The Saskatchewan Roughriders are making sure the heart of their defence stays right where it belongs.
The club announced Tuesday it has signed American linebacker Jameer Thurman to a one-year contract extension, keeping the All-CFL middle linebacker in Green and White through the 2027 season.
Thurman didn’t just play a role in the Riders’ Grey Cup championship run — he anchored it.
The 6-foot, 230-pound Chicago native put together a career season in 2025, earning his first All-CFL selection and becoming just the fourth middle linebacker in Roughriders history to receive the honour. He finished sixth in the CFL in defensive tackles (86) and tied for eighth in total defensive plays (100), while filling the stat sheet across the board with three interceptions, three sacks, three pass knockdowns, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Named Pro Football Focus’ top linebacker in Week 9, Thurman was equally impactful when the stakes were highest. He led all players with 11 defensive tackles, including one for a loss, in the 112th Grey Cup, helping Saskatchewan close out its championship season in style.
Thurman’s rise with the Roughriders began a year earlier. In his first season with the club in 2024, he earned a divisional All-CFL nod, appearing in 17 regular-season games and recording 76 defensive tackles, three tackles for loss, two special teams tackles, a sack, and two interceptions — one of which he returned 28 yards for a touchdown in Week 3. He also added a forced fumble, a pass knockdown, and three fumble recoveries.
Before arriving in Saskatchewan, Thurman spent the 2023 season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, where he posted 98 defensive tackles and five sacks, along with two interceptions and two forced fumbles. Prior to that, he was a familiar face in the West Division with the Calgary Stampeders, playing four seasons and 64 games with the club. During his time in Calgary, Thurman recorded 267 defensive tackles, six sacks, six interceptions, and eight forced fumbles, and was part of the 2018 Grey Cup championship team.
Thurman also had a brief NFL opportunity, signing with the Chicago Bears in 2019, where he recorded 16 tackles during the preseason.
With leadership, production, and championship pedigree, the Roughriders have ensured one of the league’s premier linebackers remains the backbone of their defence for years to come.
