Photo: Reuben Polansky/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

If you want Corey Mace to leave Saskatchewan, you’re going to have to drag him out kicking and screaming.

During an appearance with the Grey Cup on CTV’s Your Morning Saskatchewan, the 39-year-old bench boss was asked about a recent report that the Toronto Argonauts had inquired regarding his interest in their vacant head coaching job, plus additional titles. Though he did not deny that an approach was made, he made clear that he has no intention of changing colours.

“Listen, this is the best job for our sport in the country, so you’re gonna have to kick me out,” Mace told host Darrell Romuld.

On Tuesday, Roughriders’ general manager Jeremy O’Day addressed the report and denied that the Argonauts ever formally asked for permission to speak to Mace.

According to sources, there is a 10-day window that rival teams must honour prior to asking the Grey Cup-winning franchise about interviewing potential candidates for jobs. That procedural piece never occurred, but Mace made it known behind the scenes that he would not consider leaving Saskatchewan.

At the Grey Cup in Winnipeg, Mace was asked by 3DownNation if he had any desire to become a general manager at some point in his career and he said he’s never given it any thought due to being relatively new to his current role.

Mace led the Riders to a 25-17 victory over the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup, the team’s fifth CFL championship. It was his second season as the Roughriders’ bench boss as he’s compiled a 21-14-1 win-loss-tie record with the Green and White, plus a 3-1 mark in the playoffs.

The Port Moody, B.C., native signed a two-year contract extension with the Riders in October, tying him to the team through 2028. His focus remains internal, and he has already begun the process of preparing for next season.

“We’ve already had some meetings and stuff about the plan of attack for what these next few weeks are going to look like, and getting the calendar ready for the offseason for everybody — I was doing that yesterday. It doesn’t stop,” Mace said.

“There’s plenty of time for us to try to let (the Grey Cup win) soak in, but as coaches and GMs, that’s I think what makes us maybe a little crazy is that we’re always trying to look, ‘Can we do it again? How can we continue to stay a winner?’ It is what it is, but, man, we love what we do.”

Saskatchewan finished first in the West Division for the first time since 2019 with a 12-6 record in 2025. The Riders went on to defeat the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup at Princess Auto Stadium, marking the team’s first title in 12 years. Trevor Harris went 11-5 as a starter, throwing for 4,549 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 16 regular-season starts.

The Roughriders ranked second in net offence, second in net defence, and tied for third with a plus-eight turnover differential. The team’s leading rusher was A.J. Ouellette with 1,222 yards, the leading receiver was KeeSean Johnson with 1,159 yards, and the leading tackler was A.J. Allen with 91 tackles. Saskatchewan finished second in attendance with average crowds of 28,427, which was a 2.7 percent increase from the previous year.