Two former Saskatchewan Roughriders are staring down their old colours with a championship on the line, as Alexandre Gagné and Darnell Sankey of the Montreal Alouettes try to top their former team in Sunday’s 112th Grey Cup.
For both players, their professional journey to this game has taken them through Riderville.
Before Gagné became one of the CFL’s most reliable special-teams forces, he was a long shot.
Signed by the Roughriders as an undrafted free agent in April 2017, Gagné worked his way from the practice roster to the active roster, making his debut in the Labour Day rematch on September 9, 2017. By 2018, he was a special-teams standout, finishing third in the league with 23 special-teams tackles, and followed it up with another 19 in 2019 before signing with his hometown Alouettes in 2020.
This week, Gagné reflected on the 2009 Grey Cup that forever ties the Riders and Alouettes together. The 2009 Grey Cup was decided by a Daman Duval last play field goal that lifted the Alouettes to the win after a too many men penalty was assessed to the Riders.
“We were talking about the Grey Cup between the Montreal Alouettes and Saskatchewan, and that I started my career in Sask. I heard the two sides of the story about that Grey Cup. Something as simple as being 12 on the field can be deciding for the Grey Cup. This week, the fewer errors we make, the better chance we’re going to have.”
Gagne also remembers watching the 2009 and 2010 games from afar.
“Honestly, I saw the Roughriders, but it was (Anthony) Calvillo — I saw him as invincible. I wasn’t necessarily surprised Montreal won, but I heard both stories from both sides.”
Asked whether there’s extra motivation facing Saskatchewan, Gagné didn’t hesitate.
“It’s been six years, I’ve played with a lot of guys who are still on the other side. It makes me rethink how everything started, being undrafted in Saskatchewan, and nine years later, representing the Montreal Alouettes for my hometown. I’m happy for the guys in Saskatchewan that I’ve met over the years that get to come to the Grey Cup. We’re going to be fighting for it.”
Linebacker Darnell Sankey spent the 2022 season with the Roughriders after rising to prominence with Calgary the year before. His football path before arriving in Canada resembled an NFL travel itinerary with stops in New Orleans, Detroit, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Minnesota, Kansas City, Oakland and Denver.
Through it all, his view of Rider Nation remains a positive one.
“I have nothing bad to say about the organization, they treated me well. The fans are diehard. The city bleeds green.”
He even appreciates the infamous hostility of Mosaic Stadium.
“When they’re cursing at us and calling us names, that’s what you’re supposed to do. If you’re a diehard fan and someone’s trying to beat your team, I don’t expect anything different.”
Facing a former team in the Grey Cup can carry emotional weight, but Sankey insists he’s focused on the task ahead.
“It’s something you think about, but football is business. We’re professional athletes. You chalk it up as the past — and I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do now.”
The Riders gave both men their start. Montreal now gives them their chance to finish the season as champions.
You can hear the 112th Grey Cup game on the 620 CKRM Cooperators Rider Broadcast Network. Pregame coverage begins at 2 p.m.
