It didn’t take long for former Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Chris Streveler to make his presence felt on social media after he retired following the 2025 season.
Using his sharp analysis and impressive knowledge of the CFL game to keep fans entertained and informed on Instagram (@cstrevvy5), Twitter (@chris_streveler), Youtube (@cstrevy) and TikTok (cstrevy), Streveler quickly amassed thousands of followers across his accounts.
That led to CFL partner broadcast network DAZN to take notice, and it was announced Thursday that Streveler will be among the analysts breaking down games when Saturday Night Football begins next season.
The Voice of the Roughriders Dave Thomas caught up with Streveler during Grey Cup Week and talked about his new role and future as a CFL panelist.
“I'm extremely proud to be in this position, proud to be in a position to shed positive light on this league.” Streveler began. “That's what I want to do. I want to bring energy. I want to bring my experience, my perspective, and share that with fans and showcase this great game that we have… this is the moment that's like, ‘okay, we're here, we're doing this’, and it's extremely exciting.
DAZN also announced that James Cybulski will be the play-by-play announcer, while Regina broadcaster Brit Dort will lead a panel that includes Streveler, Shawn Lemon and Simoni Lawrence.
“it's a very exciting day because it feels real,” Streveler said. “We got the whole team together. We got the suits on. We're here at media day.”
Being the Grey Cup and Streveler having won the title back in his days with Winnipeg, the conversation immediately went to what it’s like during the week leading up to the game and how players prepare for it.
Like other former players, he said it all comes down to sticking to the process and trying to work through all the distractions.
“It's such a different week with media day, we're taking up extra time, and you're losing some hours in the film room,” he said. “That's when you look at these teams and some of the experience they have being in this game. There's a different process. No matter how normal you try to make it, you're practicing at a different stadium, you're doing different media, you're staying in a hotel.
“Having that experience of being through it, going through it before, you're able to have a more professional process and stick to what's made you successful throughout the year.”
Streveler remembers what it was like in his first Grey Cup game and how the experience was as different as could be compared to a usual week. That unfamiliarity is something the Edmonton Elks are going through as a team at the moment, with their last Grey Cup appearance and victory coming in 2015.
“There's guys on both teams that have been in this moment and so you lean on those guys, how do we facilitate this?” Streveler said. “Bring us along, help us guide us so that we're prepared. Extra meetings, like let's grab a conference room. These teams are going to be willing to accommodate whatever you need to be successful. So you lean on those veteran guys who have that experience.”
Streveler also gave his breakdown of the teams, with both clubs carrying a bit of a chip on their shoulder, but of greatly different varieties.
For the Elks, it’s of the ‘you shouldn’t be here’ type thanks to their last-place finish last season and meteoric rise to the top of the West Division.
“It almost feels like there's a team of destiny of them getting here,” Streveler said. “Not a lot of people are picking them to be in this game. And I think they lean into that. I think that that adversity from the outside has actually made them come closer as a team.
“That's a team that’s learned to lean on each other in hard moments throughout the year. They've gotten through that adversity and gotten to the final game. I think that that's an underrated aspect that when you get in a tough moment in the Grey Cup, who do you lean on? You lean on the person next to you because we've been through hard moments this season.”
The Alouettes, on the other hand, are in a finish-what-they-started mode after losing the Grey Cup to Saskatchewan last season and putting together the best record in the league in 2026.
“I think that left a sour taste in their mouth, and you saw the way that they came out the gate this year, it was ‘we're hungry, we're trying to get back,’” Streveler said. “And man, they've taken another step forward as a team and as an organization.”
Streveler has actually spent time in the off-season training with Als quarterback Davis Alexander and is more than impressed with what he saw from the standout pivot.
“Just seeing the way that he attacked this offseason, it was extremely impressive and there was not a lot of doubt in my mind that he would have an opportunity to be back in this moment again,” he said.
Fans wanting to get a full breakdown of what Streveler expects to see in the Grey Cup can check out his See It Like Strev channel and an interview with a rather special guest: none other Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris.
“We did a full catch up on the offseason and breaking down the Grey Cup,” Streveler said. “That dude is absolutely dialed in. I just want to give him a shout out on just what a great guy he is, making time in his offseason, he's got his kids yelling in the background of the interview. It means a lot, and I just can't say enough about the type of person that he is on top of, obviously, a great player on the football field.”
You can check out the Streveler-Harris show below:
