Samuel Emilus has a touch of Green with his green.
Emilus, a second-year member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, wears No. 19 as a tribute to someone who was his favourite player growing up — former Montreal Alouettes star S.J. Green.
“He was the first receiver who I really fell in love with as a fan,” the Montreal-born Emilus says leading up to Friday’s road game against the Alouettes. “I liked his name and everything.
“I wear 19 because of him and I think it’s a pretty cool thing that we play in the same league and that I am able to wear his number.”
Green played for the Alouettes from 2007 to 2016 before spending his final three CFL seasons with the Toronto Argonauts.
Eight times an East Division All-Star and twice an All-Canadian, Green caught 716 passes for 10,222 yards and 60 TDs during a brilliant career that included seven 1,000-yard seasons and a series of receptions that simply defied belief.
Along the way, Green and the Alouettes frequently crossed paths with the Roughriders.
On June 29, 2007, Saskatchewan was the visiting team when Green played his first CFL game and made his first two receptions as a professional football player.
The Roughriders were also the opponent when Green began his breakout year with a two-touchdown-catch performance at historic Mosaic Stadium on July 1, 2010.
Green’s second major was punctuated by his spectacular one-handed catch in the back of the north end zone for a two-point convert. The highlight-reel grab created a 48-48 tie and forced a second overtime period, from which the Roughriders emerged with a 54-51 victory.
“That was one of the most exciting games that I was able to play in,” Green says from his home in Florida. “That was a fun time.”
At the time, Emilus was 12 years old and in front of the television, captivated by a classic CFL game.
“I was watching it live,” he reflects. “I remember that catch like it was yesterday. It’s probably the best catch I’ve ever seen.”
Later in 2010, the Alouettes would register a second consecutive Grey Cup victory over Saskatchewan. Emilus took it all in while appreciating the Alouettes and their assortment of legendary players.
“I was an Alouettes fan during the time of Anthony Calvillo. S.J. Green and Jamel Richardson, and they were winning, too,” he recalls. “They were going to the Grey Cup almost every year, so I was a big fan.
“Now I play for the Riders, so it’s business now.”
With a business trip to Montreal looming, Emilus looks forward to mixing in the pleasure of seeing family members and friends.
“I tell you, we’ve got a lot of Rider fans now that I play for the Riders,” he says with a chuckle. “It is always an experience (to play in Montreal) and I can’t wait to go out there.”
Emilus, who was chosen in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2022 CFL Draft, was a rookie when Saskatchewan visited Montreal last year. He caught one pass for five yards and returned three punts for 27 yards in the Roughriders’ third game of 2022.
This time around, Emilus will visit his hometown as the CFL’s 11th-leading receiver, yardage-wise. He has 28 catches for 440 yards and three TDs after eight games.
Along the way, Emilus has gained a fan in S.J. Green, who is intrigued by the Roughriders’ No. 19 and appreciative of the show of admiration.
“It’s humbling,” Green says. “My goal when I played was to leave my mark and hopefully inspire kids, not only in Canada but back in the U.S. It was my dream to play at the next level.
“It’s a good feeling to know that I was able to leave my mark and impact kids back in Montreal who want to play ball.”
Green expresses the hope that, one day, he will be able to meet Emilus in person.
To this point, their only interaction has been over the phone, with former Roughriders receiver Derel Walker playing the role of intermediary.
Walker and Green were teammates in 2019, when they both exceeded 1,000 receiving yards for the Argonauts.
Not long ago, their long-distance conversation was temporarily put on hold when Walker was thoughtful enough to hand the phone to Emilus, who chatted with Green for a few minutes.
“He’s a great guy,” Emilus says with a smile. “I told him that I always liked his game and that I remember watching him when I was a kid in Montreal. He said, ‘I appreciate that.’
“I told him that, ‘Now that I’m in the league, it’s my turn.’ ”
