WINNIPEG —
Saskatchewan Roughriders placekicker Brett Lauther struggled so badly earlier this year that he publicly apologized to his teammates and fans.
Lauther made only 39 of 54 field goal attempts this season — a league-low 72.3 per cent — and at one point rumours circulated that the Riders were trying to replace him.
But none of that was weighing on his mind as he prepared to face the Montreal Alouettes in the Grey Cup on Sunday. Lauther insists he’s focused only on his “next gig.”
“Nothing in the past is going to help you with the next one. So, I’m not worried if I had a bad game or if I miss one or I missed a bunch in a row,” the 35-year-old said Friday. “I just keep moving on to the next gig when that game’s done. I work on the corrections with my guys and the coaches. I just keep moving forward.
“In any sport, especially pro sports, there’s highs and lows and emotions in a game. You can’t be too happy with a make and can’t be too down with a miss. It’s kind of unique to a lot of other positions. You only get so many shots to go out there and do your job. But, for me, it’s just putting the blinders on and go on to our next gig.”
Despite being hampered by a back issue, Lauther rebounded by converting all three of his field-goal attempts when Saskatchewan sunk the B.C. Lions 24-21 in the West Division final.
“It just came down to repetition after repetition, sticking to what you know, trying not to overthink anything,” said Saskatchewan long-snapper Jorgen Hus. “I believe in Brett. He’s going to go out there and do his job. He did his job in the West Final. He might be the greatest kicker to ever play for the Riders. He’s had some big games, some big moments.
“There’s nothing but ice in his veins. So, I know he can do it. I believe in him, he’s been great for us.”
Lauther also feels the support of Roughriders head coach Corey Mace.
“He’s the reason why I’m still playing football,” he said. “I’ve had a longer leash than a lot of people probably get and maybe even deserve. But that’s why I get a chance to go out Sunday and maybe right a lot of wrongs that I’ve had this season.”
Lauther has connected on 21 of 23 field goal attempts for a 91.2 percentage in the CFL playoffs and is 10-for-10 on converts.
The Truro, N.S., native was asked if he envisioned kicking the winning field goal in the Grey Cup as a kid.
“Probably in high school,” he said. “Everything before that, I was scoring in Game 7 in overtime, the winner.
“I switched a little bit since then. It’s always been a dream but, at the end of the day, I don’t care about kicking the game-winner, I just care about winning the game for the province, my brothers, the fans, my family. It’s nothing to do with you at this point. It’s for everyone else. It doesn’t matter if it’s a game-winner or if I miss every kick in the game, as long as we win the game. That’s all I care about.”
Along with the importance of playing in the Grey Cup, Lauther added that his future in the sport is uncertain.
“I don’t even know if I’ll be playing football next year,” he said. “I’m just focused on playing this game right now and trying to get a win.”
13TH MAN
Of course, every time the Grey Cup comes around, clips resurface of former Roughriders offensive coordinator Paul LaPolice tossing his headphones in frustration after a 13th-man penalty negated a missed Montreal field goal in the final seconds of the 2009 championship game. The Alouettes made the winner on the next play.
“That doesn’t bother me, it’s just part of my history,” said LaPolice, a former Winnipeg and Ottawa head coach who’s now an analyst for TSN and coaches the Canadian men’s national flag football team.
“But it’s cool that the Grey Cup is in Winnipeg with the Riders being back because it brings back memories of me being there. It’s a cool experience to be back on the Prairies where the majority of my career was built.”
The Riders have not brought up that 13th man debacle this week.
“Our fans are the 13th man,” Mace said.
NOTE: Saskatchewan receivers KeeSean Johnson and Joe Robustelli have been ruled out of Sunday’s game, according the CFL injury report.
This report by The Canadian Press was first reported on Nov. 14, 2025
Jim Bender, The Canadian Press
