 | |
| Founded | 1910 |
|---|---|
| Based in | Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Home field | Mosaic Stadium |
| Mascot | Gainer the Gopher |
| League | Canadian Football League |
| Division | West |
| Colours | Green, white[1][2] |
| Nicknames | Riders, Green and White |
| Personnel | |
| Head coach | Corey Mace |
| General manager | Jeremy O'Day |
| Owner | The Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Club Inc. |
| Championships | |
| Grey Cup wins | 5 (1966,1989,2007,2013,2025) |
| Division titles | 9 (1951,1966,1968,1969,1970,1976,2009,2019,2025) |
| Website | riderville.com |
| Current uniform | |
 | |
 Current season | |
TheSaskatchewan Roughriders are a professionalCanadian football team based inRegina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in theCanadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league'sWest Division. The Roughriders were founded in 1910 as theRegina Rugby Club. Although Saskatchewan was not the first team to play football inWestern Canada, the club has maintained an unbroken organizational continuity since their founding. The Roughriders are the fourth-oldest professionalgridiron football team in existence today (only theArizona Cardinals,Hamilton Tiger-Cats andToronto Argonauts are older). The Roughriders are both the oldest professional sports team still in existence that continuously has been based in Western Canada and the oldest in North America to continuously have been based west ofSt. Louis, Missouri. The team changed their name to theRegina Roughriders in 1924, and to the current moniker in 1946. The Roughriders played their home games at historicTaylor Field from1936 to 2016; in2017, the team moved to the newly constructedMosaic Stadium at Evraz Place.
The team draws fans from acrossSaskatchewan and Canada who are affectionately known as theRider Nation.[3] The Roughriders play in the smallest market in the CFL, and the second-smallest major-league market in North America (onlyGreen Bay, Wisconsin is smaller). They have finished first in what is now the West Division nine times and have won the Western championship a record 29 times. They have played for theGrey Cup 20 times, winning five (1966,1989,2007,2013,2025).
The team has had 20 players inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame. The Riders' biggest rival is theWinnipeg Blue Bombers; games between the two are often sold out before the beginning of the season.[4] The Roughriders Football Club and the city of Regina have hosted the Grey Cup four times (1995,2003,2013,[5]2022), and will host a fifth in 2027.[6]
The Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Club Inc. was established in 1910 and incorporated in 1940.[8] The organization is registered under the Non-Profit Corporations Act of Saskatchewan.[8] The Roughriders are one of two CFL teams with non-profit ownership, the other one being theWinnipeg Blue Bombers,[9] and are among a select group inNorth American sports. Prior to 2004, the club operated as a corporation without share capital (no person or entity "owned" the team or any portion of it), an ownership structure the Blue Bombers have used continuously.
Since 2004, the Roughriders have offered two classes of permanent Membership Interests (referred to as "Membership Shares") similar to theNFL'sGreen Bay Packers.Class A shares have voting rights andClass B shares have no voting rights. As of March 2019, the Roughriders had issued 11,639 Class A shares and 435 Class B shares, though the total number of individual owners is not publicly disclosed.[8]
It is not possible to resell these shares, no dividend payment is possible and no person may hold more than 20 voting (Class A) shares, though they may hold an unlimited number of non-voting shares. The initial public offering of Rider Shares (Series I) commenced in 2004 at an offering price of $250 per share[10] In 2006 theOttawa Sun reported that the Roughriders had sold around 3,000 at $250 each.[11] The Series 1 offering closed in 2008 after all 6,000 shares were sold. A second public offering, Series II, was launched in 2010 in honour of the team's 100th anniversary.[12] As of 2016, the Roughriders had released and subsequently sold out 1,989 shares of Series III at $250 each. this Series "commemorates the 1989 Grey Cup championship victory" and "features the likenesses of Kent Austin, Bobby Jurasin and Don Narcisse with an illustration of the championship winning kick in the background."[13] Series IV shares began sale in 2017, with the price remaining consistent at $250.[14]
When shares are purchased, the funds are placed in the team's Stabilization Fund.[8]
The Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation was created in 2019.[15] It raises and distributes funds, focusing on community pillars of education, health, and amateur football.[15] The Foundation aims to teach youth skills such as leadership, resilience, and responsibility.[15]
The team was founded as theRegina Rugby Club on Tuesday, September 13, 1910, adopting the colours of old gold and purple.[16] The team was also a founding member of theSaskatchewan Rugby Football Union as it was organized on September 22 of that year. Regina played their first game against the Moose Jaw Tigers on October 1, 1910, at the Moose Jaw Baseball Grounds where they were defeated 16–6. After going winless in their inaugural season, Regina quickly became the strongest team in the province. For the1911 season, the team changed their colours to blue and white to match the Regina Amateur Athletic Association.
Regina went 3-1 in their second season and captured their first SRFU championship by winning aone game tiebreaker playoff against Moose Jaw. Meanwhile, theWestern Canada Rugby Football Union had been formed within the threeprairie provinces with the intent of creating a playoff format to determine a Western champion.[17] Much to the displeasure of the SRFU, the Albertan and Manitoban unions had agreed to a format (ostensibly to minimize travel) in which the MRFU champion would host the Western semi-final and the ARFU champion would host the Western final. Regina balked at the prospect of playing up to two road games, and refused to participate in the inaugural WCRFU playoffs.
The Regina Rugby Club changed their colours again in1912 to red and black. Meanwhile, the WCRFU agreed to change the playoff format so that the SRFU champion was given a bye to the Western final in exchange for the Saskatchewan champion agreeing to play the championship game on the road. Regina began an era of western football dominance.[16] From1912 through1920, Regina not only won six consecutive WCRFU titles, but went undefeated in competitive play during that span. Due toWorld War I, no Western playoffs were held in 1916 and in 1917 and 1918 league play was halted altogether.
In1921, the Western champion was invited to compete for theGrey Cup national championship for the first time. Regina again went undefeated in the regular season, but were required to play theSaskatoon Quakers for the provincial championship as travel difficulties had prevented Saskatoon from playing the other southern teams. Regina defeated Saskatoon, but the result was overturned after a successful protest concerning an early touchdown which had provided the decisive points. The Quakers won the rematch to mark the only time other than their inaugural season that the Regina Rugby Club did not win the SRFU championship while it was their primary competition. Ultimately, theEdmonton Eskimos travelled east to play in the9th Grey Cup.[18]
The team's rise to early prominence came even as it led a somewhat nomadic existence. It originally played at Dominion Park, but after the war was forced to move to the city exhibition grounds after the city sold Dominion Park. In 1921, it moved to Park Hughes on 10th Avenue in the North Central section of Regina, a rugby and soccer field built in 1910. It was the first season at an address that remained associated with the club for parts of the next nine decades.[19][20]
In1923, Regina returned to power as they won their eighth western championship over theWinnipeg Victorias and earned the right to compete in the national playoffs. The club was given abye and advanced straight to theGrey Cup finals for the first time, but were severely outmatched, losing 54–0 toQueen's University atVarsity Stadium inToronto.[18] This was, and still is, the most lopsided defeat inGrey Cup history as the defending champion Queen's won their third straight national championship at the expense of the Regina Rugby Club.[21]
Following their firstGrey Cup loss, the club changed their name to theRegina Roughriders in1924 while retaining the colours of red and black.[18]Ottawa also had a team called theOttawa Rough Riders, but the spelling was different and the two clubs played indifferent leagues then (incidentally, however, both clubs shared the same colours of red and black then). The origin of the name has multiple theories, the most credible of which describes how theNorth-West Mounted Police were called Roughriders because they broke the wild horse broncos that were used by the force and the moniker was adopted from them.[22] Giving credence to this theory is that during this time, the team occasionally played at the RNWMP/RCMP barracks when the then-rudimentary facilities at Park Hughes were rendered unsuitable for play by inclement weather. For a long time, the playing surface at Park Hughes was little more than dirt, and heavy rain often turned the field to a muddy bog.
An alternative, discredited story states that the name was adopted fromTheodore Roosevelt'scavalry contingent that was known as theRough Riders, who fought in theSpanish–American War. It was believed that there were Canadian troops in the contingent who returned to Canada following the war. However, this story is more often associated with the Ottawa club. While it has been suggested that some of the troops may have eventually moved outwest,[17] the Roughriders did not adopt their name until 1924, by which time the Spanish–American War was (especially in Canada) barely a historical footnote compared to the then-much more recent (and much more climactic)First World War. Following World War I, any attempt to deliberately name a Canadian sports team in honour of a unit that participated in an earlier American war would have been extremely unpopular.
During the first two years after their name change, the Roughriders failed to reclaim their western championship title, losing both times to clubs fromWinnipeg.[23][24] The1926 season marked the beginning of their next reign of dominance as the club matched their own WCRFU record with seven consecutive western championships from 1926 to 1932. With dominant players such asCanadian Football Hall of FamerEddie James, the Roughriders were a perennial contender from the West, reaching the Grey Cup finals five consecutive years from 1928 to 1932, the second-longest streak in the championship's history (the team did not challenge for the Cup in 1926 or 1927).[25][26] Unfortunately, Regina remained winless in the national championship, being outscored 102–15 in those five Grey Cup games. The Roughriders won their last WCRFU title in1934, representing the west for the seventh time in the22nd Grey Cup, but lost to theSarnia Imperials in that club's first Grey Cup win.[27]
In 1928, Park Hughes was combined with Park de Young, a neighbouring baseball field, to create a much larger football venue. However, from 1929 to 1935, the Roughriders played most of their games at the larger exhibition grounds.
In 1936, Regina joined theWinnipeg Blue Bombers and Calgary Bronks as the founding franchises of theWestern Interprovincial Football Union, the highest level ofCanadian football play inWestern Canada. Also in 1936, the first permanent grandstand was built at Park Hughes and Park de Young. The Riders moved to the facility full-time that season. The stadium, renamedTaylor Field in 1946, was the Riders' home for over eight decades. The Roughriders became the first WIFU champions after they defeated the Blue Bombers and Bronks in the West Semi-Finals and West Finals respectively. However, due to a rules dispute with theCanadian Rugby Union over use of their five import players from theUnited States, Regina was barred from competing for the24th Grey Cup.[28] Winnipeg had won theGrey Cup championshipone year earlier with seven imports and the move to prevent Regina from competing was seen as a reaction to the previous year's western win. While the Roughriders had planned on travelling east without the five ineligible players, the CRU remained steadfast in their decision to disallow the team from competition.[28][29]
The next decade in the WIFU was not as successful as the first as the team did not win another Western Final as the Regina Roughriders, nor ever finish in first place in that time span. After qualifying for the playoffs in three of their next five seasons, play from 1942 to 1944 was interrupted byWorld War II. While there was no regular season in1945, the Roughriders did play the newly namedCalgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Finals, but lost the series two games to none.[30]
With the folding of both clubs in Moose Jaw and Saskatoon, the Regina Roughriders became a provincially community-owned club (and has remained so since), and, consequently, changed their name to theSaskatchewan Roughriders in1946.[30] It is the first recorded instance of a major-league team in North America branding itself as a statewide or provincewide team. Prior to the1948 season, the Roughriders were in need of new uniforms as their red and black ones had become old and worn out. While visiting a surplus store inChicago, executive member Jack Fyfe found a set of green and white uniforms and purchased them for the Roughriders. Green and white have remained as the team's primary colours to this day (although the team has also worn silver and black as accent colours since then at times).[17] The name change was made official on April 1, 1950.[31][32]
After three years of first-round playoff exits, the Roughriders finally returned to prominence in1951, winning their firstWIFU regular season championship with an 8–6 record. Saskatchewan, led by quarterbackGlenn Dobbs, defeated theEdmonton Eskimos in the West Final and advanced to the Grey Cup for the first time since1934. In this game, they faced theOttawa Rough Riders for the first time, marking the first Roughriders versus Rough Riders championship game in Canadian football history. Unfortunately, Saskatchewan still did not win their first championship, as they were defeated by Ottawa 21–14 in the39th Grey Cup.[33]
Saskatchewan contended on and off in the 1950s, with four consecutive winning seasons and second-place regular season finishes from 1953 to 1956. Teams from this era featured standouts such asFrank Tripucka, Reggie Whitehouse,Ken Carpenter,Mike Cassidy, player-coachFrank Filchock andCookie Gilchrist who was the first Roughrider player to rush for 1,000 yards in1958. Even with that talent, they could not return to the Grey Cup as clubs fielded by either the Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers ended their season in each of these years. Their strongest season was in1956 when the Roughriders achieved a 10–6 record and won their first playoff series since 1951, only to lose to the Eskimos in the Western Finals.
Following their 1956 campaign, tragedy struck the Roughriders franchise when four members of the team were killed in a plane crash on December 9, 1956, while returning from the Canadian Football Council (CFC) All Star Game inVancouver.Gordon Sturtridge,Mel Becket,Ray Syrnyk, andMario DeMarco were killed whenFlight 810 crashed intoSlesse Mountain nearChilliwack, British Columbia. The team retired the numbers of the four players shortly after thetragedy.[34] Thefollowing season, the Roughriders finished with seven fewer wins and a last place finish in the WIFU.
1958 brought not only change, as the Saskatchewan Roughriders became charter members of the newly formedCanadian Football League in1958, but also stability with Ken Preston becoming the General Manager—a position he held for the next 20 years, arguably the most successful tenure in Roughrider history as the team only missed the playoffs five times, went to five Grey Cup final games, winning one in 1966. In the Roughriders' first season in the newly formed Canadian Football League, the team finished with a respectable 7–7–2 record and a third-place finish.[32] However, thefollowing season proved to be the worst infranchise history, as the team finished with just one win and 15 losses under head coach Frank Tripucka, the third-worst winning percentage inCFL history.[35] The following years featured similar results, with varioushead coaches, as the Roughriders missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, their worst such streak since joining the WIFU in1936.
Following a1962 season that saw the Roughriders return to the playoffs, the team made roster moves that defined a generation of football in Saskatchewan. In the off-season, the Roughriders signedfullbackGeorge Reed fromWashington State to replace Fred Burket, who had been traded to theAlouettes.[36] Then, prior to their season opening game of the1963 season, general manager Ken Preston acquiredOttawa Rough Riders quarterback and defensive backRon Lancaster on July 30 on a straight cash basis following three years with the Eastern Riders.[37][38] The duo contributed to a productive season for Saskatchewan as they finished with a 7–7–2 record and won a playoff series for the first time since1956 before losing their first playoff match-up with theBC Lions. The Roughriders continued to make progress in the next two seasons, posting back-to-back winning records, but lost in the West Semi-Finals in both years.
In 1965 after one year as the offensive coordinator,Eagle Keys became the head coach of the Roughriders and guided them to an 8–7–1 record and an appearance in the western semi final which they lost to theWinnipeg Blue Bombers 15–9. Fullback George Reed finished the season with over 1,700 yards rushing. Before the 1966 season began, the team added the final pieces to the roster by signing defensive tackleEd McQuarters who was a recent cut by the St. Louis Cardinals, safety and backup quarterback Bruce Bennett, defensive end Don Gerhardt and running back Paul Dudley from the Stampeders. During the1966 season the Roughriders finally captured theWestern Conference regular season title with a 9–6–1 record. This was the first time they had accomplished that feat since1951.Ron Lancaster won theJeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy as the Western Conference's most outstanding player whileGeorge Reed, receiverHugh Campbell and four other Riders were named league all-stars, the most from any team that year. Saskatchewan swept Winnipeg in the West Finals, winning two games to no losses, and qualified for the ninthGrey Cup final in franchise history. In the54th Grey Cup, Saskatchewan once again faced theOttawa Rough Riders in a rematch of the1951 championship game. After the score was tied 14–14 at halftime, Saskatchewan scored 15 fourth-quarter points to win the franchise's first Grey Cup championship 29–14 on November 26, 1966.[39][40] Saskatchewan was the last of the original nine CFL franchises to win the Grey Cup, doing so inVancouver atEmpire Stadium. George Reed was the MVP with 31 rushes for 133 yards and one rushing touchdown.
The Roughriders began the1967 season as defending champions for the first time in franchise history. They finished in second place in the West with a franchise-best 12–4 record and advanced toGrey Cup final once again, but lost to theHamilton Tiger-Cats 24–1.[41] The1968 season saw the Roughriders finish with the best record in the league at 12–3–1, although they placed 1st in the west division they lost the western final series to theCalgary Stampeders 2–0 by a combined score of 57–12. Besides the 1st-place finish another highlight of the season was coach Eagles Keys winning theAnnis Stukus Trophy awarded to the coach of the year. The Roughriders finished in first place in1969 and defeated the Stampeders to qualify for another Grey Cup. In the Grey Cup against the Ottawa Rough Riders, Saskatchewan fell 29–11 in theirthird Grey Cup game in four years. The Roughriders won a franchise-best 14 games in1970, a record that stands to this day, but were upset in the West Finals by the Stampeders. Eagle Keys resigned during the following off-season, ending his career as the all-time leader in wins by a Saskatchewan Roughrider head coach with 68 wins and four first-place finishes.[42]
Dave Skrien was hired as the next head coach of the Roughriders and led them as they continued their winning ways, namely with an appearance in the1972 Grey Cup, which yielded another Saskatchewan loss to Hamilton.[43] For the 1973 season the Roughriders hired head coachJohn Payne. The Riders then had three consecutive second-place finishes and West Final losses to theEdmonton Eskimos, ending when George Reed retired after the1975 season as the all-time leading rusher in all of professional football with 16,116 rushing yards. In1976, the Roughriders recaptured first place in the Western Conference and defeated the Eskimos in the West Final, advancing to the Grey Cup to once again play the Ottawa Rough Riders. The Roughriders allowed a last-minute touchdown catch by Ottawatight endTony Gabriel to lose their fourthGrey Cup in ten years, ending one of the most bittersweet eras in Roughrider history.[44] Saskatchewan had qualified for the playoffs for 15 consecutive seasons, tied for fourth-best in CFL history, and played in 11 consecutive Division Finals, which is a CFL record. While they also posted the best regular season record in all of professional football over that time period, the team only won one championship during that time.[45]
After their loss in the1976 Grey Cup game to theOttawa Rough Riders, coach John Payne left the team to become head coach of theDetroit Lions and Saskatchewan fell into a drought that was unheard of in the CFL. They posted an 8–8 record in1977, but finished in fourth place. It was the start of an 11-year playoff drought, the longest in CFL history. The Roughriders had several talented players during this era, includingJoey Walters at receiver,Vince Goldsmith at defensive end, offensive linemanRoger Aldag fromGull Lake andDave Ridgway, who became one of the greatest kickers in CFL history. However, in an era where the West was dominated by Edmonton, Winnipeg and (by the early 1980s) the B.C. Lions, the Roughriders often found themselves in a losing battle for the third and final playoff spot in the West.
FranchisequarterbackRon Lancaster retired after the1978 season as theCFL's all time passing leader in passing yards, completions and touchdown passes.[46] Furthermore, he is the only Roughrider to win theCFL's Most Outstanding Player Award twice while playing with Saskatchewan. Playing without Lancaster behind centre for the first time in 16 seasons proved difficult as the team posted back-to-back 2–14 seasons in 1979 and 1980. Ironically, the head coach of those squads was none other than Lancaster himself. The Riders' only winning record during this time came in1981 when they finished with a 9–7 record underJoe Faragalli, but it was only good enough for fourth place in a competitive West Division – the "crossover rule" had not yet been implemented – therefore, as in 1977, the Riders were denied a playoff spot despite the third place Eastern team having a worse record (the Montreal Alouettes finished 3–13). During the following six seasons, the Roughriders never earned more than six wins in a season, leaving them soundly out of the playoff picture. In1985, the Roughriders introduced a new logo as part of the 75th anniversary of the inception of the team, adding black and silver to the team's colour scheme.[17]
Before the 1987 season started, after almost a decade out of the playoffs and poor attendance saddling the team, the Roughriders felt it was necessary to conduct a telethon to keep the team afloat; Roughriders management privately knew theMontreal Alouettes were almost certainly going to fold before the season got underway (Montreal would not return for nearly a decade), and the Riders were determined not to let the same fate befall them. The province-wide "Save the Roughriders" telethon was a success in that the team sold enough tickets to keep the team in operation.[47] Also in 1986, team executive Tom Shepherd founded the group "Friends of the Riders" to run an annualTouchdown Lottery to further bolster the club's finances. Originally conceived as a one-time fundraiser, it raised almost $22.6 million during its run and operated for 33 years. By the time the lottery was discontinued with Shepherd's retirement in 2019, the club's financial situation had long been stabilized.
After a carousel of head coaches sinceJohn Payne's departure in 1977, the Roughriders hiredJohn Gregory after the 1986 season. Gregory took over a team that had missed the playoffs for ten consecutive seasons. In Gregory's first season as Saskatchewan's head coach, the Roughriders finished 5–12. Gregory then led the Riders to an 11–7 record in1988 and a playoff berth. He won the Annis Stukus Trophy as the league's coach of the year. The 2nd-place finish in 1988 finally ended the franchise's 11-year playoff drought, the longest in CFL history. However, the Roughriders had to settle for second place because the Eskimos who had an identical record swept them in the regular season. On November 13, 1988, the Roughriders hosted a playoff game for the first time since1976, but lost to theBC Lions in the Western Semi-Final by a score of 42–18. Nonetheless, it was a step in the right direction as the Roughriders learned how to win and gained valuable playoff experience that they would need for next season.
The Roughriders finished with a 9–9 record and a third-place finish in the1989 season, but still qualified for the playoffs for a second consecutive season. They defeated theCalgary Stampeders 33–26 in the West Semi-Finals in part because of delay run play to Brian Walling who ran 50 yards for a touchdown to make it 30–26 with 1:38 left to play. Walling had just been picked up by the Roughriders just weeks previously from the Edmonton Eskimos practice roster. In the West Final, Saskatchewan faced the powerhouseEdmonton Eskimos, a team that set (and still holds) aCFL record with 16 regular season wins in one season since the institution of the 18-game CFL schedule in 1986. The Roughriders defeated the heavily favoured Eskimos 32–21 to advance to theGrey Cup where they faced theHamilton Tiger-Cats for the third time in franchise history. With a talented roster that includedKent Austin at quarterback, receiversRay Elgaard,Donald Narcisse,Jeff Fairholm and James "Duke" Ellingson, and an outstanding offensive line featuringRoger Aldag,Vic Stevenson,Dan Payne andBob Poley, the Roughriders found themselves in a game that featured extensive offensive prowess. With the score tied 40–40,placekickerDave Ridgway kicked a 35-yard game-winningfield goal to win the77th Grey Cup for the Roughriders, with a play that has become simply known as "The Kick."[48] It was the second championship for the franchise, following a 23-year drought and is considered the greatest Grey Cup game ever played.[49]Saskatchewan qualified for the playoffs in four of the next five seasons, including two seasons with winning records, but lost in the West Semi-Final each time to either of the two Alberta teams, the Calgary Stampeders or Edmonton Eskimos.
In1995,Regina hosted the Grey Cup for the first time in league history, giving the Roughriders an opportunity to compete for the championship at home. Unfortunately, the Roughriders finished in sixth place in the newly named North Division, as part of the CFL'sAmerican expansion, and did not qualify for the playoffs.[50]
With most CFL teams losing money after the ill-fated American expansion ended after the 1995 season, the Roughriders conducted another "Save the Roughriders" telethon in1997 to help the team's financial health, they remain one of only two professional sports teams to organize a telethon due to a precarious financial situation. As was the case, the telethon along with the then-ongoing Touchdown Lottery helped to keep the franchise afloat again,[51][52] although the 1997 telethon ended with intrigue after Roughriders management announced that a $500,000 "donation" from a mysterious benefactor had helped to put the team's fundraising effort over the top. It was only after weeks of speculation that the club was able to confirm that the funds were in fact the Roughriders' share of aUS$3 million interest-free loan from none other than theNational Football League. Roughriders management subsequently explained that loan, equal to roughlyC$4 million or $500,000 for each of the then-eight CFL teams at contemporary exchange rates, had been agreed between the leagues in principle but not finalized in time for the telethon, and thus had to remain confidential until formally announced by the respective commissioners.
The Roughriders qualified again for the playoffsthat same year for the first time since 1994, when they did so with a losing record, which was a first for the team since1948. The team made the most of their opportunity as they defeated both of the Alberta-based teams, the Stampeders and Eskimos in the West Semi-Final and West Final, respectively, to advance to the85th Grey Cup. Unfortunately, the upstart Roughriders fell to theDoug Flutie-ledToronto Argonauts 47–23 in the first ever Grey Cup match-up between the two oldest franchises in the league.[17][53] The Roughriders closed out the 20th century with two more losing seasons, failing to qualify for the playoffs in both 1998 and 1999.
Following the1999 season,Roy Shivers, the former Director of Player Personnel for theCalgary Stampeders, assumed the duties ofgeneral manager of the Roughriders.[54][55] Shivers then hiredDanny Barrett as the team'shead coach despite the latter's limited coaching experience. The Roughriders made football history by being the first professional team with both a black general manager and head coach.
In what was described as a rebuilding process, the Roughriders began the Shivers and Barrett era with two consecutive last place finishes in 2000 and 2001, missing the playoffs in both years. In2002, progress was being made as Saskatchewan made the playoffs for the first time since their1997 Grey Cup run with an 8–10 record and a fourth-place finish. The team played in the East Semi-Final due to thecrossover rule instituted in 1997, playing in the eastern playoffs for the first time in their 90-year history, losing to their last playoff opponent, theToronto Argonauts. The2003 season saw the Roughriders earn their first winning record since1994, finishing 11–7 and in third place, building optimism in a year where the franchise was hosting their second everGrey Cup game. While the team played their longtime rival, theWinnipeg Blue Bombers, in the playoffs for the first time since1975 and won, they lost the West Final to the eventual championEdmonton Eskimos, missing a close chance to play in theGrey Cup at home.
After their strong 2003 campaign, the Roughriders were expected to build upon that success in2004. While the team regressed slightly with a 9–9 record, they won the West Semi-Final over the Eskimos and advanced to the West Final for the second consecutive year to face theBC Lions. After Saskatchewan scored a late touchdown to take the lead, BC tied the game with a late field goal, sending the game toovertime. SaskatchewanplacekickerPaul McCallum missed an 18-yard field goal while BC kickerDuncan O'Mahoney hit a 40-yarder to win the game for the Lions, adding to the frustration of the Roughrider fanbase.[56]
Prior to the2005 season, quarterbackHenry Burris signed as afree agent with Calgary, leaving the Roughriders with a smaller chance at progress. The team finished in fourth place with a 9–9 record and crossed over to the Eastern playoffs again, only to be defeated by theMontreal Alouettes in the first ever post-season meeting with that team. Feeling a greater need for progress, the pressure was on the Roughriders to perform in2006 season. After Saskatchewan started the season with a 4–5 record, general manager Roy Shivers was fired on August 21, 2006.[55] The Roughriders then hiredEric Tillman to take over and he elected not to renew Danny Barrett's contract at the end of the season, following a third consecutive 9–9 season and a West Final loss to the Lions.[57] While they did not win any championships, Shivers and Barrett restored a measure of respectability to the franchise and set the stage for things to come.
After contending on and off in the early part of the 21st century, the Roughriders hired1989 Grey Cup heroKent Austin ashead coach andKen Miller asoffensive coordinator inthe 2007 season. Despite a rookie head coach, the team jumped out to a 7–2 start, which was their best start since 1976. They finished the season with a 12–6 record and brought along with it the Roughriders' first home playoff game since 1988, which became a 26–24 victory over theCalgary Stampeders. This was also their first home playoff win since 1976. The team then followed up with a 26–17 win atBC Place over theBC Lions in the West Division final to give the Roughriders a berth in their firstGrey Cup final since1997.
On November 25, 2007, the Riders played theWinnipeg Blue Bombers in the95th Grey Cup. The Riders' traditional rivals had moved to the East Division the previous year following the demise of theOttawa Renegades, and the 2007 championship game marked the first time that the twoLabour Day Classic opponents played each other in a Grey Cup game. Saskatchewan won 23–19 in a game whereJames Johnson recorded a Grey Cup record three interceptions en route to being namedMost Valuable Player of the 2007 Grey Cup. Fellow RoughriderAndy Fantuz was named theCanadian MVP in the game after recording 70 yards receiving and the game-winning touchdown.
A month and a half after capturing the 2007 Grey Cup, Austin stepped down as head coach to become the offensive co-ordinator at his alma materUniversity of Mississippi.[58] In accepting this position in the NCAA, Austin turned down a very lucrative contract that the Riders had offered. On February 6, 2008, Roughriders GM Eric Tillman announced that the new head coach would beKen Miller.[59] Miller was formerly the offensive coordinator under Austin. The team also traded formerleague MVPKerry Joseph to theToronto Argonauts, leaving the team without their Grey Cup-winning head coach and starting quarterback.
The2008 season began with a 6–0 record with wins shared between three quarterbacks, including the season opening starter,Marcus Crandell. This was the team's best record since1934, when they were still known as the Regina Roughriders. On August 24, 2008, the team's General Manager,Eric Tillman, announced the acquisition of QuarterbackMichael Bishop, the Toronto Argonauts backup quarterback at the time of the trade, who went 11–1 as a starter for the Argonauts in 2007. This was the end of Marcus Crandell's run with the Roughriders, as he was released four days later. After the 6–0 start, the Riders went on to finish the 2008 CFL Regular season with the same record they finished with in 2007, at 12–6. The Roughriders finished in second place in theCFL West Division and earned the right to host the CFL West Division Semi-Final for the second consecutive year. The Roughriders suffered a devastating 33–12 loss to the BC Lions in the western semi-final game, leading to Bishop's release shortly after the loss.
In2009, the Roughriders were led by quarterbackDarian Durant, who had seen his first significant playing time in 2008 and was named the opening day starter. Durant started all 18 games for Saskatchewan and led the team to a 10–7–1 record and their first West Division regular season title since1976.[60] After defeating the Calgary Stampeders in the West Final, the team advanced to the97th Grey Cup to face theMontreal Alouettes. After the Roughriders were leading 27–11 in the fourth quarter, Montreal stormed back to make the score 27–25 late in the fourth. Montreal kickerDamon Duval attempted a 43-yard field goal and missed, but Saskatchewan had been called for a too-many-men penalty, advancing the placement 10 yards. Duval did not miss a second time, scoring the three points to win the game 28–27 for the Alouettes and adding to the Roughriders' championship woes.[61]
The Roughriders celebrated their 100-year anniversary as a football club during the2010 season, wearing retro-themed red and black uniforms based on the ones worn by the Regina Roughriders. The Roughriders finished second in the West with a 10–8 record and defeated the BC Lions in double overtime in the West Division Semi-Final.[62] After defeating the Stampeders in the West Final for the second year in a row, the Roughriders faced the Alouettes in the98th Grey Cup once again. Despite leading 11–8 at the half, the Roughriders faced a ten-point deficit in the fourth quarter. The lead proved insurmountable, as Saskatchewan lost the game to Montreal for the second consecutive year by a score 21–18.[63]
Following the Grey Cup loss, head coach Ken Miller resigned and became Vice President of Football operations. The club hiredGreg Marshall as his replacement, but the2011 season was one to forget, as the Roughriders finished last in the West with a 5–13 record and missed the playoffs. The Roughriders fired Marshall after a 1–7 start and had Miller step in as his replacement. The season was plagued by errors and mishaps, most of them self-inflicted as the team could not dig itself out of their early season hole. 2011 proved to be Ken Miller's last season with the Roughriders, as he retired shortly after the 2011 season.[64]
On December 16, 2011Corey Chamblin, who had been thedefensive coordinator for theHamilton Tiger-Cats, was named the new head coach of the Roughriders.[65] The Roughriders signed two of the top Canadian players available in free agency in non-import offensive linemenBrendon LaBatte andDominic Picard.[66] However, they were not so fortunate with all-star linebackerJerrell Freeman, who led the league in tackles in 2011 and departed for theNFL. The Roughriders also lost outstanding Canadian slotbackAndy Fantuz, who led the league in receiving yards in 2010, as he signed as a free agent with Hamilton. Nonetheless, the team qualified for the playoffs after missing out during the previous season. In 2012, Saskatchewan lost the Western Division Semi-Final game to theCalgary Stampeders in a close game, 36–30.
On January 24, 2013, the Riders tradedJustin Harper and a 4th round 2014 pick to theBC Lions for six-time all-starGeroy Simon. Simon holds the record for most career receiving yards. Simon played for the Lions from 2001 to 2012. The 2013 season started off spectacularly for the Roughriders, mainly forDarian Durant andKory Sheets. The Roughriders went 8–1 in the first nine games and set a record for the best start in franchise history (their previous best was 7–1 during the 1970 season). Running back Kory Sheets had the best start for a running back in CFL history and Darian Durant had thrown only one interception while throwing 21 touchdowns.
The2013 season ended with an 11–7 record, for 2nd in the West Division, behind Calgary. The team hosted its first playoff game since 2010 on November 10, the West Semi Finals against the BC Lions. The Roughriders won the game, 29–25, the first playoff win of Corey Chamblin's CFL head coaching career and the first since 2010 for the Roughriders, when quarterback Darian Durant put the team on his shoulders and rushed for 41 yards.[67] On Sunday, November 17, 2013, the Roughriders successfully defeated the Calgary Stampeders in the Western Finals, the score being 35–13. This allowed the Saskatchewan Roughriders to advance to the101st Grey Cup. It was the first time in Saskatchewan Roughriders history that they were part of the Grey Cup in their own hometown. In defiance of the individual player introduction format the league had planned for the Grey Cup game, the Roughriders took to the field as a team as the Saskatchewan crowd chanted "bring 'em out," their usual home game entrance song.[68] The Roughriders defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 45–23, with RB Kory Sheets winning theGrey Cup Most Valuable Player Award after rushing for a franchise andGrey Cup record 197 yards, to be the third consecutive team to win the championship at their home field. The following offseason was a difficult one for the Roughriders, as they lost top players Kory Sheets and Weston Dressler to the NFL and key leaders Mike McCullough, Renauld Williams and Geroy Simon to retirement. The expansion draft saw them give up Canadian players in Keith Shologan and Zach Evans.
In February 2014, the Roughriders traded backup quarterback Drew Willy to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Roughriders gave head coach Corey Chamblin an extension through 2017 after Chamblin won Coach of The Year in the CFL. 2014 training camp found starters in Anthony Allen and Brett Swain as the Roughriders went out to attempt the first repeat championship season in franchise history. They began the 2014 season with a record of 9–3, similar to that of the 2013 season start. The Roughriders defensive line led by John Chick, Ricky Foley and Terrious George led the league in sacks throughout the season, and Brian Peters led a defence poised to make a run at another championship. On September 7, 2014, Darian Durant sustained an elbow injury during the Banjo Bowl that required surgery, ultimately ending his 2014 campaign. The Roughriders then gave backup Tino Sunseri a shot at starting quarterback. With Tino Sunseri leading the team, the Roughriders went 1–4 andSeth Doege got a shot as well. The Roughriders then brought 2007 Most Outstanding PlayerKerry Joseph out of retirement to help the struggling team. Joseph, alongside new running backJerome Messam and receiverKorey Williams won one game before losing to the Edmonton Eskimos in the Western Semi Final.
The 2015 offseason saw the Roughriders lose top defensive players inBrian Peters andRicky Foley. Peters was signed by the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL and Foley was traded to Toronto for Canadian linebackerShea Emry on January 24, 2015. Soon after, Weston Dressler was signed to a 4-year contract with the Roughriders and Tyron Brackenridge also signed a contract to stay in Saskatchewan. Free agency saw the Roughriders bring backKevin Glenn as their backup quarterback. They also brought back veterans Alex Hall, Keenan MacDougall and Jamel Richardson. The 2015 CFL Draft saw them pick receiver Nic Demski from the University of Manitoba Bisons. To begin the year, the Roughriders found a linebacker, Jeff Knox Jr, in training camp and he became an immediate starter next to Shea Emry and Weldon Brown. The first game of the 2015 season was devastating, with the Roughriders losing quarterback Darian Durant once again to a season-ending injury, along with injuries to Shea Emry and Keenan MacDougall early in the season. This led to players such as Jake Doughty getting a starting gig with the team.
With the injury to Durant, Kevin Glenn became the starting quarterback, fulfilling the purpose for which he was signed by Saskatchewan. Days later, Chris Milo was released by the Roughriders, and they brought in veteran Paul McCallum as starting kicker. McCallum first game back with the Green and White was on July 5, 2015, a 42–40 overtime loss to the Toronto Argonauts. Weeks later, the Roughriders still did not have a win in the 2015 season, raising concern on whether head coach Corey Chamblin would eventually be fired. The injury bug around Saskatchewan got worse as quarterback Kevin Glenn, receiver Chris Getzlaf, linebacker Weldon Brown, and receiver Taj Smith were lost to injury. This eventually led to rookie quarterback Brett Smith getting a shot as the starter. During the August 30, 2015 game against the Ottawa Redblacks, head coach Corey Chamblin made the decision to bench Smith in favour of Tino Sunseri following an interception, which disgusted many Roughrider fans. Following another disappointing loss to Ottawa and a record of 0–9 for the first half of the season, head coach Corey Chamblin and general manager Brendan Taman were fired on September 1, 2015. Special teams coordinatorBob Dyce was appointed interim head coach and assistant general manager Jeremy O'Day was appointed interim general manager.
On December 7, 2015, a mere week after winning the103rd Grey Cup with theEdmonton Eskimos as their head coach, it was announced thatChris Jones would be the new head coach, general manager and vice-president of football operations for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Jones has won four Grey Cups rings with four teams: Montreal 2002, Calgary 2008, Toronto 2012, Edmonton 2015. On December 16, 2015, eight assistant coaches under Jones in Edmonton joined the Roughrider coaching staff. This is includes Stephen McAdoo as Offensive co-ordinator and assistant head coach, Craig Dickenson as Special teams co-ordinator, Jarious Jackson as Quarterbacks coach and passing game co-ordinator, Mike Scheper as Offensive line coach, Phillip Lolley as Linebackers coach, Jason Shivers as Defensive backs coach, Ed Philion as Defensive line coach and Craig Davoren as Running backs coach and special teams assistant.
Jones' first major moves as head coach and general manager of the Roughriders occurred on December 15, when Jones cut 19 players from the roster includingTyron Brackenridge,Anthony Allen andTerrell Maze. On January 14, 2016, Jones continued the rebuild by cutting fan favourites and long-time RoughridersJohn Chick andWeston Dressler. Chick went on to sign with theHamilton Tiger Cats, while Dressler went on to sign with rivalWinnipeg Blue Bombers. However, the Roughriders suddenly signed defensive endShawn Lemon to replace Chick soon after. Later that month, the Roughriders re-signed longtime receiverRob Bagg. Jones departed after the 2018 season, being succeeded byCraig Dickenson on January 25, 2019.[69]
The Green Riders clinched their first first-place West Division finish since 2009 with a 13–5 record, in Craig Dickenson's first year at the coaching helm. However, the team lost in a hard-fought heartbreaker in the West Final game over the arch-rival (and eventual Grey Cup champion) Blue Bombers, 20–13. After the2020 CFL season was cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the Riders returned to the playoffs in 2021, finishing in second place at 9–5 in the shortened season, defeating the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final, but losing to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers again (who would win their second straight Grey Cup championship) in the West Final for the second straight season.
In 2022, the Riders missed the playoffs for the first time in six years, posting a 6–12 mark, good for fourth place in the West. The season was much more successful off the field as the franchise again became profitable. This, combined with the team's share of revenues from the2022 Grey Cup (held at Mosaic Stadium as a replacement for the cancelled 2020 championship game) allowed the club to replenish its stabilization fund back to pre-pandemic levels.
Following the season, the Riders replaced both offensive coordinatorJason Maas and quarterbackCody Fajardo, but the end result was the same in the 2023 season as the year previous. The green and white posted the exact same record as the previous year at 6-12, missing the playoffs after ending the season on a seven-game losing streak. The team's replacement for Fajardo, veteran CFL quarterbackTrevor Harris, was injured early in the season, creating a quarterback controversy where bothMason Fine andJake Dolegala took turns as the starter.
On October 23, 2023, the Riders announced the organization would not renew its contract with Dickenson, ending his time as head coach.[70] The team did sign Vice President of Football Operations and General ManagerJeremy O'Day to a three-year extension.
The Riders announcedCorey Mace would become the team's 48th head coach on November 30, 2023.[71] Mace left the Toronto Argonauts organization after two seasons as defensive coordinator to take on the role, his first as a head coach.
Among Mace's first moves as head coach was hiring Regina productMarc Mueller[72] as offensive coordinator, someone Mace had previously coached with in Calgary. It was also announced that Kent Maugeri would stay on as special teams coordinator for his ninth overall season with the team.[73]
In early 2024, the Riders announced Mace would also serve as the team's defensive coordinator in addition to his head coaching duties.[74]
During Mace's first season at the helm in2024, the Riders opened the season on a hot start before falling into a summer slump that included the club's first tie game since2009.[75] The team was able to rally later in the season, finishing the regular season with a record of 9–8–1. It was enough to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021, although the team fell short of a Grey Cup appearance.[76] After defeating theBC Lions 24–21 to win the West Division, the Riders won their fifth Grey Cup in2025, 25–17 over theMontreal Alouettes.
In 2009, the team was described as having the largest fan base in the CFL.[77] The team is third behind the Montreal Canadiens andToronto Maple Leafs for merchandise sales of Canadian sports teams,[78] According to a survey (July 2015), the Riders were considered the third strongest sports Brand in Canada.[79] When the Roughriders play on the road, there is always a strong contingent of fans due to fans travelling and also because of people having relocated from Saskatchewan to other parts of Canada. The Roughriders home attendance record came in 1995 in a win over theCalgary Stampeders as 55,438 (more than 25% of Regina's population) fans watched on.[80] This crowd was attainable that year because of the increased capacity ofTaylor Field in preparation of hosting theGrey Cup. Rider fans are also known for dressing up in unique and often bizarre Rider-themed costumes, the most popular being the watermelon helmet.[citation needed] They are the only CFL football team with a fan-based analytic website, dedicated to fan-based opinion and perception. Beginning with the 2011 season, Insightrix Research Inc. has conducted a poll after each Roughrider game, surveying a random selection of fans from the SaskWatch Research online community. Each week, fans weigh in on the Riders' game performance and predictions for the rest of the season. These predictions are compared against other Regions in Saskatchewan, titled "Battle of the Regions."[81]
Fans supported the team through the Friends of the Riders Touchdown Lottery. From 1986 to 2018, the Lottery raised over $23 million for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, while giving out more than $33 million in prizes.[82] During difficult financial times, lottery revenues were crucial to the team's survival. In 1987 and 1997,[83] fans responded when the Roughriders held season-ticket telethons to try and raise money to help the team avoid bankruptcy.
Section 28 (formerly known as the University Section) was a notorious section in the East Side bleachers atTaylor Field. They were known for their strict allegiance to the Riders,[citation needed] standing through the entire game, and often being merciless to opposing fans who sit in the section and cheer for the road team. The University Section got its nickname from the section's main purpose in the 1980s and 1990s and was a discount section offered to university students inSaskatchewan. The section later ceased to be a university section but remained a section with a rowdy reputation until Taylor Field's closure in 2016.[84]
The official Rider songs are played regularly at the stadium, and include "Rider Pride", and "Paint the Whole World Green."[85] Among several 'borrowed songs' is the team's touchdown song and victory march, "Green Is the Colour" (adapted from the original "Blue Is the Colour" written by D. Boone and R. McQueen for theChelsea Football Club) and "On Roughriders" (adapted from "On Wisconsin", the fight song for theWisconsin Badgers). In addition, during every fourth quarter intermission, the P.A. system plays the cult hit "The Last Saskatchewan Pirate" byThe Arrogant Worms, and the Riders Cheer Team leads the crowd in a fourth quarter stretch. There are many other songs that have been created over the years to tribute the team as well. Many of these songs have proved so popular inWestern Canada that they have becomepopular culture phenomena.[citation needed][86] The music selection at Mosaic Stadium mostly consists of mainstream popular music."Green Is the Colour" is played after every rider touchdown, followed by Gainer the Gopher being driven around the stadium's track and giving high fives to those in the first row.
The current official Rider mascot isGainer the Gopher, who made his first appearance in 1977,[87] and was updated in 2019.[88][89][90]Gainer is ananagram ofRegina, and the gopher, or more preciselyRichardson's ground squirrel, is a common animal on theCanadian Prairies.
Roughriders radio broadcasts are broadcast throughout the province viaThe Co-operators Roughrider Football Network, fronted byflagship stationCKRM in Regina. Affiliates includeCFWD-FM inSaskatoon,CJGX inYorkton,CKBI in Prince Albert,CJNB in North Battleford andCJNS-FM in Meadow Lake. Additionally, CKRM's 10,000-watt signal brings Rider games to much of the province during the day.
Notable broadcasters for the Roughriders includeDave Dryburgh from 1940 to 1947,[91] andJohn Badham from 1959 to 1969, onCKCK/620.[92][93] Rod Peterson was the Roughriders' voice on CKRM from 1999 to 2019. He was replaced in 2019 by formerTSN anchor Derek Taylor. Prior to the 2022 season, Taylor moved to the Blue Bombers to replace the retiringBob Irving.[94][95] For the 2022 season, Michael "Ballsy" Ball—who hosted CKRM's pre-game and post-game shows, was play-by-play announcer for theRegina Rams, and co-hosted sister stationCFWF-FM's morning show—became the new voice of the Roughriders.[96][95] In 2024, he was replaced by Dave Thomas, a former broadcaster for theSaskatoon Blades (CJWW) andWeyburn Red Wings (CFSL), and previously a pre-game host and sideline reporter for the Riders.[97]
Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
| Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
Strength and Conditioning
| |||||
Becket, DeMarco, Syrnyk, and Sturtridge's numbers were retired posthumously after their deaths in theTrans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810 plane crash on December 9, 1956.[98]
| Saskatchewan Roughriders retired numbers | ||||
| No. | Player | Position | Tenure | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | Ron Lancaster | QB | 1963–1978 | 1966 |
| 34 | George Reed | RB | 1963–1975 | 1966 |
| 36 | Dave Ridgway | K | 1982–1995 | 1989 |
| 40 | Mel Becket | TE/C | 1952–1956 | – |
| 44 | Roger Aldag | OL | 1976–1992 | 1989 |
| 55 | Mario DeMarco | OL | 1953–1956 | – |
| 56 | Ray Syrnyk | OL | 1956 | – |
| 73 | Gordon Sturtridge | DE | 1953–1956 | – |
The Saskatchewan Roughriders' Plaza of Honour recognizes people who have made significant contributions to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.[99] The first induction class was in 1987.[100] The following is the list of inductees from 1987 to 2023:[8]
2023 – Wendy Kelly, 2013 Grey Cup Championship Team[95]
2022 – Weston Dressler, Mike McCullough, Ken Miller
2021 – Chris Getzlaf, Andy Fantuz, Paul Hill, Gabe Patterson
2019 – Neal Hughes and Kerry Joseph
2018 – Jim Hopson and John Terry
2017 – Wes Cates and Roger Brandvold
2016 – Matt Dominguez and Ivan Gutfriend
2015 – Scott Schultz and Tim McCray
2014 – Reggie Hunt and Chris Szarka
2013 – Eddie Davis & Gene Makowsky
2012 – Ed Buchanan, Nate Davis, Andrew Greene, Tom Robinson
2011 – Corey Holmes, Dan Rashovich, Mike Saunders
2010 – Three Grey Cup Championship Teams – 1966, 1989 and 2007
2009 – Dan Farthing, Tom Burgess, Norm Fong
2008 – Ted Provost, Tom Campana, Lawrie Skolrood
2007 – Steve Dennis, Bobby Thompson, Vic Stevenson
2006 – Ken Reed, Rhett Dawson, Gary Lewis
2005 – Jeff Fairholm, Tim Roth, John Wozniak
2004 – Mike Anderson, Henry Dorsch, Steve Mazurak
2003 – Larry Dumelie, John Lipp, Donald Narcisse
2002 – Gary Brandt, Larry Bird, Bobby Jurasin
2001 – Bob Ptacek, John Payne, Bill Manchuk, Doug Killoh
2000 – Dave Ridgway, Bruce Cowie, Cleveland Vann
1999 – Kent Austin, Ray Elgaard, Larry Isbell
1998 – Johnny Bell, Glen Suitor, Roger Goree
1997 – Bob Kosid, Dale West, Dick Rendek, Lorne Richardson
1996 – Bob Poley, Stan Williams, Ralph Galloway, Jim Worden, John Gregory
1995 – Tom Shepherd, Gene Wlasiuk, Wally Dempsey, Eddie Lowe, Clyde Brock
1994 – Vince Goldsmith, Wayne Shaw, Gord Barwell, Mike Cassidy, Chris DeFrance
1993 – Roger Aldag, Ken McEachern, Ted Dushinski, Gord Staseson, Maurice Williams, Piffles Taylor
1992 – Jack Abendschan, Neil Habig, Reg Whitehouse, Alan Ford, Howie Milne
1991 – Tare Rennebohm, Johnny Garuik, Sully Glasser, Del Wardien, Al Benecick, Bruce Bennett, W.E. Clarke, Mike Samples
1990 – J.D. Rowand, S.D. Stack Tibbits, D.S. McDonald, Toar Springstein, Pete Martin, Garner Ekstran, Joey Walters, Bill Baker
1989 – Ken Carpenter, Jack Hill, Bobby Marlow, Ed McQuarters, Frank Tripucka, Al Urness, Ted Urness, Bob Walker, Clair Warner
1988 – Sandy Archer, Gordon Barber, Hugh Campbell, Ken Charlton, Bill Clarke, Glenn Dobbs, Greg Grassick, Don McPherson, Martin Ruby
1987 – Ron Lancaster, George Reed, Fred Wilson, Ron Atchison, Ken Preston, Dean Griffing, Al Ritchie, Bob Kramer, Eagle Keys
As of 2024, 51 members of theCanadian Football Hall of Fame have played or worked for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
| Saskatchewan Roughriders Canadian Football Hall of Famers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted | No. | Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted |
| – | Neil Joseph "Piffles" Taylor | QB President | 1914–1915, 1919 1934–1936 | 1963 | – | Cal Murphy | Head coach | 1999 | 2004 |
| – | Brian Timmis | DT | 1920–1922 | 1963 | 39 | Willie Pless | LB | 1999 | 2005 |
| – | Al Ritchie | Manager Head coach | 1921–1924 1929–1933, 1935 | 1963 | 71 | Bobby Jurasin | DE | 1986–1997 | 2006 |
| – | Eddie "Dynamite" James | RB/DB/FW | 1928–1931 | 1963 | 35 | Greg Battle | LB | 1996 | 2007 |
| – | Dean Griffing | C/G/QB | 1936–1941 | 1965 | – | Tom Shepherd | Executive | 1966–present | 2008 |
| – | Clair Warner | E Executive President | 1924–1928, 1931–1932 1934–1970 1941 | 1965 | 51 | Alondra Johnson | LB | 2004 | 2009 |
| 36,63 | Martin Ruby | OT/DT | 1951–1957 | 1974 | 80 | Don Narcisse | WR | 1987–1999 | 2010 |
| 41,54,64 | Ron Atchison | C/MG/DT | 1952–1968 | 1978 | – | Don Matthews | Head coach | 1991–1993 | 2011 |
| 34 | George Reed | RB | 1963–1975 | 1979 | 53 | Jack Abendschan | G/K | 1965–1975 | 2012 |
| 37 | Gerry James | FB | 1964 | 1981 | 35 | Tyrone Jones | LB | 1992 | 2012 |
| 23 | Ron Lancaster | QB head coach | 1963–1978 1979–1980 | 1982 | 60 | Gene Makowsky | OT | 1995–2011 | 2015 |
| – | Don McPherson | President | 1956–1957 | 1983 | 29 | Eddie Davis | DB | 2001–2009 | 2015 |
| – | Robert A. Kramer | President | 1951–1953, 1961–1965 | 1987 | 81 | Geroy Simon | SB | 2013 | 2017 |
| 61 | Ed McQuarters | DT | 1966–1974 | 1988 | – | Jim Hopson | President | 2004–2015 | 2019 |
| 43 | Ted Urness | OL | 1961–1970 | 1989 | 67 | Clyde Brock | OT | 1964–1975 | 2020 |
| 8,11 | Ken Preston | QB/HB/FW Head coach General manager | 1940, 1946–1948 1946–1947 1958–1990 | 1990 | 1 | Henry Burris | QB | 2000, 2003–2004 | 2020 |
| – | Eagle Keys | Head coach | 1965–1970 | 1990 | 69 | Fred Childress | OT | 2004–2006 | 2020 |
| 88 | Ken Charlton | RB/FW | 1941, 1948–54 | 1992 | – | John Hufnagel | Coach | 1987 | 2020 |
| 65,76 | Bill Baker | DE | 1968–1973, 1977–1978 | 1994 | 99 | Will Johnson | DL | 1997 | 2021 |
| 2 | Tom Clements | QB | 1979 | 1994 | 4, 15 | Paul McCallum | K/P | 1994–2005, 2015 | 2022 |
| 22,42,60,67 | Bill Clarke | OT/DT | 1951–1964 | 1996 | – | Roy Shivers | General manager | 2000–2006 | 2022 |
| 66 | Al Benecick | OL | 1959–1968 | 1996 | 10 | Solomon Elimimian | LB | 2019 | 2023 |
| 21 | "Gluey" Hugh Campbell | WR | 1963–1967, 1969 | 2000 | 7 | Weston Dressler | SB | 2008–2015 | 2024 |
| 44 | Roger Aldag | OL | 1976–1992 | 2002 | 2 | Chad Owens | SB/KR | 2017 | 2024 |
| 81 | Ray Elgaard | SB | 1983–1996 | 2002 | 78, 70 | Vince Goldsmith | DL | 1981–1983 1988–1990 | 2024 |
| 36 | Dave Ridgway | K | 1982–1995 | 2003 | |||||
 | This section needs to beupdated. The reason given is: The most recent development in this section is from 2015.. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(November 2022) |
Legend:
F = Points scored For,A = Points scored Against
| Season | Coach | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | F | A | Home | Away | Division | Standing | Playoff Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | John Gregory | 9 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 557 | 592 | 7–2 | 2–7 | 4–6 | 3rd | Lost West Semi-Final 43–27 to Edmonton |
| 1991 | Gregory/Matthews | 6 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 606 | 987 | 4–5 | 2–7 | 3–7 | 4th | Missed Playoffs |
| 1992 | Don Matthews | 9 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 505 | 545 | 7–2 | 2–7 | 6–4 | 3rd | Lost West Semi-Final 22–20 to Edmonton |
| 1993 | Don Matthews | 11 | 7 | 0 | 22 | 511 | 495 | 7–2 | 4–5 | 5–5 | 3rd | Lost West Semi-Final 51–13 to Edmonton |
| 1994 | Matthews/Jauch | 11 | 7 | 0 | 22 | 512 | 454 | 7–2 | 4–5 | 4–6 | 4th | Lost West Semi-Final 36–3 to Calgary |
| 1995* | Ray Jauch | 6 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 422 | 451 | 4–5 | 2–7 | 5–7 | 6th* | Missed Playoffs |
| 1996 | Jim Daley | 5 | 13 | 0 | 10 | 360 | 498 | 4–5 | 1–8 | 3–7 | 4th | Missed Playoffs |
| 1997 | Jim Daley | 8 | 10 | 0 | 16 | 413 | 479 | 5–4 | 3–6 | 5–5 | 3rd | Won West Semi-Final 33–30 over Calgary Won West Final 31–30 over Edmonton LostGrey Cup 47–23 to Toronto |
| 1998 | Jim Daley | 5 | 13 | 0 | 10 | 411 | 525 | 4–5 | 1–8 | 2–8 | 4th | Missed Playoffs |
| 1999 | Cal Murphy | 3 | 15 | 0 | 6 | 370 | 592 | 3–6 | 0–9 | 1–9 | 4th | Missed Playoffs |
* For the 1995 Season, all 8 Canadian teams were featured in the Northern Division.
| Season | Won | Lost | Tied | Points* | F | A | Home | Away | Division | Standing | Playoff Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5 | 12 | 1 | 11 | 516 | 626 | 2–6–1 | 3–6 | 3–6–1 | 4th | Missed Playoffs |
| 2001 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 308 | 416 | 2–7 | 4–5 | 3–7 | 4th | Missed Playoffs |
| 2002 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 18* | 435 | 393 | 7–2 | 1–8 | 4–6 | 4th | Crossover: Lost East Semi-Final 24–14 to Toronto |
| 2003 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 22 | 535 | 430 | 7–2 | 4–5 | 7–3 | 3rd | Won West Semi-Final 37–21 over Winnipeg Lost West Final 30–23 to Edmonton |
| 2004 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 476 | 444 | 6–3 | 3–6 | 4–6 | 3rd | Won West Semi-Final 14–6 over Edmonton Lost West Final 27–25 to B.C. in OT |
| 2005 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 441 | 433 | 5–4 | 4–5 | 6–4 | 4th | Crossover: Lost East Semi-Final 30–14 to Montreal |
| 2006 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 465 | 434 | 6–3 | 3–6 | 4–6 | 3rd | Won West Semi-Final 30–21 over Calgary Lost West Final 45–18 to B.C. |
| Totals | 57 | 68 | 1 | 117* | 3176 | 3176 | 35–27–1 | 22–41 | 31–38–1 | – | – |
* From 2000 to 2002, the CFL awarded a single point to teams losing in overtime. The Riders had two such losses during the 2002 season.
| Season | Coach | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | F | A | Home | Away | Division | Standing | Playoff Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Kent Austin | 12 | 6 | 0 | 24 | 530 | 434 | 6–3 | 6–3 | 6–4 | 2nd | WonWest Semi-Final 26–24 over Calgary WonWest Final 26–17 over B.C. WonGrey Cup 23–19 over Winnipeg |
| 2008 | Ken Miller | 12 | 6 | 0 | 24 | 500 | 471 | 7–2 | 5–4 | 5–5 | 2nd | LostWest Semi-Final 33–12 to B.C. |
| 2009 | Ken Miller | 10 | 7 | 1 | 21 | 514 | 484 | 6–3 | 4–4–1 | 5–4–1 | 1st | WonWest Final 27–17 over Calgary LostGrey Cup 28–27 to Montreal |
| 2010 | Ken Miller | 10 | 8 | 0 | 20 | 497 | 488 | 7–2 | 3–6 | 5–5 | 2nd | WonWest Semi-Final 41–38 over BC WonWest Final 20–16 over Calgary LostGrey Cup 21–18 to Montreal |
| 2011 | Greg Marshall/ Ken Miller | 5 | 13 | 0 | 10 | 326 | 459 | 3–6 | 2–7 | 0–10 | 4th | Missed Playoffs |
| Season | Coach | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | F | A | Home | Away | Division | Standing | Playoff Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Corey Chamblin | 8 | 10 | 0 | 16 | 457 | 409 | 5–4 | 3–6 | 4–6 | 3rd | LostWest Semi-Final 36–30 to Calgary |
| 2013 | Corey Chamblin | 11 | 7 | 0 | 22 | 519 | 398 | 6–3 | 5–4 | 6–4 | 2nd | WonWest Semi-Final 29–25 over BC WonWest Final 35–13 over Calgary WonGrey Cup 45–23 over Hamilton |
| 2014 | Corey Chamblin | 10 | 8 | 0 | 20 | 399 | 441 | 6–3 | 4–5 | 5–5 | 3rd | LostWest Semi-Final 18–10 to Edmonton |
| 2015 | Corey Chamblin/Bob Dyce | 3 | 15 | 0 | 6 | 430 | 563 | 2–7 | 1–8 | 1–9 | 5th | Missed Playoffs |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)By 1987, the organization decided it was necessary to conduct a telethon to keep the team afloat.
In 1997, another telethon was conducted to bolster the franchise's financial health.
The telethon, coupled with a $3-million loan from the NFL to the CFL and the Roughriders making a surprise run to the 1997 Grey Cup game (a 47-23 loss to the Toronto Argonauts), helped keep the franchise going.
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