Pete Robertson dealt with the head-butt head-on.
After being penalized on Sunday for post-whistle, helmet-to-helmet contact with Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros, the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ 30-year-old defensive end faced a swarm of media in the CFL team’s locker room at Mosaic Stadium.
Robertson was surrounded by reporters once more on Wednesday — two days after the league announced that he would be suspended for this weekend’s rematch at IG Field.
“As a man, how I look at everything is, right or wrong, I take it as it comes,” Robertson said. “I don’t run from it. I just handle it right then and get it behind me. That’s the biggest thing for me.”
In addition to dealing with the media, Robertson discussed the matter with his teammates, his coaches, and Roughriders General Manager and Vice-President of Football Operations Jeremy O’Day.
“I talked to J.O. and we decided that the best thing was to handle it right now and get it out of the way,” Robertson said.
He added: “When I was talking to the league, I told them that I don’t want to make no excuses or explanation about the situation. That play is just what happened. My biggest thing was that I put my team in that situation and, at that moment, it was a crucial time.”
Robertson was flagged for unnecessary roughness with slightly four minutes left in the fourth quarter. Moments before head-butting Collaros, Robertson had knocked down a Blue Bombers pass on second-and-goal from the five-yard line.
If not for the penalty, Winnipeg would have almost certainly tied the game with a chip-shot field goal. Instead, the Blue Bombers received a first down on the two-yard line, whereupon Brady Oliveira ran for a touchdown and Sergio Castillo added the convert to give Winnipeg a 24-20 lead.
“I’m not saying that penalty is acceptable at any time but, at that moment in time, it was just too important for me to lose control,” Robertson said.
Saskatchewan responded with an Adam Korsak punt single and a Brett Lauther field goal to force overtime. After each team had one offensive series in OT, the Roughriders emerged with a 32-30 victory.
Ultimately, the penalty to Robertson did not influence the outcome — thanks in part to key plays down the stretch by quarterback Jake Dolegala and running back Jamal Morrow.
“Our offence was playing great all night,” Robertson said. “I want to tip my hat to Jake and J-Mo and guys like that, because they kept battling. When adversity hits, whether it’s offence or defence, guys have got to have your back and that’s what they did. They helped me out on that one.”
That said, Robertson recognizes that such a late hit cannot be repeated and is suitably sorry for what transpired.
“At the end of the day, it’s not about me,” he said. “It’s about the organization and what we represent.
“I definitely want to apologize to Rider Nation and I’ll reach out to Zach sometime soon, I’m sure.”
With Robertson sidelined for the upcoming game, the Craig Dickenson-coached Roughriders will prepare to face a formidable Winnipeg squad for the second week in succession.
The prompt handling of the Robertson matter removed one possible distraction leading up to Saturday’s Labour Day rematch (2 p.m., TSN, CKRM).
“We’re disappointed that he got suspended, but we’re more disappointed that he did what he did,” Dickenson stated. “That’s something we don’t approve of and we certainly don’t want that to be part of the game. It’s not part of what we do, either.
“We’re very happy that Zach’s OK and that he’s playing this game. We want to apologize to him. Pete’s going to take his suspension like a man and hopefully learn from that, and hopefully all of us learn from that.
“That’s just not what we do and that’s not part of the game.”
