With the 2022 season now in the books for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, players will likely begin their soul searching over the events that occurred over the last year.
But for safety, Mike Edem, you can’t blame him if he is viewing it through a different set of lens.
On October 22, in the Riders final game of the season at Mosaic Stadium against the Calgary Stampeders was injured following a collision with Stamps running back Dedrick Mills. Edem was carted off the field and was taken to hospital for precautionary reasons before being released.
This past Sunday, Edem joined the rest of his teammates as they cleaned out their lockers.
Following the hit, the 33 year old said there were several thoughts flowing inside of his mind.
“I’m thinking in my head you know what a gruesome offseason ahead am I looking at, so for me being able to walk away, the way I did, I’m very fortunate, not to be talking about something else, it’s a blessing.”
Part of the offseason plans for Edem is to head home and build a nursery as he gets set to enter the world of fatherhood.
The medical team for the Saskatchewan Roughriders were nothing but helpful on the night of the incident said Edem.
“Big kudos to our doctors, our doctors were awesome, they stayed with me that whole night, Ryan (Raftis, head athletic therapist), Trevor (Len, assistant head athletic therapist), our whole therapy staff kept me and my spirits through the whole thing and just really looked out for me, I think as a player that’s all you can ask for.”
More than week after the incident, the former Calgary Dino says that it was an experience that has altered his perspective.
“Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the thick of the season, other aspects of your life take a hit, when that happens you have to pull back and look at everything, put everything on the table, but for me it’s honestly part of the game.”
He also pointed out that he has been very lucky in his career.
“Over the course of ten years, I’ve done some pretty awful things to guys on the field if ten years I got once, I’ll take it.”
The past five seasons, the safety has called Saskatchewan home after beginning his career with stops in Montreal, Hamilton and B.C.
Edem says that he will become a free agent this upcoming season, when deciding his future in football, he says that is something that he will discuss with his wife.
“She kind of told me, not to end it like that, end it like how I want to.”
The safety has a desire to return to Saskatchewan, especially after a season the Roughriders endured in 2022.
“You never want to run out when things get grim, you want to put your foot on the ground and see to it things are turned around, it feels better when you do it like that.”
“Football is a sport when I first started, became a passion, that passion is still alive, so as long as they’ll have me and my crazy antics, then I’ll love to wear that green.”
Edem was able to record a pair of sacks and an interception for Saskatchewan this season.
