March 22, 2017

Hall of Famer Simon fondly recalls 2013 season in Saskatchewan

Wednesday, March 22, 2017. (Photo: Johany Jutras)

Geroy Simon spent just one season as a player with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but 2013 now officially will go down as part of the receiver’s Hall of Fame career.

“Once a Rider, always a Rider,” Simon, 41, said with a chuckle Wednesday after it was announced that he was part of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017.

Simon’s fellow inductees this year are quarterback Anthony Calvillo, tailback Kelvin Anderson and linebacker Mike O’Shea in the player category, and Stan Schwartz and Brian Towriss in the builder category.

The induction ceremony is set for Sept. 15 in Hamilton. The Roughriders are to visit the Tiger-Cats in the Hall of Fame Game that day.

Simon began his legendary CFL career in 1999 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. After two seasons in Winnipeg, he signed as a free agent with the B.C. Lions in 2001.

He spent 12 seasons in Vancouver, winning Grey Cups in 2006 and 2011 and earning the award as the CFL’s most outstanding player in 2006. He was named a West Division all-star seven times and a CFL all-star six times.

In January of 2013, Simon was traded to Saskatchewan for receiver Justin Harper and a third-round pick in the 2014 CFL draft. The move was greeted with excitement by the Roughriders’ pass-catchers.

“Anytime you get a chance to work with a legend — a guy who’s one of the best if not THE best receiver to ever play in the CFL — take in as much as you can,” former Roughriders slotback Weston Dressler said Wednesday. “Be a sponge and learn what you can from a guy like that.

“He was always eager to share and give us as much info as he could.”

Saskatchewan Roughriders slotback Geroy Simon (#81) runs the ball during second half CFL action in Regina on Sunday July 21, 2013. (CFL PHOTO - Derek Mortensen)Simon’s offerings weren’t limited to the on-field product, either.

“Anytime you go through a season, there are going to be times when players and coaches are butting heads over certain things, whether it’s schemes or playing time or whatever it is,” Dressler said. “Geroy was definitely a guy you could go to and talk to about that and he could ease the situation a little bit.”

Simon’s role with the Roughriders was mostly complementary. Playing with receivers like Dressler and Chris Getzlaf and tailback Kory Sheets, Simon had 40 receptions for 565 yards in the regular season — his lowest production since 2001.

But the veteran was more evident in the playoffs, catching six passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns in three post-season games. He had three catches for 67 yards and two TDs in Saskatchewan’s 45-23 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Mosaic Stadium.

The touchdowns were the only two Simon scored in his four career Grey Cup appearances — and they came in what turned out to be the final game of his CFL career.

He retired as the league’s all-time leader in receptions (1,029) and receiving yards (16,352) and sat third all-time with 103 TD receptions.

“To win your last game as a player and have that be a championship is something not too many people can say,” Simon said. “I’m proud to say that my last game was in a Grey Cup.Saskatchewan Roughriders slotback Geroy Simon (#81) celebrates a touchdown during CFL Grey Cup 2013 action in Regina on Sunday November 24, 2013. (CFL PHOTO - Derek Mortensen)

“I won it at home, the second home Grey Cup win of my career. I’m pretty proud of that accomplishment and of knowing that I went out a winner.”

Simon’s time with the Roughriders didn’t end with his retirement as a player, though; he spent the 2014 season as a club ambassador and part-time scout.

Calvillo spent 20 years in the CFL, splitting his time between the Las Vegas Posse, Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes. He won three Grey Cup titles (2002, 2009 and 2010, all with Montreal), claimed three awards as the CFL’s most outstanding player (2003, 2008 and 2009) and retired as pro football’s all-time leading passer (79,816 yards).

Anderson played six seasons with the Calgary Stampeders and one with the Lions. He was the CFL’s rookie of the year in 1996 and a CFL all-star three times (1998, 1999 and 2001), and holds the CFL record with eight consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

O’Shea, who’s now the Bombers’ head coach, played 16 seasons in the CFL with Hamilton and the Toronto Argonauts. The league’s rookie of the year in 1993 and a three-time Grey Cup champion (1996, 1997 and 2004), O’Shea still ranks second on the CFL’s all-time list with 1,151 defensive tackles and seventh on the career list with 169 special-teams tackles.

Towriss recently retired after 37 years of coaching at his alma mater, the University of Saskatchewan. The Moose Jaw product was the Huskies’ head coach from 1984 through 2016, leading his team to three Vanier Cup titles (1990, 1996 and 1998) and nine appearances in the Canadian university final.

Schwartz, who was involved in football in Calgary for five decades, was the Stampeders’ president for eight years starting in 1996. Calgary won the Grey Cup five times in that span.