Nearly two decades after arriving in Saskatchewan, Kerry Joseph still speaks about the province, the fans and the 2007 Grey Cup championship with the same passion that made him one of the greatest quarterbacks in Roughriders history.
Joseph joined Dave Thomas on the 620 CKRM Co-operators Rider Broadcast Network's Countdown to Kickoff pregame show Friday before Saskatchewan faced the Ottawa Redblacks, reflecting on a career that saw him become the CFL's Most Outstanding Player, Grey Cup champion and now an accomplished football coach.
"It's amazing when you sit back and think about it being 20 years ago," Joseph said. "You wonder where the time went."
Acquired by the Roughriders with the first overall pick in the 2006 Ottawa Renegades dispersal draft, Joseph inherited a veteran team that had fallen just short of championship contention. Rather than trying to establish himself with words, Joseph said he earned the respect of his teammates through his preparation.
"The best way to fit into a veteran locker room isn't about what you say," he explained. "It's about how you approach your daily job. I wanted them to see me working every day to be the best that I could be and to be that leader that could help lead them to a championship."
After Saskatchewan reached the West Final in 2006 before losing to the B.C. Lions, Joseph said, he left the field convinced the following season would end differently.
"I remember telling Fred Perry after that 2006 season that we'd be back the next year, we'd win the West Final and go to the Grey Cup," Joseph recalled. "We had guys that were hungry to win a championship."
That confidence became one of the defining characteristics of the 2007 Roughriders. Joseph finished the season with more than 4,000 passing yards, 24 touchdown passes, 737 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns while capturing CFL Most Outstanding Player honours before leading Saskatchewan to its first Grey Cup title since 1989.
He credits much of that mindset to then head coach Kent Austin.
"Kent always talked about walking the line," Joseph said. "On one side is arrogance, and on the other side is confidence. Just walk that line. That's how we approached every game. We believed every drive was ours to make."
That confidence showed itself throughout the championship season, including one of the most memorable plays in franchise history, Joseph's game-winning touchdown run in the 2007 Labour Day Classic against Winnipeg.
While many fans remember it as a designed quarterback draw, Joseph revealed that it wasn't the original play call.
"That wasn't supposed to be a quarterback draw," he said. "We were actually trying to get the ball into position for the winning field goal. I saw something and had the confidence to take it."
Although Joseph admits he didn't have his best passing game in the Grey Cup victory over Winnipeg, one play still stands out nearly 19 years later.
"I always think about Andy Fantuz's touchdown," he said. "That was such a huge play for us. Then you think about James Johnson getting three interceptions. There were so many moments from that season."
Joseph's playing career eventually came full circle when he returned to Saskatchewan in 2014 at age 41 after Darian Durant suffered a season-ending injury. Looking back, Joseph believes his longevity came from his commitment to preparation.
"You have to take care of your body," he said. "I took a lot of pride in making sure I was prepared every year. Physically, I wasn't ready to retire, but mentally, I was. When training started feeling like a task instead of something I enjoyed, I knew it was time."
Retirement quickly turned into coaching. Joseph has since worked at both the college and NFL levels, including stops with the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears and Texas Longhorns. Earlier this year, he joined the Memphis Tigers as assistant defensive backs coach and senior defensive analyst. The opportunity to mentor the next generation now fuels the same passion that once drove him as a player.
"It's about making an impact," Joseph said. "It's about leaving a legacy. Football blessed me with a wonderful career. Now I get a chance to bless the game by giving back."
Before wrapping up the interview, Joseph had one final message for Rider Nation.
"Let's go, Riders," he said. "Time to repeat."
