The 2025 CFL season won’t soon be forgotten in Rider Nation.
A year that ended with the Saskatchewan Roughriders hoisting the Grey Cup following a 25–17 victory over the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th championship game is one that will live forever in green-and-white lore. But while championships are often remembered for star performances and signature moments, every title run is built just as much on contributions that don’t always show up on the stat sheet.
One of my favourite features on the Rider Broadcast Network is naming the game’s Unsung Hero — a chance to look past the box score and spotlight the players, decisions, or moments that quietly swung the outcome.
With that in mind, here are some of the top unsung heroes and defining moments from the Riders 2025 Grey Cup championship season.
Logan Ferland’s selfless switch
Day one of training camp in Saskatoon brought unexpected adversity.
Newly signed Canadian centre Sean McEwen — brought in after the club moved on from Peter Godber — suffered a season-ending knee injury, leaving a massive hole in the middle of Saskatchewan’s offensive line. Initially, third-year pro Zack Fry was given the first look at centre, but after a few days the coaching staff made a critical call.
The Riders moved their best offensive lineman from 2024 — Logan Ferland — into the pivot.
Ferland, a Melfort native, had started six games at centre the previous season but was upfront about being more comfortable at guard. Still, the 28-year-old never hesitated. He did what championship players do — whatever was best for the team.
That decision allowed Fry to settle in at left guard, shifted Jacob Brammer to right guard beside Jermarcus Hardrick, and solidified one of the most formidable offensive lines in the CFL. Ferland’s willingness to sacrifice comfort for cohesion quietly set the tone for an offence that would carry the Riders all the way to the Grey Cup.
Nick Wiebe’s long road back
Nick Wiebe’s pro career didn’t start the way he imagined.
The former University of Saskatchewan Huskies star was coming off a Canada West Defensive Player of the Year season when the Riders selected him in the second round of the 2024 CFL Draft. But in his final U Sports game, Wiebe tore his ACL — an injury that delayed his CFL debut and forced him to miss the first half of his rookie season.
Just when he returned, misfortune struck again. A setback forced Saskatchewan to shut him down for the remainder of 2024.
Fast forward to 2025, and Wiebe arrived at training camp fully healthy, earning a roster spot and carving out a role on special teams. He didn’t waste the opportunity.
In 16 games, the Calgary native led the Riders with 20 special teams tackles, adding two more on defence. His perseverance was rewarded when he was named the Riders Most Outstanding Special Teams Player — an honour that spoke volumes about his resilience and impact.
Ali Saad grows up fast
The Roughriders used the fourth overall pick in the 2025 CFL Draft on defensive lineman Ali Saad, knowing the talent was there — even if the Canadian game was new.
Saad, a 23-year-old from Windsor, Ontario spent most of his football life in Michigan before playing at Bowling Green State University. He admitted early in training camp that adapting to the Canadian game would be a challenge. After going undrafted in the NFL, Saad worked out with the San Francisco 49ers before joining Saskatchewan on May 12.
From day one, he impressed. The six-foot-three, 280-pound rookie earned a Week 1 roster spot and went on to dress for all 18 regular-season games — playing interior defensive line, a position he’d never manned after being a defensive end in college.
Saad’s ability to adapt, learn on the fly, and provide ratio flexibility proved invaluable as the season wore on.
Trophy hunt that brought it together
Ask players inside the locker room when belief truly set in, and many will point to the Labour Day rematch in Winnipeg.
For the first time in seven years, Saskatchewan swept the Bombers in the home-and-home series — a statement win that all but locked up a West Final at Mosaic Stadium.
But it was what happened after the game that revealed the team’s mindset. Instead of celebrating publicly, the Riders quietly searched Princess Auto Stadium for the Banjo Bowl Trophy — away from cameras and crowds. The so-called “meaningless” trophy mattered because the opponent mattered.
The message was clear: to win the Grey Cup, Saskatchewan knew it had to go through Winnipeg. Seventy-one days later, the Riders weren’t handed a small rivalry trophy — they were handed the Grey Cup on the Blue Bombers home turf.
Friday might, smoke and all
It’s impossible to fully explain what the Roughriders mean to Saskatchewan — but July 11 came close.
Scheduled to host Calgary, Saskatchewan endured more than a five-hour delay due to unsafe forest-fire smoke. Yet fans stayed. They waited. They believed. Players noticed.
After the eventual game, members of the team openly marvelled at the fans’ resilience, acknowledging the collective effort from supporters, stadium staff, teams, and the league to make the game happen the next day.
That bond came full circle when the Riders celebrated their championship with a parade down Regina’s Green Mile on November 18.
Habakkuk Baldonado effect
The most common question about Habakkuk Baldonado: How do you say his name? By season’s end, everyone knew exactly who he was.
The Italian-born defensive end, selected in the second round of the 2023 Global Draft, dressed for all 18 games in 2025. When Shane Ray went down with a season-ending injury in Week 15, Baldonado stepped into a starting role — and never missed a beat.
Over the final five regular-season games, plus the West Final and Grey Cup, Baldonado recorded eight tackles and two sacks, consistently generating pressure off the edge.
His emergence was a major reason the Riders’ defensive line never skipped a step when it mattered most.
In the words of Nick Saban, championship teams are defined by resilience.
And in 2025, it was the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ unsung heroes — the quiet sacrifices, unexpected moments, and overlooked contributions — that turned a memorable season into a championship one.
“No matter what is thrown at them, no matter how deep the hole, they find a way to overcome adversity.”
So did the Riders.
