record to this point but could they keep the momentum going against the 6-3 Ticats coming out of the bye? That answer was a definitive yes in the form of a 29-9 win. Hamilton had momentum early but Mike Rose changed that with his 4th sack of the year. Harris had a shaky start with an INT but got back on track with a 58 yard TD to Dohnte Meyers. Mace decided to go for 2 and Ouellette punched it in. He didn’t score a TD but Ouellette was a beast all day grinding out 84 rushing yards and 3 catches for 33 yards. Harris answered that score with a beautiful pass for a 26 yard TD to Tommy Nield. The wind was a factor all day making FGs difficult as Lauther went 2 for 5 but nailed a 59! yarder to end the 1st half and demoralize the Ticats heading into the break. Shane Ray set up the 59 yarder with an explosive sack on 3rd down. Tevaughn Campbell started the 2nd half with a big INT setting the tone for the 2nd half. A rare fumble by Drae McCray on a punt return set up the Ticats to steal momentum back but Milligan shut that down with his 3rd INT of the season on his 31st bday. That’s the real 2024 MOP. Trevor Harris took control and engineered an 11 play 90 yard drive going 6 for 6 for 63 yards capping it off with a 15 yard TD to Joe Robustelli. Harris even converted a 2nd and 8 with his legs! Guy was on another level and it was exciting to watch. KeeSean Johnson had a big day with 8 catches for 117 yards. Big Tommy Stevens continued to dominate rushing for 2 key 1st downs in the game. Riders stacked the sacks in the 4th Q as AJ Allen, Caleb Sanders, and Micah Johnson all dropped Bo Levi. The final nail on the coffin was delivered as Micah Johnson got his 2nd sack of the game forcing a turnover on downs to make it official. To come out of the bye with a win like this and move to 8-1, it was starting to feel like a special season but a big game vs Calgary was up next.

Week 12 – @ Calgary – L

The all important season series on the line in this one and the Riders looking to avenge their only loss of the season. The game started with Lauther continuing his struggles from last game missing a 28 yarder. Harris had his worst game of the year going 15 of 23 for 205 yards 2 TDs and 2 INTs. Harris was playing at such a high level you knew there would be a down game just wish it wasn’t against a team we were fighting for 1st. After the Stamps went up 14-2, Harris answered with a 7 yarder TD to Dohnte Meyers and after the Defence got the ball back he drove it down and found Dhel Duncan-Busby for a 10 yard TD. Despite the early struggles the Riders had the lead going into halftime but it was all Calgary after that. To make it worse, a crucial piece of the secondary Nelson Lokombo injured his foot and was in a walking boot for the 2nd half. Riders couldn’t get anything going on either side of the ball allowing Calgary to take back the lead early and never look back. The Riders were still 8-2 but after 2 bad losses to the Stamps and the LDC up next, the pressure was turned up big time. This loss meant they had to finish at least 1 game ahead of did Calgary and they could not afford to lose another season series to the Bombers making the LDC and Banjo Bowl just win games.

Week 13 – vs Winnipeg – W

The Pick-2 game haha we have seen many games decided by a Pick-6 but rarely do you see it decided by a Pick-2 but that is exactly what happened in this game. Both defences came ready to play with the 1st points not being scored until the 2nd Q. The PM Malik Carney was a force early sacking Collaros and dropping Oliveira for a loss. A sack fumble on Harris at the Riders 5 yard line gave WPG a chance to break the game open and they did going up 10-0. But the PM Malik Carney wasn’t having that and he took back momentum with a sack fumble on Collaros the Riders recovered at the WPG 7 yard line. Ouellette punched it in on the next play and the Riders were back in business. Harris would connect with Tommy Nield for a 69 yard TD to give the Riders the lead and they would not trail again. WPG was driving to finish the 1st half but Ali Saad got his 1st career sack and forced a 50 yard FG which was missed by Castillo. Mario Anderson Jr took over the 2nd half breaking tackles and making defenders miss to score 2 crucial rushing TDs and help the Riders keep control of the game. Lauther’s struggle continued missing the XP on Mario’s 1st TD forcing the Riders to go for 2 on the 2nd but they converted when Harris found Ajou Ajou. The Bombers wouldn’t go away answering the with a TD and on the Riders next possession, Trevor Harris shocked Mosaic with a quick kick punt that resulted in a rouge but I should’ve been a safety. Either way Riders got points they needed to make it an 8 point game which would be very important. Collaros drove the Bombers down and scored a TD with 30 seconds left to make it 32-30. They went for 2 and just as it looked like it would be an easy catch, Tevaughn Campbell came out of nowhere and intercepted the ball taking it 112 yards to the house. 1 of the greatest lays in Rider history. If Mosaic had a roof it would have been blown off haha the rare Pick-2 meant even if the Bombers got the onside kick, they would have needed a TD with very little time left. They did not recover the kick and the Riders would win 34-30. Harris finished 17/27 for 219 yards 1 TD and a quick kick haha Ouellette smashed for 89 yards 1 TD while Mario Anderson Jr had 34 yards 2 TDs.Tommy Nield had the big WR day with 86 yards 1 TD. Dohnte Meyers continued to be clutch with 3 catches for 52 yards and KeeSean Johnson added 5 catches for 45 yards. The PM Malik Carney had 2 sacks while Ali Saad, Jameer Thurman and Micah Johnson all dropped Collaros for 1. The LDC is full of legendary moments and finishes but this 1 is def near the top. Winning the LDC meant the Riders just needed to win 1 of the next 2 games @ Winnipeg to take the all important season series. The team was firing on all cylinders but the question remained, could they win the Banjo Bowl where they have been beat badly the last few years.

Week 14 – @ Winnipeg – W

FINALLY! Haha oh man this Win was so sweet considering the beatings we have taken in this game the last 6 years and it left no doubt that the Riders were the best team in the league. Just such a joke that they didn’t let us celebrate with the Banjo Bowl trophy I mean we won it fair and square but nope they took their trophy and went home. Rather have the win anyways. Didn’t start out looking like it would be any different than previous years as Harris was picked on the opening drive. But the D came to play with Marcus Sayles snatching an INT and they held strong forcing 2 FGs and giving up 1 TD. 2nd half was a different story as DaMarcus Fields set the tone with an INT that led to Ouellette dragging Bombers into the end zone with him for a 5 yard TD. TSN turning point came on the next drive when CJ Reavis blitzed in untouched and destroyed Collaros with a clean hit that not only knocked the ball out that the Riders recovered but Collaros was hurt and couldn’t finish the game. No surprise the command centre said it was Roughing the Passer so the fumble was negated but without Collaros the Bombers were in big trouble. Lauther was the MVP of the 4th Q going 3 for 3 on FGs and 5/5 overall with a long of 41 to help the Riders secure a 21-13 victory. He did miss an XP that kept the pressure from fans on him after the game and I mean it was def frustrating bc every point is crucial in Winnipeg. The missed XP would’ve tied the game so it was a significant miss and you can’t be giving away points like that if you want to win the Grey Cup. It was such a tough situation bc he was def clutch for most of the season but it seemed like when he missed it was significant and that made the misses stand out more than the kicks he was making. Tevaughn Campbell made it back to back games with an INT but 1 wasn’t enough as he brought down 2 INTs in the final 3 min of the game. Guy was on an absolute tear and Rider Nation was loving it. Harris’s 18/31 for 239 yards 0 TD 1 INT line seems modest but he was engineering long drives and throwing for key 1st downs to get the Riders in scoring position for Lauther. Pushing the ball down field could’ve led to INTs that would have killed the Riders momentum but he recognized what time of game it was and led us to victory. Joe Robustelli continued being a reliable weapon having the big WR day with 3 catches for 72 yards. KeeSean Johnson delivering consistent top shelf production with 6 catches for 69(nice) yards. Tommy Nield had 4 catches for 45 yards and Dohnte Meyers added 3 catches for 37 yards. The level of WR talent we had this year was insane especially considering how much talent was injured. AJ Ouellette smashed for 50 yards and 1 TD while Tommy Stevens was an absolute beast rushing 7 times for 31 yards and 4! 1st downs. Cannot express how important a guy like Big Tom is to extend drives and keep that winning momentum going. With the Riders record now 10-2 and the season series vs Winnipeg won, they were firmly in control of the West and Rider Nation was starting to look towards hosting the West Final. What a season it had been to this point but we hadn’t seen anything yet.

Week 15 – vs Montreal – L

Man I can’t express how disappointed I was to come off finally winning the Banjo Bowl and then get our asses kicked by MTL at home but having a let down game after such a huge emotional win is something a lot of teams experience. We also had 2 significant injuries to our secondary with Marcus Sayles and Tevaughn Campbell who was a huge reason we won the 2 games vs Winnipeg out for this one. Montreal started strong from the opening kickoff building up an 18-3 lead but the Riders swung back with Harris finding KeeSean Johnson for a 38 yard TD pass. But this was not the Montreal team we crushed earlier in the season and they scored twice after this TD going into the half up 28-10. Fans at Mosaic were stunned watching a team that just looked so good against Winnipeg look so bad at home vs Montreal. Riders tried to make it a game in the second half leaning on Ouellette to drive it down so Tommy Stevens could punch it in from the 1 but Montreal answered it again. Ouellette would punch in his own TD making it 38-24 before Montreal once again answered with a TD. With the game out of reach, Jake Maier came in and threw a 47 yard TD to Dohnte Meyers for his 8th of the year. Harris finished 23/32 for 25 yards 1 TD 1 INT and Maier went 6/10 for 118 yards 1 TD. Ouellette almost got to 100 grinding out 90 tough yards and 1 TD but did get over 100 total yards adding 3 catches for 14 yards. Ajou Ajou had the big WR day with 8 catches for 95 yards and man it was great to have him back from his NFL tryout. Dohnte Meyers continued his awesome year with 7 catches for 89 and 1 TD. KeeSean Johnson had 4 catches for 61 yards and Tommy Nield also had 4 catches for 59 yards. It was unreal how many weapons at WR we had with Dhel-Duncan Busby also contributing with 2 catches for 44 yards. O-Line was 1 of the bright spots only allowing 1 sack and opening lanes for the RBs all game. I think we all knew the Riders weren’t going to win all of their remaining games but to lose like this was concerning however after 2 wars with Winnipeg and a BYE week next, I think fans were willing to write this off and just focus on getting the team healthy so we come out of the BYE ready to finish the job.

Week 17 – @ Edmonton – L

If fans were wiling to write off the loss to Montreal as not a big deal, they def were not after this one. We finally win the Banjo Bowl and then lose the next 2 opening the door for Calgary and BC to potentially pass us In the standings man I was so frustrated lol the optimism in Rider Nation turned to angst as we worried about another late season collapse costing us the prime position we had put ourselves in. It was a defensive battle to start as both teams forced punts until a crazy series of plays gave Edmonton momentum. Harris was picked off by Kenneth Logan Jr but then he fumbled giving the Riders the ball back until Harris was picked off again. Seemed like the wheels were starting to fall off for the Riders and def had me worried we wouldn’t get back to our top form. 2nd half was about feeding Thor’s Hammer and he stepped up on a 108 yard 11 play drive with 58 rushing yards finishing with a 5 yard TD. This game also put Ouellette over 1000 yards for the season man we are so blessed to have him. He couldn’t punch in the 2pt convert keeping it 11-9 for Edmonton but to start the 4th Q Mike Rose forced a fumble recovered by Kosi Onyeka leading to a Lauther FG giving the Riders their 1st lead of the game. Didn’t last long tho as Edmonton responded with 2 straight TDs to go up 24-12. Harris wasn’t going down without a fight as he found Tommy Nield for a 24 yard TD. After Edmonton got a FG to make it an 8 point game, Harris drove down the field with 2 key passes to KeeSean Johnson and Big Tommy Stevens punched it in from the 1 as time expired. Unfortunately the Riders couldn’t force OT and the 2 pt conversion was no good dropping them to 1-4. Riders dominated the time of possession and most of the offence put up big stats but could not translate it to the scoreboard. Harris went 33/46 for 351 yards 1 TD 2 INT and Ouellette had a big day with 115 yards and 1 TD. KeeSean Johnson once again had the big WR day with 8 catches for 119 yards. Tommy Nield brought down 6 catches for 64 yards 1 TD while Sam Emilus returned from injury in a big way with 7 catches for 63 yards. Dohnte Meyers and Ajou Ajou both had 5 catches with 47 and 41 yards respectively. Just disgusting talent in that WR room. Habakkuk Baldonado, Mike Rose and Caleb Sanders all dropped Fajardo for a sack. Lauther went 2/4 on FGs and in a game we lost by 2, they stood out like a sore thumb. The clutch kicks of the 1st half of the season were forgotten and Rider Nation was demanding a kicker be brought in to challenge Lauther. With only 4 games left, BC/Calgary close on our tail and Rider Nation riled up, the Riders had to get their shit figured out and quick.

Week 18 – @ Ottawa – W

A loss in this game would’ve been like dropping a nuclear bomb on gasoline for Rider Nation lol thankfully the Riders got back to their winning ways and looked every bit like the team that had beat the Bombers back to back. Only downside was that Tommy Stevens would be out until the playoffs with a knee injury. Def had me nervous coming into the game bc Big Tom was such a huge part of the offence. Brett Lauther would also miss the game with a back injury giving Campbell Fair a shot at the Riders kicking job. Harris started the game on fire leading a 12 play 84 yard drive capped off by Ouellette punching in a 1 yard TD. Campbell Fair with the 1st attempt of his career but unfortunately missed the XP and I think you could actually hear the collective groan from Rider Nation lol With the injuries to our Defence we needed someone to step up and that man was Antoine Brooks Jr. In his 2nd start of the season he picked off a Dru Brown pass taking it 85 yards to the house and Harris found Ajou Ajou for the 2pt conversion to put the Riders up 14-0. AJ Allen decided to give Brooks some company on the stat sheet and got one before the half ended. 1st play of the 2nd half Jameer Thurman decided to join the pick party and sent Dru Brown to the bench. Crum had initiated some Crum-backs this year so I was a touch nervous haha but the Riders were not gonna let this one slip away. 1st play of the 4th Q, Harris found Dohnte Meyers for a 66 yard TD to put the Riders firmly in control of the game. Campbell Fair missed the XP and you had to feel for him but man you gotta make those kicks. Lauther would return next game leaving Fair without a make in his career so you know he is itching for another opportunity. After an Ottawa TD to make it 20-10, Harris drove it down tot he Ottawa 5 yard line ready to put the game away but on 2nd down he has hit hard and fumbled the ball. Ottawa recovered and looked like they would score but AJ Ouellette in 1 of the biggest plays of the season ran 80 yards and made a TD saving tackle at the Riders 16 yard line. Ottawa TD there would’ve been a disaster and given Ottawa a chance for the upset. That hustle by Ouellette is what Rider Nation and Rider Pride is all about. Never give up in the face of any adversity. I was fired up watching it lol Mike Rose sacked Crum to force a FG and Ottawa didn’t touch the ball again after Harris killed the clock with key 1st downs to KeeSean Johnson and Dohnte Meyers. Fittingly Ouellette sealed the game with a 1st down run allowing the Riders to kneel it out for the win. Now the Riders controlled their destiny to finish 1st and host the Western Final. Obviously a win is a win but the way the Riders won this was perfect to set them up for their run to the Grey Cup. All 3 starting LBs got an INT, a rare feat that showed how dangerous our Defence is. Dohnte Meyers went over 1000 yards for the season with 6 catches for 158 yards and 1 TD. Such a crucial weapon for our team I hope he is a Rider for a long time. KeeSean Johnson with another big game with 7 catches, most of them clutch, for 68 yards. ‘Schaff n Bake’ Kian Schaffer-Baker returned putting up 4 catches for 40 yards and it can’t be understated what his presence on the field does for our offence. Harris continued playing at his highest level going 27/33 for 341 yards 1 TD 1 FUM but the stat sheet doesn’t show the multiple tough throws he made for key 1st downs. AJ Ouellette was the MVP with that incredible tackle on top of 53 rushing yards 1 TD and 3 catches for 20 yards. Rider Nation breathed a sigh of relief as the Riders got back on track and were now in a position to clinch the West Final next week. We knew this team was special but without a Grey Cup they wouldn’t be remembered the way they deserved to be.

Week 19 – vs Toronto – W

This is it, a chance to clinch 1st place in the West at home and ensure that the road to the Grey Cup comes through Mosaic. Our depth was tested big time on both sides of the ball as Roland Milligan and Tevaughn Campbell were out with injury as well as Big Tommy Stevens and Dohnte Meyers. During the game KeeSean Johnson was also injured so securing first and giving the Riders 3 weeks before playing another meaningful game was crucial to a Grey Cup run. Harris set the tone early leading a 70 yard drive capped off with a 12 yard TD to Joe Robustelli. Riders went for 2 and missed leaving the nerves of Rider Nation frayed haha the 2nd Q belonged to Brett Lauther as Harris consistently moved the ball but the Argos defence bent but didn’t break leaving Lauther to connect on 3 FGs to give the Riders a 15-7 lead at halftime. After a rare Ouellette fumble led to a TD making it 15-13, Harris stepped up and led a 6 play 72 yard drive that finished with a 13 yard TD pass to Tommy Nield. Both teams would trade FGs with the Riders hanging on to a 24-19 lead as the 4th Q wound down. Argos were driving, hoping to take the lead but the Riders D stood strong and stopped the Argos cold forcing a turnover on downs. Riders needed to kill the clock and drive for points to go up by 8 and did so in spectacular fashion. Harris saw Emilus open and slightly under threw him but that was no problem for Emilus as he jumped over the DB and caught the ball on his back for a crucial 44 yard gain the put the Riders in FG range. Just incredible man if there were any Rider fans with doubts that this team could win the Grey Cup they were erased with that play. Scary moment as the Riders were initially stopped on a 3rd down rush by Jack Coan but Coach Mace challenged the spot and replays showed that Coan got the yards he needed so the play was reversed giving the Riders a 1st down. Lauther kicked a FG with a minute left to give the Riders insurance and AJ Allen sealed the win clinching 1st in the West with a big INT. This team was so much fun to watch and they reminded me of the Blue Jays with how much they seemed to love playing together so I really wanted them to finish with a Grey Cup and hosting the West Final was a huge step towards that. Trevor Harris playing the best football of his career at 39 was the exact kind of leader this team needed. In this critical game he went 23/29 for 340 yards and 2 TDs and it was Emilus with the big WR day locking down 6 catches for 142 yards. Robustelli was such an important weapon down the stretch making tough catches at key times and in this game brought down 5 catches for 75 yards and 1 TD. Schaffer-Baker had 5 catches for 68 yards and Tommy Nield stepped up with 3 catches for 39 yards and 1 TD. Ouellette and Bertrand-Hudon combined for over 100 yards rushing smashing 69(nice) yards and 32 yards respectively. AJ Allen was def Defensive MVP with 7 tackles, 1 sack and 1 INT. Another strong game from the O-line protecting Harris and opening lanes, led by Jermarcus Hardrick the O-line’s absolute dominance was maybe the biggest reason we ended the season as Grey Cup champs. This win not only locked in the West Final at Mosaic but gave us 3 weeks to get our injured players healthy and make sure they didn’t have to rush back before they were ready. A long layoff can sometimes be detrimental to a team so there would be no relaxing in Rider Nation haha

Week 20 – @ Winnipeg – L

With 1st place clinched, this game meant nothing to the Riders and they used it to rest starters and give backups valuable playing time. Showing how deep the roster is, we actually had a chance to win for most of this game despite Collaros returning and Winnipeg needed to win. At times it seemed like the Riders almost wanted Winnipeg to win, maybe to keep them in the West but I want to beat Winnipeg as much as possible so it was a frustrating watch haha Riders rested Trevor Harris, AJ Ouellette, Jermarcus Hardrick, Logan Ferland, KeeSean Johnson, Dohnte Meyers, Sam Emily’s, Micah Johnson, Shane Ray, Roland Milligan Jr, and Marcus Sayles so nobody was expecting this to be close. Jake Maier started and went 15/20 for 123 yards which is not bad considering the vanilla playbook they were running. Running game was non existent as Maier and Coan both led the team with 12 yards each and Mario Anderson Jr with 5 yards. Mitch Picton had the big WR day with 5 catches for 71 yards. Antoine Brooks Jr quickly emerging as 1 of the Defensive MVPs led the way with 2 sacks while DeMarcus Fields picked off Collaros for what most thought could be the game winning INT. But the Riders couldn’t get a 1st down so they punted it back and Winnipeg drove for the game winning FG as time expired. Lauther went 3/4 on FGs so he still had a miss but enough makes to be optimistic. No major injuries after this one, injured players got rest, healthy players got much needed reps so you can chalk that up as a win.

Week 21 – vs BC – L

This game also meant nothing to the Riders but they still needed to play some key starters to keep them in game shape. Sam Emilus, KeeSean Johnson, Joe Robustelli, Dohnte Meyers, Mike Rose, CJ Reavis and Brett Lauther all sat out this game. BC needed to win to secure a Home playoff game and yet it was the Riders that had the winning momentum for the 1st half. After BC scored a TD to start the game, Harris answered with a TD drive capped off by a 2 yard Jack Coan rush. With the game tied 10-10 late in the 2nd Q, Harris led a 74 yard drive capped off by another Jack Coan rush to take the lead. That was it for Harris as Maier would take over the 2nd half. Tevaughn Campbell was robbed of a 108 yard fumble recovery in the 3rd Q when the command centre said it was blown dead. As frustrating as it was, the Riders performance in this game had me 100% confident we would be playing for the Grey Cup in Winnipeg I mean I couldn’t believe we had the lead and a chance to win for so much of the game. Harris almost had a perfect day leading 2 TD drives going 10/11 for 110 yards while Jake Maier came in going 16/24 for 154 yards 1 INT. AJ Ouellette had 43 yards rushing while Thomas Bertrand-Hudon had 36. Tommy Nield had the big WR day with 8 catches for 75 yards but Kian Schaffer-Baker wasn’t far behind with 6 catches for 69(nice) yards. Michael Hughes looked great filling in for Lauther going 2/2 on both FGs and XPs plus he smashed a 90 yard kick for a rouge. Gotta think he will be in camp next year to compete for the kicking job. Habakkuk Baldonado and Micah Johnson each had a sack with Nelson Lokombo bringing down the only INT. And that brings the regular season to a close, would’ve liked to have crushed BC’s dreams of a home playoff game but I was confident we would beat whoever came out of the CGY/BC game. It would be BC setting up a big time West Final for the ages.

Western Final – vs BC – W

Oh my God this was 1 of the greatest Rider wins I have ever seen and I’m so thankful I was in Mosaic to witness it. This team was destined to win the Grey cup together and no matter the adversity, they would not be denied. Riders punter Jesse Mirco was the MVP of the 1st half scoring a rouge and not only smashing punts but with surgical precision consistently pinning the Lions deep. A defensive battle in the 1st half had Rider Nation nervous heading into the half down 7-4. Trevor Harris knew that if he wanted to win a Grey Cup, he needed to take charge of the 3rd Q and that’s exactly what he did. After a rare fumble by AJ Ouellette, the defence got it back after CJ Reavis tipped a Rourke pass and Marcus Sayles secured the INT. 3 plays later Harris found Kian Schaffer-Baker for a 3 yard TD to take the lead. After the defence forced a punt, Harris drove down for a 34 yard Lauther FG to give the Riders a 14-7 lead. BC was not going down without a fight as Rourke tied it at 14 early in the 4th. This time it was BC’s defence that forced a punt and Rourke drove it down to punch it in himself to take a 21-14 lead and yelling “It’s our time!” I will fully admit I was fcking worried at this point haha Harris responded with clutch throws and a 10 yard Ouellette run on a drive to get the Riders to the 5. In a move that I know some fans in Rider Nation are still criticizing haha Coach Mace decided to kick a FG with 2:42 left on the clock instead of gambling on 3rd down to make the score 21-17. A TD would win it but the Riders needed the ball back. Enter the Defence who forced a 2 n out giving the Riders a chance to win the game. But with the ball on the Riders 36 and 2 straight incompletions to make it 3rd and 10, Coach Mace decided to punt and ask the defence to make 1 more stand. Stress levels were maxed out across Rider Nation lol I honestly thought we were done but the defence fuelled by a frenzied crowd did their job with AJ Allen sacking Rourke to force another 2 and out and give the Riders offence 1 more shot to win it. This was a now or never legacy drive for Harris and would determine how he was remembered as a QB. 1st play Harris found Emilus for 23 yards, then connected for 14 yards and again for 5 yards. Next play Harris found Ouellette for 10 yards giving the Riders a 1st down on the BC 24 yard line. With 18 seconds on the clock, Dohnte Meyers made the biggest catch of his career for 21 yards to put the Riders 1st and goal at the BC 3 yard line with 11 seconds left. With a chance to play for the Grey Cup on the line, the crowd took the noise level from 10 to 0 so the offence would have no trouble hearing the calls. On 1st down, Harris delivered a strike to Tommy Nield for a 3 yard TD and the collective “YEAH!” from Mosaic was 1 of the loudest reactions I’ve ever heard, on TV or in person. They reviewed the play but it was clear Nield caught it and we went fcking crazy in the stands haha the decision by Coach Mace to kick that FG turned into of the gutsiest calls in CFL history bc with the TD the Riders took the lead instead of being tied. BC did not have enough time left to drive down for a FG to tie it and the Riders secured their spot in the Grey Cup. 



Absolutely incredible game and victory, it was truly a team effort getting significant contributions from all 3 phases. I loved Trevor Harris in the post game talking about Rourke’s TD celebration, “I think he should check his watch” lol fn love it. Harris would get his chance to win a Grey Cup as QB1 going 26/38 for 305 yards and 2 TDs. He was our unquestioned leader all season and his best version showed up in the playoffs to give us a shot at a championship. AJ Ouellette lived up to his ‘Thor’s Hammer’ nickname as he smashed out 113 yards and 2 catches for 13 yards. This is why we signed him and he fcking delivered. Emilus had the big WR with 9 catches for 100 yards and almost every single catch was crucial. So huge to have him in the lineup healthy. The hero of the day Tommy Nield had 3 catches for 29 yards and the biggest TD of his life. Guy was so clutch all season. Kian Schaffer-Baker stepping up when the lights are brightest grabbing 3 catches for 56 yards and 1 TD. Dohnte Meyers emerged as 1 of our most important weapons this year and we needed him in this one with 3 catches for 40 yards including the one to set up the game winning TD. Joe Robustelli also with 3 catches for 40 yards, him becoming a reliable option for Harris in place of our injured WR is a big part of why we went on this run. Dhel Duncan-Busby another clutch weapon for Harris had 2 catches for 27 yards. Habakkuk Baldonado, Antoine Brooks Jr and AJ Allen all dropped Rourke for a sack and Marcus Sayles brought down a key INT. O-line was in beast mode dominating an elite BC O-line by not allowing a sack and opening lanes for a 100+ yard rushing day. Mario Alford averaged 16.3 yards on kickoffs and 12.4 yards on punt returns giving us crucial field position all game. Lauther def had his worst season but was clutch when we needed him going 3/3 on FGs and 2/2 on XPs. Jesse Mirco was surgical with his punts pinning BC deep and close to the sidelines not allowing for big returns. As I said, this was a total team effort and 1 of the greatest victories in Riders history. The stage was set, Saskatchewan vs Montreal for the Grey Cup in Winnipeg.

2025 Grey Cup – vs Montreal – W

Not only did the Riders have a chance to win the Grey Cup but they had a chance to right some wrongs after losing back to back Grey Cups to Montreal in 09/10. Wouldn’t be easy but I think this is one of the best Rider teams that has ever played for a Grey Cup so I was confident we would end the game as Grey Cup Champions. We lost Joe Robustelli to injury and I was both heartbroken for him and concerned for us. He had a great season and deserved to play in the game but had become an important weapon for Harris so his absence would be missed. I was born in Regina but grew up in Winnipeg so Winnipeg is just as home to me as Sask is. I’ve seen the Riders win a Grey Cup at home in Saskatchewan and now I needed to see them win 1 at home in Winnipeg. Gotta say after this game and weekend I have a new respect for Bomber fans. I was expecting them to be rabid cheering for Montreal but the majority were either cheering for nobody or actually cheering for us. All weekend people were wishing us luck and thanking Riderfans for coming to the Grey Cup, made for 1 of my fav all time weekends. I think Montreal being the team we played was a big factor, they beat WPG for a Grey Cup in 2022 and eliminated them from the 2025 playoffs, if it was Hamilton it would have been a different story. Crowd felt 60/40 for the Riders which just blew me away haha but if it was Hamilton it prob would’ve been more like 80/20 for MTL. Cheers to Bomber fans for a great atmosphere at the game and the entire weekend. Only negative was the insanity in the end zone trying to get to our seats. A sea of people chest to back not moving at all forward but 2 lines moving against us. There was no logical explanation to why we were stuck like that and not moving, So many Bomber fans apologized and said they had never seen anything like that. Just insanity but we eventually made it just in time for introductions.



Now to the game, it was now or never for Trevor Harris to win a Grey Cup as QB1. Riders won the toss and took the ball in the 2nd half so Montreal started the first drive but didn’t have it long as a Davis Alexander pass was picked by Marcus Sayles. Beautiful INT Sayles played that ball perfectly. Slow start to the scoring as both teams punted with Jesse Mirco opened the scoring by hammering a punt into the end zone for a rouge. It was Montreal who would score the first major driving for a 1 yard TD by former Rider Shea Patterson. Riders knew they had to keep pace with Montreal so Harris led a 73 yard drive to the MTL 4 but a pass to Dohnte Meyers in the end zone was ruled incomplete. But Coach Mace saw something and challenged the play for Pass Interference. Upon review it was clear the DB contacted Meyers before the ball got there and the play was reversed giving the Riders a 1st down at the 1 yard line. Big Tommy Stevens returned from injury and punched it in giving the Riders an 8-7 lead. I actually missed this TD haha when it went incomplete I sprinted down to the washroom but when I came out other Riderfans were telling us they challenged and Riders got a TD. Fun memory celebrating in the concourse with fellow Riderfans haha 



Riders got their first lead of the game and our defence never let them take it back. They forced MTL to punt on the next drive and now it was time for Harris and Ouellette take over. Harris was surgical going 6/6 on the drive including a 32 yard catch by Ouellette, a key 1st down rush for Tommy Stevens and Ouellette smashed for 24 yards capped off with a 4 yard TD. This is what championship teams look like. The offence getting 1st downs and putting points on the board while the defence locks down the lead. Tons of time left in the game at this point but you couldn’t be happier with this 1st half from the Riders. Montreal tried to drive down to score points before the half but Roland Milligan the real 2024 MOP ended that with a big INT to send the Riders into halftime with a 15-7 lead and 30 minutes to a 5th Grey Cup. MGK was the halftime show and I thought he put on a good performance. Majority of people I talked to liked it and MGK is a cool name to check off my live concert list. But it was def hard to concentrate knowing how close we were to a Grey Cup I just wanted the game to end lol 



Maintaining momentum would be the key to finishing the game as champions so the 1st drive was crucial but momentum was established on the kickoff as Super Mario Alford took the ball 38 yards to the MTL 48. Trevor Harris didn’t waste any time as it only took 4 plays to get the score as Tommy Nield took a pass 26 yards to the 1 and Tommy Stevens punched it in on the next play for his 2nd TD of the game. OUR TIME! – Trevor fn Harris haha man I was going crazy in the stands but also trying to stay calm bc knowing our history, when it comes to the Riders and the CFL, you can’t relax until that last second ticks off the clock. The defence got on the board again when Tevaughn Campbell got his Grey Cup INT halfway through the 3rd Q. Tevaughn was a beast all year so I love that he got that his ‘legacy pick’. The drive stalled after a penalty but lather nailed a 48 yard FG to put the Riders firmly in control. Really happy he nailed a tough kick like that bc even tho he struggled this year, he is a Riders legend that has hit so many clutch kicks and I wanted this ring for him. 



You knew Montreal and Davis Alexander weren’t going down without a fight and they didn’t driving for back to back scores of a TD and FG making it a 1 score game down 25-17. Riders would respond with a drive into FG range off a 31 yard grab from Emilus but unfortunately Lauther would miss from 39 and MTL prevented the rouge bringing it out of the end zone to the MTL 19 yard line. This would’ve given the Riders insurance making it a 2 score game so it was a disaster of a miss that stands out more with the year he had. Felt bad for him but man this is the Grey Cup and he needed to make that kick. I was fearing the worst watching MTL drive it down to the Riders 3 yard line. Our seats were in the upper deck over the corner of the end zone so I had a perfect view for 1 of the biggest defensive plays in Riders history. Shea Patterson took the ball around the left end for a QB sneak but Tevaughn Campbell smashed the lead blocker into the running lane colliding with Patterson which caused him to fumble and Marcus Sayles recovered on the goal line. Oh my God what a fcking stand man I can still see the ball popping out and praying we came up with it. And not only did we get the turnover but bc we recovered on the goal line the ball gets brought out to the 35 yard line completely flipping the field position. Doesn’t get any more clutch than that and how fitting that 2 guys that have come up so big for the Riders all year combine for the Grey Cup saving turnover.



The drive would stall at the Riders 54 yard line with 1:08 left and Mirco would perfectly place his 44 yard punt pinning them at the MTL 23 giving Alexander a long field to tie it and not much time left. Riders forced MTL to 3rd down twice and while they converted them, it took precious time off the clock leaving Alexander with time for 1 more play. Alexander scrambled around and got enough time to launch a Hail Mary pass but it would hit the turf, broken up by Marcus Sayles. With zeroes on the clock, it was official, The Saskatchewan Roughriders had won their 5th Grey Cup!! Man what a feeling to celebrate in a city I call home man that was an incredible experience. Riders only have 5 Grey Cups but this win continued the run of all of our best players winning a ring. Winnipeg’s best all time player Milt Stegall doesn’t have one so while I wish we had more, I wouldn’t trade any of our 5 for any amount of Grey Cup wins. The fact that the biggest contributions came from our best players made it that much sweeter.



Trevor Harris has been known as 1 of the best QBs in CFL history but not having a Grey Cup as QB1 was an anchor on his legacy. Well not anymore as he was sensational in this game going 23/27 for 302 yards. No TDs on the board but twice he connected with a WR that went down at the 1 plus he was making clutch throws to extend drive and get us into scoring range. But he didn’t just win a Grey Cup, he was also the Grey Cup MVP and now breathing that rarified air of QBs that won both. So fn happy for him and his family he was made to lead this team. THOR’S HAMMER! haha man I knew having AJ Ouellette on our team would be fun but he took the team to another level and helped lead the charge in this game with 83 yards rushing 1 TD and 1 catch for 32 yards. Just an absolute beast that came up clutch so many times for us. Big Tommy Stevens had 4 rushes for 10 yards 2 1st Downs and 2 TDs lol what a line man it can’t be overstated how important of a weapon he is and he came up huge for us in the Grey Cup. Sam Emilus won the Most Outstanding Canadian in the Grey Cup posting 10 catches for 108 yards and it is so great to watch him live up to and surpass his potential. Dohnte Meyers has become a big fan favourite with his top shelf play and we needed him in the Grey Cup with 4 big catches for 76 yards. The West Final hero Tommy Nield coming up clutch again in the Grey Cup with 3 catches for 46 yards. Kian Shaffer-Baker been a Riders legend and helped secure a Grey Cup with 3 catches for 27 yards. Another guy that has become a fan favourite Ajou Ajou gets on the board with 2 catches for 13 yards. 



O-Line led by the CFL Most Outstanding Lineman Jermarcus Hardrick, for the 2nd playoff game in a row did not allow a sack. The heart and soul of a team is the O-line and ours was beating strong and fierce. No sacks for the Riders but we were so close multiple times. Our Front 7 had Alexander on his toes all game and constantly made him push that bad hamstring. Tevaughn Campbell is etched in Rider history as the man that forced The Fumble that saved the Grey Cup. Also adding an INT man what a fn legend. Marcus Sayles name is etched right along with Tevaughn as the man that recovered The Fumble that saved the Grey Cup. Came down with a big INT too man I love that he has carved out more greatness in his career with us. Roland Milligan Jr shows everyone that 2024 was no fluke as he dominated again this year and capped it off with a Grey Cup INT. Def levelled up his legacy with this ring. The entire team did. All these great players can now say they are Grey Cup Champions with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The 12 year drought is over and the celebration in Rider Nation is on again. What an incredible journey 2025 was, so many great memories were made and we ended it as Grey Cup Champions.



I really enjoyed going week by week through the season there were a few plays I forgot about man this was a season for the ages. This piece will be good to relive the Grey Cup down the road. So now I want to go through the entire team to say thanks for the amazing memories and highlight the greatness we saw this year. For any names I miss, blame the head not the heart haha 



TREVOR HARRIS – QB1 has his Grey Cup. So fn happy for this guy he not only plays great but is a great guy off the field. Family man. Works his ass off every game, every play, every practice, every workout, exactly the kind of guy that represents what Rider Nation is all about. Show up no matter what and always finish the job. Couldn’t ask for a better man to lead this franchise. We have watched his greatness from afar most of his career but the fact that he played his best football at 39 for us shows he was made for this team. Just couldn’t be happier that he will be known as a Grey Cup winning QB. But if 1 was this sweet, how bout 2? haha Back to Back Grey Cups for the 1st time in franchise history would put his legacy on an untouchable level. We know Harris will be back so I only have 1 more question, is it June yet?



BIG TOMMY STEVENS – Big Tom may not have been QB1 but he was absolutely 1 of the most dangerous weapons we had and it’s not hyperbole to say there’s a good chance we don’t win the Grey cup without him. All year he was basically automatic on 3rd down sneaks and was punching in TDs any time we drove it close to the goal line. 1 of my fav players for sure. He earned every ounce of his ring and I am so thankful that he is a Rider. 



JAKE MAIER – Every backup QB wants to be QB1 but Maier made clutch contributions to this Grey Cup and came through with 1 of the most crucial wins of the season. Maier never lit it up with us but he came in Week 4 and beat BC and if we lose that game, we may not have been able to rest our starters in the last game of the season. He also had the Riders in position to win that game in Winnipeg that meant nothing but Winnipeg was playing all their starters and needed to win. If the Riders don’t pull him they prob win that game. Happy that he got his ring with us.

‘THOR’S HAMMER’ AJ OUELLETTE – honestly became a fan when he was in Toronto and was pumped when we signed him. Came into 2025 looking absolutely shredded and it paid off avoiding injuries, dominating defences and smashing TDs. Seemed like every time we needed a big run to keep a drive going or kill the clock he would deliver it. Guy is so much fun to cheer for and is a great guy off the field too. I’ve heard nothing put positive things from fans that have met him. Since he signed with us Ouellette has been everything Riderfans hoped he would be and more. Now he is connected to the team forever as a Grey Cup Champion. Back to back LFG!



O-LINE: JERMARCUS HARDRICK/LOGAN FERLAND/JACOB BRAMMER/PAYTON COLLINS/ZACK FRY/TREVON TATE/DANIEL JOHNSON/DARIUS WASHINGTON/PHILLIPPE GAGNON/NOAH ZERR/BRAYDON NOLL – The Great Wall of Regina. The level of quality we saw from this group was insane considering we started 9 different O-linemen going into week 8. Injuries ravaged the line but every game the next man up would be there to do his job without missing a beat. They protected Harris all year and allowed him to play the best football of his career. They opened up lanes for Thor’s Hammer to smash and Big Tommy Stevens to be a game changer. Led by Jermarcus Hardrick the CFL’s Most Outstanding O-lineman just a dominant run blocker. Always wished he was a Rider so I fn love that he is connected to us for life with this ring. Fn love that he was the 1st player to lift the Grey Cup, I know how much that meant to him to be able to do that in Winnipeg. Homegrown legend Logan fn Ferland man he prob saved the season by moving to C and dominating. Jacob Brammer gave us an All-Star level season as a rookie lol just unreal so thankful he is with us. Payton Collins our Rookie of the Year crushing it at LT and making sure defences couldn’t land big hits is why Harris was able to play like he did. Daniel Johnson was a ratio breaker for us providing top shelf play. Darius Washington came up huge being able to play so many different positions at a high level. Trevon Tate the fn x-factor man he was so clutch coming into the 2 playoff games and dominating. Thank God he put in the work to make it back this year bc we needed him big time. Phillippe Gagnon battled injuries all year but gave us the protection Harris needed when he played. Hometown boy Noah Zerr and Braydon Noll both stepped up to fill in when we needed them. 



SAM EMILUS – More like Sam Elite haha Most Outstanding Canadian in the Grey Cup man I love that the CFL provides a stage for Canadian greatness like Emilus to shine. We don’t win the Grey Cup without him coming back to play at his highest level. And he has re-signed for 2 years so we have 1 of our best weapons back to go for 2 in a row. 



DOHNTE MEYERS – emerged as a fan favourite and force to be reckoned with in his rookie season putting up over 1000 yards. If this is what he can do as a rookie I can’t wait to see what he can do after years of experience honing his craft. Big time playmaker all year and came up huge in the Grey Cup for us. We don’t win a championship without him. Hopefully he is a career Rider. 



KEESEAN JOHNSON – The Alpha. Led the team with 1159 receiving yards and was dominant every time he stepped on the field. Gutted that he got injured and missed the playoff run but we don’t host the West Final without him delivering at the highest level. Get him healthy and we have a great shot at Back to Back.



TOMMY NIELD – Already an LDC legend but officially a Riders legend with the Grey Cup win. Injuries ravaged the WR unit too but finding top shelf talent like Nield made sure we never lost momentum. Came in and made so many big plays for 1st downs and TDs. The kind of player Rider Nation loves to cheer for.



KIAN SCHAFFER-BAKER – Schaff n Bake! haha I don’t know anyone in Rider Nation that doesn’t love this guy he has been 1 of the most popular Riders for years and helped the team maintain support through the last 5 years. Coming back from injury he was his usual clutch self making key contributions down the stretch. We always get our best players rings so this one is special making sure Schaff n Bake is connected to the team forever. 



JOE ROBUSTELLI – 1 of the most exciting weapons we have on the team man Robustelli has a big frame being able to take the big hits but is also very athletic and can make DBs miss consistently. He emerged mid-season and was 1 of our most important players in securing the West Final. Terrible that he got hurt and missed the Grey Cup but we for sure don’t play in that game without Robustelli. 



AJOU AJOU – I work with his Aunt! haha this guy captured the excitement of Rider Nation right from his first catch. Gave the NFL a shot but came right back to Mosaic when it didn’t work out and was a clutch WR for us down the stretch. He is like LeBron James with his size and athleticism and I think he can play at that level as well. Hopefully a full season with him next year and watch him break out to the next level.



DHEL DUNCAN BUSBY – So huge to have a guy that can not only help with the ratio but can also deliver on a high level. Dhel made tons of clutch catches and made it hard for defences to plan against us. Odd man out for the Grey Cup but he earned his ring long before that game.



MITCH PICTON – Love that a homegrown talent like Picton has a ring with the Riders man that is every Saskatchewan football players dream haha came up huge for us all year when Harris called his number. 



SHAWN BANE JR – man so much respect to Shawn Bane for grinding as hard as he has to get back on the field. Clearly still needs time to get back to himself but still contributed returning kicks just to help the team. Didn’t play in either playoff game but I don’t think any player would say he didn’t earn his ring.

DRAE MCCRAY – Mostly contributed on Returns but we needed to lean on him with Alford out and he delivered for us. 



D-LINE: MICAH JOHNSON/MALIK CARNEY/MIKE ROSE/SHANE RAY/HABAKKUK BALDONADO/CALEB SANDERS/ALI SAAD/CHARBEL DABIRE/LAKE KORTE-MOORE/BENOIT MARION/CHICO BENNETT JR – These guys were ferocious, constantly forcing the opposing QBs to abandon the pocket or taste the dirt haha they never let the QB get comfortable forcing the offence into punts and turnovers. No way we win the Grey Cup without this unit dominating like they did. Micah Johnson the unquestioned leader has been the anchor on the D-Line for years. I hated him in Calgary bc of how good he was haha so I was pumped when he signed here. Sucked to lose him to the TiCats in 2022 but his return in 2023 helped build the foundation that this Grey Cup win was built on. And now his legend has a Riders Grey Cup in it man I fn love it. The PM Malik Carney is an irresistible force of nature, just an absolute wrecking ball of a player thank God he is on our side haha Mike Rose was such a threat this year, with his explosive play the opposing o-linemen had no chance. Shane Ray was a beast and his speed is gonna give any o-line he goes against trouble. Big reason we locked down so many teams. Habakkuk Baldonado stepping up late in the season and fn dominating was so crucial to the Grey Cup run, we don’t win it without him. Caleb Sanders is a future starter you can see the talent. Didn’t get many starts but was an important part of the rotation. Ali Saad played unreal as a rookie and will be huge in the future for dealing with the ratio. Charbel Dabire short yardage beast man we were unconscious all year in short yardage and Dabire was a big part of it. Lake Korte-Moore is such a force when healthy but unfortunately was hurt most of the year. if he can come back healthy he will make our D-line even better. Benoit Marion is our special teams Ace making 13 tackles. We faced some great returners but they were never able to have a big effect on the game thanks to guys like Benoit. Chico Bennett Jr looked good in limited action at the end of the season allowing us to rest some starters.



LINEBACKERS: JAMEER THURMAN/AJ ALLEN/CJ REAVIS/ANTOINE BROOKS JR/CJ AVERY/NICK WIEBE/MELIQUE STRAKER/AUBREY MILLER JR – Our LBs were a suffocating, physical presence this year punishing anyone that came into the middle of the field. As soon as there was an opening they would break through the line and hammer the QB. They turned so many productive offences into a 2 n out show. 1 of the reasons that we were able to get the ball back in the West Final not once but twice. So much fun watching them dominate this year. Jameer Thurman led the charge as our Most Outstanding Defensive Player man the guy is a freight train and just destroys opposing players. He was the Iron Man starting every single game and playing at the highest level in all of them. 1 of our MVPs no doubt. CJ Avery went down in Game 1 and was out all year. Hate that for him bc he was awesome for us in 2024. Wasn’t sure how we would weather that storm but AJ Allen stepped up big time and delivered such a high level of play he was our Most Outstanding Canadian. Started every game after week 1 so having that consistency is a big reason we are Grey Cup champs. Antoine Brooks Jr emerged late in the season and became such a clutch weapon for us. Pick 6 vs Ottawa to help secure hosting the West Final man he was an exciting player to watch. We had some massive contributions from the LB core on Special Teams. Nick Wiebe had such an unreal season he was our Most Outstanding Special Teams Players and did it as a Rookie. Can’t win a championship if opposing teams are changing the game with field position and TDs on returns. Melique Straker was on STs lock down all year averaging close to 1 tackle per game. Aubrey Miller Jr was another force on STs with 5 tackles.



MURDERER’S ROW SECONDARY: ROLAND MILLIGAN JR/DEMARCUS FIELDS/TEVAUGHN CAMPBELL/MARCUS SAYLES/CJ REAVIS/JAYDEN DALKE/NELSON LOKOMBO/JAXON FORD/BENNY SAPP II – Just an insane collection of talent man this group reminded me of the Wolfpack Secondary from 2013, looked like they had so much fun playing together and were absolutely elite. They killed momentum for opposing teams at the most clutch of times with knock downs and picks. When a WR would complete a pass they were huntin, delivering some punishing hits that made WRs think twice about catching another pass. The real 2024 MOP Roland Milligan leading by example he followed up his legendary season with another great one. So happy that his elite level of play for us culminated with a Grey Cup. Tevaughn Campbell had himself a legendary season in 2025 with a pick 6 and pick 2 haha led the league in INTs and added a Grey Cup INT but most importantly forced The Fumble that saved the Grey Cup man he was just incredible all year and 1 of the biggest reasons we are Grey Cup champs. Leaned heavy on DeMarcus Fields as he was the Iron Man for the secondary starting every game and doing it with dominant play. Marcus Sayles took the secondary to another level when he joined the team and is 1 of our most important players. He recovered The Fumble that saved the Grey Cup and will no doubt go down as a Riders legend. CJ Reavis already a key contributor at LB then switched to safety bc of injuries and that prob saved the season for us bc he was dominant down the stretch. Jayden Dalke was the enforcer on STs punishing returners all year for 13 STs tackles. Another great Canadian, Nelson Lokombo helped hold down the top of the defence at Safety. Jaxon Ford continuing the legacy of greatness in his family making big plays for us when called on and helping deliver this Grey Cup.Benny Sapp III was the odd man out for the playoffs but came up big for us down the stretch and was a big part of why we were able to lock down 1st place. 



SUPER MARIO ALFORD – Alford has been electric for us from day one and that’s why I chose him when I was buying a jersey. His walk-off Kick Return TD to beat the Argos was 1 of the greatest finishes in Riders history and cemented him as a Riders legend. Would have been a different season if we lose that game to the Argos but winning in the fashion gave a big boost to the team and fans. He came up with big returns in the playoffs to flip the field position. It has been so much fun watching him ball out as a Rider. He hit the triple crown of returns in 2022 with Missed FG/Punt Return/Kick Return TDs. Took 3 punt returns to the house in 2023. No doubt 1 of my fav players but I knew his legacy needed a Grey Cup win to really solidify it which makes the win that much sweeter. We have been blessed with multiple all time great returners but Alford might be the best of them which says a lot. I will proudly wear his jersey for years to come celebrating 1 of our greatest players that brought us a Grey Cup.



BRETT LAUTHER – Def not the year Lauther wanted to have but he still came through making some clutch kicks and was a big reason why we won so many games. Obviously some of the misses were at the worst times making them stand out more but can’t act like he didn’t make a big contribution to this Grey Cup. Over the years he has made so many clutch kicks and game winners he would be remembered as 1 of our best kickers even without a ring. But I badly wanted him to win a Grey Cup and take his rightful place as a Riders legend. Mission accomplished so no matter what happens from here, Lauther will be remembered for his best and not his worst. 



JESSE MIRCO – Stepped up late in the season and put on a display of greatness. His punting was crucial to not only securing the West Final but winning the Grey Cup. His surgical punts in the playoffs didn’t allow their returners a chance to impact the game and gave our defence long fields to work with. So happy we found him and def looking forward to watching him hammer punts for a full season next year. 



COACH COREY MACE – “You can’t always get what you want but if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need” Man what a blessing Corey Mace has been for the Riders but when we hired him he was not our first choice. He wasn’t the coach we wanted at the time but he was exactly the coach we needed. This run of success the last 2 years would not have happened without Coach Mace. The collection of talent we have would not have all come together for anyone else. No other coach could have inspired the level of play we have seen. The energy in Rider Nation is getting back to the levels it used to be at. Coach Mace has been the catalyst for all of it and in only 2 years he has ended a 12 year Grey Cup drought. He has built a foundation that should produce results at the highest levels for years to come. The guts he showed making insanely tough calls in the 4th Q of the West Final that ultimately paid off is the stuff legends are made of. He is a great family man that has fully embraced this team and province. We hit the jackpot hiring Coach Mace and I would not want anyone else to lead this team. 



MARC MUELLER – No secret who his family is but Marc Mueller isn’t just ‘Ron Lancaster’s Grandson’ anymore. He is a great, Grey Cup winning OC that just happens to be related to Ron Lancaster. His calls this year kept the pressure on opposing defences and allowed Harris to play the best he ever has. He utilized Thor’s Hammer to wear down defences and put the game away. He put our WRs in a position to make big plays. Mueller was at his best in 2025 and not only continued his family legacy of greatness but carved out his own place as a Riders legend. And I know there is nobody happier about that than the Little General himself. 



KENT MAUGERI – Special Teams literally won a game this year and was on lock down all year under Coach Maugeri’s leadership. Big reason we are Grey Cup champions.



EDWIN HARRISON – Coach Harrison’s leadership was tested big time with all the injuries we faced but he weathered the storm and had them playing like beasts no matter what combination. No doubt the heart beat of the team.



MARQUAY MCDANIEL – another unit hit hard by injuries but somebody always stepped up and played at an elite level. Coach McDaniel knows a thing or 2 about being a great WR and deserves so much respect for his leadership and the quality of play it inspired. 



ANDREW HARRIS – if you told me during his prime with the Bombers that 1 day I’d be celebrating a Grey Cup he helped deliver I would have called you a liar haha I sports-hated him for most of his career but I couldn’t deny he was a great RB. When he came here as a coach I knew it would be a good thing. His experience would help our RBs and his energy/attitude would help us win in tough places like Winnipeg. Well AJ Ouellette improved his play from last season and we not only won the Banjo Bowl for the first time since 2018 but we won the Grey Cup in Winnipeg. Coach Harris deserves all the respect for helping bring the RBs and this team to the next level. I’m very thankful that he chose to come here and happy to have the Riders as a significant part of his career. Pretty cool legacy for him to win with both Riders and Bombers and he could raise it even higher winning back to back Championships with both teams. Sign me up for that right now haha LFG! 



JOSH DONNELLY – Our offence was cooking all year and Coach Donnelly as the Offensive Assistant was a big part of that. Put Harris in position to have his best year and that is why we are Grey Cup Champions.



JOSHUA BELL – The leader of our Murderer’s Row secondary, Coach Bell had these guys playing at the highest level and changed multiple games with their elite play.



TRAVIS BROWN – Gotta be a special breed to lead LBs and Coach Brown def fits the bill. This unit produced the best defensive player in Jameer Thurman these guys led the charge to the Grey Cup.



PHILIP DANIELS – This unit was all 2025 QB’s worst nightmare and made sure teams could not come back on us to steal a win. Coach Daniels was exactly who we needed to lead the D-Line. 



JORDAN LINNEN – With Coach Mace being both HC and DC, his Defensive Assistant becomes that much more important so we are def blessed to have Coach Linnen.



JEFF HIGGINS – Dominance on ST’s was a key contributor to being able to get a lead in the standings and keep it all year. West Final could have been a different result if it was in BC or Calgary so I’m thankful for Coach Higgins leadership. 



JEREMY O’DAY – I’ll be first to admit that after the 2022 season I was done with O’Day. That was the year we hosted the Grey Cup and when Dan Clark got hurt in the first few games, he didn’t sign an o-lineman until he returned. We didn’t even make the playoffs and I know most Riderfans wanted him gone. O’Day was a Riders legend as a player but was seriously close to ruining his legacy wth the team. But I have to give him credit, since the 2022 season he has stacked this team wth talent. He gave a guy that had never been Head Coach before a shot. He drafted Kurtis Rourke this year which was huge bc if he plays in the CFL, he has to play for us first. When Harris retires, Rourke could be our QB of the future. O’Day rebuilt the O-line with studs and had starter level players as backups. He signed beasts in the Front 7 and playmakers in the secondary. The WR depth we had was insane. As angry as I was for not doing his job in 2022, I couldn’t say he wasn’t doing a great job since then. And now his moves have not only made us front runner Grey Cup Champions but set us up to do it again next year. O’Day saved his legacy with this Grey Cup and all that negativity from 2022 can be let go. 



RIDER CHEER TEAM/GAINER THE GOPHER – another year of the Rider Cheer Team bringing all that smoke and just crushing it with all their routines. They are great with the kids at events and are a big part of the next generation of Riderfans being connected to the team. Looking forward to another year of top shelf routines. Gainer was a champion as usual, my only criticism is he needs to do more of getting the fans to chant with his signs. He barely goes to mid field anymore with his ‘GO RIDERS’ signs, that used to be 1 of the fun parts of the game and is so easy to do I don’t know why he would stop. But it’s still awesome to have the GOAT mascot and Cheer Team on our side.



CRAIG REYNOLDS – Not much good to say about him, 1 good thing is that they finally brought back the mini-footballs to shoot into the stands instead of the t-shirts nobody wants. But he betrayed the fans of the Riders and CFL by not only voting for but publicly supporting the ‘Americanization’ of the CFL. The game day experience has regressed under his leadership. We sit in the upper deck and instead of being able to enjoy cool, crisp beer on tap, for the last 2 years the taps have been shut off to the upper decks for the entire season. We have paid and still continue to pay for the stadium with our taxes yet the services have already regressed. Absolute joke. But I do give him thanks for trusting the group he hired to go win us a Grey Cup.


Well I’m not sure what else can be said after all that haha 2025 was 1 of my favourite years as a Riderfan and I can’t thank everyone involved with this team enough for bringing it to us. After going over the season in depth like this, it just hammers home how important it was to get this Grey Cup. It would have been such a shame to look back on the career of guys like Alford or Lauther or Schaffer-Baker as ‘ya but they never won a Grey Cup’ great Riders players. Now their legacies are solidified on the highest level. Trevor Harris has played for 5 CFL teams but I think it’s safe to say the Riders are now home. Micah Johnson and Jermarcus Hardrick add the Riders to their legends. Murderer’s Row joins the Wolfpack in Riders history. Thor’s Hammer will now have a Rider’s logo etched into it. Coach Mace starts his coaching legacy with a Riders cup. Coach Mueller carves out his own legacy as a Rider. All Grey Cup wins are special but this one being in Winnipeg coming off that epic West Final with all the rings it delivered to great players just hits different. Grey Cup Weekend was so much fun and I’ll cherish those memories forever.

Unfortunately the changes coming to the CFL always kill the buzz a little bit bc this all might be coming to an end. We have this amazing season across the league but are being told that what we saw needs to be changed so it is more appealing to people that aren’t fans of the CFL. But what about people that are fans? Don’t we matter. There has to be things they can try that might improve the standing of the CFL before the ‘americanization’ of the game. And what are the options to try and prevent these changes? The league won’t survive if fans stop going to games or watching to prove a point. They didn’t consult anyone before making these decisions so they certainly don’t care about what the fans think. Maybe if some influential former players started making noise to stop the changes maybe they would listen. TSN is constantly pushing the pro-changes propaganda so we can’t hope they will help. I don’t know just feels depressing to know something you love is about to be ruined for no good reason.

But nothing will take away the joy and memories that this 2025 season and Grey Cup win created. Creating the 2025 Rider Anthem, Green and White, with my brother was so much fun and it was very cool to see it embraced by Riderfans. Now whenever we listen to it, it will bring back memories of this amazing season. Big thanks to Mrs Mace for using it for 1 of her reels on Instagram. I know there are going to be key people that I haven’t named but please blame the head and not the heart. I have love and appreciation for every single person that contributed to the Riders 5th Grey Cup, from players to coaches to stadium workers to front office staff to everyone in Rider Nation. Watching the team lift the Grey Cup and seeing the epic celebrations in the locker room and at the parade haha just the best memories man thank God I’m a Riderfan.


So that will bring this piece to a close. 2009 has officially been avenged and while it will still always hurt, we can let it go bc the 2025 Riders made it right. So proud of the entire team and feel very blessed to be along for the ride. If one felt this good, I can just imagine how good Back to Back Championships will feel. And next year the Grey Cup just happens to be in Calgary, the scene of the 13th man. If the changes go through, 2026 will be the absolute last ‘Radically Canadian’ Grey Cup and the CFL will enter a completely new era and become a different league. Winning back to back Grey Cups in Calgary under those circumstances would prob be the greatest win in Riders history. But first we celebrate this one haha next season will be here before we know it. My 2013 piece was titled, ‘We Roughrider together, we die together. Rider Pride for life’ and that’s goddamn right. But this one I have to title, ‘Our Time’ bc that’s exactly what it is. Our Time.