ROBSERVATIONS: Celebrating sensational starts by Mathew Sexton, Trevor Harris and KeeSean Johnson
Sometimes the stories write themselves — and not because of any inclination to have AI burp out this weekly submission.
Hitting the MacBook keys is a breeze when you consider the saga of Mathew Sexton, whose 101-yard punt-return touchdown sparked the Saskatchewan Roughriders in their 27-22 victory over the host Ottawa REDBLACKS on Friday.
Sexton began the 2026 football season with the very same REDBLACKS before being released after rookie camp. He was summarily snapped up by Saskatchewan, for whom he made an auspicious CFL regular-season debut last night.
With one spectacular scoring sprint, Sexton became the first returner to score on a punt, kickoff or missed field goal in his first game as a Roughrider.
Suffice to say it was worth the wait.
The 28-year-old Eastern Michigan grad started his post-university football career in the Spring League before signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He subsequently had NFL auditions with the Kansas City Chiefs (2022), Atlanta Falcons (2023), New England Patriots (2023) and Miami Dolphins (2024).
Sexton also played in the XFL (with the Vegas Vipers in 2023) and UFL (San Antonio Brahmas, 2025) before taking his talents to the CFL.
At a modest 5-foot-10 and 176 pounds, the well-travelled Sexton also qualifies as an underdog in terms of dimensions.
He was on the Roughriders’ practice roster for the first three games of this season before an elbow injury to returner James Letcher Jr. opened the door.
Given the opportunity … whoosh! Touchdown.
Sexton’s 101-yarder was the sixth-longest punt return in Roughriders history:
109 — Herb Johnson vs. Edmonton, Aug. 31, 1953 (TD).
108 — Willis Jacox vs. Toronto, Aug. 9, 1991 (TD).
107 — Fran McDermott at Hamilton, Oct. 11, 1982.
107 — Mario Alford at Ottawa, Sept. 22, 2023 (TD).
104 — Mario Alford vs. Calgary, Oct. 22, 2022 (TD).
101 — Mathew Sexton at Ottawa, July 3, 2026 (TD).
A quick note: Saskatchewan’s Paul Williams was credited with a 108-yard punt return TD against Edmonton at Taylor Field on Aug. 15, 1976. It was actually a missed field goal return, but plays of that nature were recorded as punt returns back in the day.
Before Sexton took off on his 101-yard dash, the Roughriders and REDBLACKS were tied 13-13. Once he crossed the goal line, Saskatchewan maintained its lead for the duration and improved its record to 3-1.
Sexton’s punt-return TD was his second in pro football. He scored on an 83-yarder with San Antonio against the DC Defenders on April 20, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Before that, Sexton had not scored on a return since Sept. 21, 2019, when he fielded a punt for Eastern Michigan and sprinted 50 yards for six points against Central Connecticut.
Precisely 2,477 days later, Sexton returned four punts for 140 yards for Saskatchewan. That yardage total put him in a tie for the 12th-highest by a Roughrider:
192 — Willis Jacox (eight returns) vs. Ottawa, Oct. 20, 1991.
184 — Mario Alford (7) vs. Calgary, July 15, 2023.
181 — Corey Holmes (6) vs. Toronto, Sept. 15, 2002.
159 — Christion Jones (8) at Toronto, Nov. 19, 2017 (playoffs).
158 — Jim Walter (12) vs. B.C., Sept. 18, 1970.
153 — Kyran Moore (6) vs. Ottawa, Sept. 15, 2018.
151 — Herb Johnson (5) vs. Edmonton, Aug. 31, 1953.
149 — Albert Brown (6) at Toronto, Sept. 9, 1989.
147 — Aaron Ruffin (8) vs. Edmonton, July 10, 1996.
146 — Corey Holmes (9) vs. Winnipeg, Sept. 1, 2002.
143 — Terryl Ulmer (4) vs. Hamilton, Oct. 16, 1998.
140 — Aaron Ruffin (7) vs. Edmonton, July 7, 1995.
140 — Mathew Sexton (4) at Ottawa, July 3, 2026.
HIGHER FOR HARRIS
Friday’s 23-yard completion to Johnny Johnson III moved the Roughriders’ Trevor Harris past Tom Clements and into sole possession of 12th place on the CFL’s career passing-yardage list.
Harris finished the Ottawa game with 39,115 yards — 74 more than Clements.
As well, Harris registered multiple touchdown passes for the fourth time this season while enjoying one of the finest starts of Roughriders quarterback.
His total of 10 touchdown passes has been exceeded only twice by a Roughrider at the four-game mark:
12 — Henry Burris, 2000.
12 — Darian Durant, 2013.
10 — Ron Lancaster, 1966.
10 — Tom Burgess, 1989.
10 — Trevor Harris, 2026.
The total for Burris includes two TD passes to Curtis Marsh in overtime against the visiting Calgary Stampeders on July 28, 2000.
Another statistical achievement for Harris is nigh: He will celebrate his 200th CFL regular-season game when the Roughriders oppose the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on July 12 (5 p.m., Mosaic Stadium). Tickets are AVAILABLE HERE.
SHORT SNORTS
• KeeSean Johnson has exceeded 100 receiving yards in three of the Roughriders’ first four games. His four-game yardage total of 438 is the third-best in franchise history. Ray Elgaard (1985) and Naaman Roosevelt (2016) lead the list with 477. With 32 catches after four games, Johnson trails only Elgaard (34 in 1985) and Lucius Floyd (33 in 1992).
• Johnson and Johnson: Two plays after Johnson III’s 23-yard reception, KeeSean Johnson scored a 23-yard TD. Sandwiched in between was an incompletion.
• Saskatchewan was penalized only twice for seven yards on Friday. The penalty total was the Roughriders’ lowest since Oct. 12, 2024 against the visiting B.C. Lions (two for 10 yards). The yardage total was the lowest since a Sept. 29, 2023 game in B.C., where the only penalty against Saskatchewan was declined.
• After going 2-for-2 on Friday, first-year Roughrider Alex Hale is 9-for-11 on field-goal attempts this season. Accuracy rate: 81.8 per cent. Factor in converts (12-for-13) and Hale has made 87.5 per cent of his placement attempts over four games.
• The Roughriders have posted 14 of their last 17 victories — including the past nine — by a single-digit margin. Saskatchewan last won by at least 10 points on Aug. 6, when Hamilton fell 29-9 at Mosaic Stadium.
• On Friday, quarterback Tommy Stevens registered personal bests in carries (eight) and rushing yards (38) as a Roughrider. His previous peak totals, from last season, were seven carries (twice) and 33 yards.
• The Roughriders are 3-1 for the 20th time in their post-Second World War history. Saskatchewan has been 4-0 six times (1969, 1970, 2008, 2013, 2024, 2025).
• There have been three instances of a Roughrider scoring his first CFL touchdown over the past two games. Daniel Wiebe and Quali Conley broke the ice on June 26 against the visiting Toronto Argonauts. It was Sexton’s turn to score on Friday.
• Roughriders linebackers Jameer Thurman and Josh Woods are on pace for 108 and 99 defensive tackles, respectively.
ROLL CREDITS …
• Nice people who deserve a plug: Rich Preston, Leo MacDonald, Jean MacDonald, Geoff MacDonald, Mitch MacDonald, Ali Saad, Brian Kusisto, Terry Edwards, Ian McKillop, Jim Kolitsas, Voula Kolitsas, Marianne Kolitsas, Mike Benson, Dhel Duncan-Busby, Robert Jamont, Tommy Stevens, Alan Ford, Jaxon Ford, Sally Ford and Mathew Sexton.
