Just when Johnathon Stevens thought his time with the Saskatchewan Roughriders couldn’t be more exciting or rewarding, Corey Mace had a surprise in store.
The Roughriders’ Head Coach asked the Saskatoon Hilltops defensive lineman to break down the team — lead a post-game huddle in the locker room — following a 21-18 CFL victory over the Edmonton Elks on July 25 at Mosaic Stadium.
“My drive to Saskatoon was a lot shorter that night,” he says in his always-pleasant manner.
Stevens was invited to the Roughriders’ Coors Light Training Camp as a territorial junior, as was Hilltops teammate Dalton Urban.
Urban, a defensive back, registered an interception on Day 1 of rookie camp before suffering a knee injury.
Stevens was with the Roughriders throughout rookie and main camp before spending nearly two months on the practice roster.
After the Edmonton game, Stevens rejoined the Hilltops in time for the beginning of their training camp.
“That kid embodied everything that we want to ID as a Rider,” Mace says. “It meant so much to him.
“Whatever was asked, whether it was D-line or O-line, he did. If we had him play kick returner, he would do it with a smile on his face.
“He was always looking to get better. He was showing up early, doing extra lifts. It meant a lot for him to be here and he meant a lot to the guys, honestly. We found that out very quickly in training camp.
“He’s an outstanding kid.”
The 6-foot-2, 285-pounder will begin his fourth PFC season on Sunday when the Hilltops oppose the host Winnipeg Rifles.
“With the amount of knowledge and experience that I’ve tried to take in while I was there, I try to apply it now to practising with the Hilltops,” Stevens says. “It seems like it’s showing.
“I would love to believe that this is an intermission (in his time with the Roughriders) and I will keep training as if it was. Whatever happens, happens, but I’m grateful for the time I was there.”
Stevens also appreciates the opportunities he received to play six-a-side football in Eatonia. He grew up on a farm near the small western Saskatchewan town.
He became a Hilltop after playing high school football with the Eatonia Spartans.
“I’ve watched the Riders ever since I was little,” Stevens says. “To be able to be around that was a dream come true.
“I tried to cherish every second of it and I learned so much when I was there.”
Stevens received the invitation to training camp about a month before workouts began at Griffiths Stadium, on the University of Saskatchewan campus.
“I was trying not to scream,” he recalls. “It was very, very exciting.”
The excitement, as it turned out, was just beginning.
“You listen to the media and you wonder who these guys are outside of the lights and the camera,” Stevens says. “Every single guy on the Riders treated me amazing.
“They were all very supportive. They were very willing to give me wisdom. I can’t say enough about how amazing everyone’s character was.
“They treated me as one of their own.”
That was especially evident after the home-field victory over Edmonton.
“After the game, they’d given out the game balls — offence, defence and special teams,” Stevens says. “Corey Mace was so generous, so kind.
“He basically said, ‘Just before everyone goes, we want to say a farewell to John and we want to thank him for coming.’
“That’s when I got to break down the team. I got a handshake and a hug from most everyone on the team.
“I had no idea it was coming. Before I left, I thought I would say good-bye to everyone individually. They made it so hard to say good-bye because I’ve had good experiences with every single one of them.”