The morning following their Grey Cup triumph, the Saskatchewan Roughriders returned home to a warm welcome from their fans in Regina. After celebrating their victory at Princess Auto Stadium, supporters flocked to the Rider Store, eager to purchase Grey Cup merchandise, including championship hats and t-shirts.
As players arrived back at Mosaic Stadium, they were greeted by enthusiastic members of Rider Nation. AJ Ouellette shared a heartfelt moment with a fan, while teammates Sam Emilus and Trevor Harris posed for pictures with supporters, affectionately known as the “13th Man.”
For dedicated fan Pat Janex, missing this celebration was not an option. “I went down to Winnipeg on Friday, drove from Saskatoon for eight hours, but I had to stop here on my way back home to support them. My head is a little sore, not much sleep from last night, and my voice is a little groggy. Go Riders go! We are the champs of 2025!” he exclaimed.
As the festivities continued, several players took to the microphone to address the crowd of hundreds. Head coach Corey Mace rallied the fans, saying, “Since training camp, we wanted to ensure we produced a product that represents you, the people of Saskatchewan. Work hard, play hard, and win hard baby, let”s go!”
Receiver Kian Schaffer Baker energized the crowd by leading them in a chant from a popular Beastie Boys song: “You gotta fight for your right to party!” The excitement was palpable as Rider Nation joined in.
Trevor Harris, named the Most Valuable Player of the 112th Grey Cup, expressed gratitude to the fans, stating, “This Grey Cup is yours as well. Anyone who wants to say we only have five of these, well guess what? How many did they get this year? None; this is our trophy!”
Most Outstanding Canadian of the Grey Cup, Sam Emilus, initiated a “Let”s go Riders” chant, while fellow receiver Ajou Ajou encouraged the crowd, saying, “Guess what? I need you to cheer real loud when I say this, we”re going to do it again!”
Rob Vanstone, a senior journalist and historian for the team, reflected on the significance of this victory for him personally. He noted that while he wished his late mother, Helen, who was also a devoted fan, could share in the celebration, he was excited about attending his first Riders Grey Cup parade. “I”ve been to Grey Cup parades with my mom in Toronto and Montreal, but I”ve never been to a Riders Grey Cup parade,” he shared. “So I”ll take one off of the bucket list tomorrow.”
