The Roughriders closed out the regular season with a 16-9 victory over the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, earning their 10th win of the season.
Tommy Stevens was the star, all while etching his name in CFL and Riders history.
Stevens scored two rushing touchdowns in the win, bringing his season total to 17 and setting two records in the process.
Stevens surpassed Caleb Evans’ CFL record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season and broke a 58-year-old Roughriders franchise record. George Reed previously held the Saskatchewan mark with 16 rushing touchdowns in 1968.
For Stevens, reaching those milestones mattered, even if he'd preferred to do it earlier in the season.
“To say that it didn't mean something to me coming into the game, I mean, I would be lying to you,” Stevens told the Rider Broadcast Network’s fifth quarter post-game show. “It's obviously something that I wanted to go get.”
The quarterback acknowledged the pressure of entering the regular-season finale just one touchdown shy of the franchise record. Still, he was pleased to help the team win as they headed into the playoffs.
“I wish we wouldn't have put so much pressure on the last game of the year,” Stevens said. “We've been stuck here for about five weeks now.”
Ultimately, Stevens cared more about the result than his individual accomplishments.
“I was glad to have an impact on the game and glad we were able to put together a team win going into the playoffs,” he said. “That's really what matters.”
Stevens also believes the Roughriders are building momentum at the right time, with a playoff matchup against the B.C. Lions awaiting them on Saturday.
“We're trending up, so we're excited for the opportunity,” he said.
While Stevens’ record-breaking season has earned him plenty of attention, his popularity in Saskatchewan has become another defining part of his time with the Roughriders.
The quarterback regularly receives standing ovations when he takes the field, while fans line up for autographs and photographs.
During a conversation on the Rider Broadcast Network, we asked Stevens what it meant to receive that kind of affection from Rider Nation.
“It means everything to me,” Stevens said.
Espcecially considering where he felt his career was a couple years ago.
The quarterback shared that his love for the game was tested after his 2024 season, leaving him to question his future in the sport.
“I told the guys in the locker room that I was ready to walk away from football,” Stevens said. “Maybe I shouldn't say ready to walk away, but I felt like I was being driven away from football after my season in '24. I wasn't enjoying it.”
His arrival in Saskatchewan changed that perspective.
“And this place really rejuvenated my career, I would say,” Stevens said.
For Stevens, the difference has been about more than football. It is the people inside the Roughriders locker room and the fans who support the team throughout the season.
“It's ultimately about the people in both our locker room and the people that support us daily,” he said. “The people of Saskatchewan are so authentic, and they're always going to tell you how they feel,” Stevens said.
That honesty and appreciation have helped make Saskatchewan a special place for the quarterback.
“It means a lot to me to be here, to be with this group and in a place that I feel like I'm truly appreciated,” Stevens said. “And I will never forget that for as long as I live.”
The quarterback will look to add to his touchdown total when Saskatchewan travels to B.C. to face the Lions in Saturday’s playoff opener.
And that's Between the Lines for Sheppard Realty in Regina, specializing in farm and ranch real estate in Saskatchewan. Call Harry, Justin or Devan at 352-1866.
