SASKATOON — Thor Griffith, standing on the field at the appropriately named Griffiths Stadium, recalled a red-letter day in his family’s history.

He told an inquisitive reporter what it was like to receive a letter of acceptance from Harvard University — one of the world’s most prestigious institutes of learning — where he ultimately played football for the Crimson.

“My mom has that letter framed,” the 24-year-old defensive tackle said with a smile after Day 2 of the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ rookie camp.

“It was a really special moment not only for me, but for my family as well.”

The 6-foot-2, 305-pounder spent three seasons (2021 to 2023) at Harvard, where he earned All-Ivy League recognition, before transferring to Louisville for his senior year.

Having earned an economics degree at Harvard — where his secondary major was in Celtic languages and literature — he attended Louisville as a grad transfer.

Griffith had entered university after sporting a stratospheric grade-point average at Portsmouth High School in New Hampshire. The highest possible GPA is 4.0. Griffith’s 3.8 score is the equivalent of a percentage grade in the 90 to 92 range.

His SAT score (1,500) put him in the top two per cent of those who took the test.

In addition to being an exemplary student, Griffith excelled in three sports (football, wrestling, track and field) in high school. An accomplished shot-putter, he was a state champion and All-American in wrestling in 2018.

“I actually got an offer from Brown (University, an Ivy League school) to wrestle there, but then I got the offer from Harvard to play football,” he said. “I love football more and I wanted to go to Harvard.”

Honestly, though, who would want to wrestle somebody named Thor? Considering that the name evokes images of superheroes, wouldn’t the opponent be defeated mentally before the match even commenced?

“At Virginia Beach, I actually did wrestle a kid who was also named Thor,” said Griffith, who won the match.

Saskatchewan is a natural destination, in light of the fact that Roughriders running back A.J. Ouellette has embraced the Thor persona. In fact, Ouellette has been known to carry a Thor hammer.

“Hopefully I get to share it with him,” Griffith said with a laugh.

Despite being a newcomer to the CFL, he is well-acquainted with the Canadian sports scene.

“I played hockey for about 10 years,” Griffith said. “I played mostly in New England, but there would be summer tournaments, so I played in Montreal and I played in Toronto. I even played in The Brick tournament up in Edmonton.

“I love the sport, but I guess I was meant more for football.”

The mere notion of Griffith playing hockey elicits sympathy for anyone he presumably squelched into the boards. The reality of his hockey past does not correlate with the assumption.

“I was always small and I played a year up,” he said. “I’m an ’02 and I played against ’01s.

“I kind of grew after I played hockey. I was a centre and more of a skilled guy.”

With the Boston Junior Bruins, Griffith had two goals and five assists in six games at the 2010-11 Brick Invitational. He was in a five-way tie for ninth in the tournament’s scoring race.

The event’s leading scorer: CCM Chicago’s Cole Caufield, now a 51-goal scorer with the Montreal Canadiens.

In fifth place: Jack Hughes of the Toronto Bulldogs — a current New Jersey Devils star who scored the gold-medal-winning goal for the United States in the 2026 Winter Olympics men’s hockey final.

(Six of the top seven scorers from that tournament are now in the NHL.)

Tied for 15th in scoring: Griffith’s Junior Bruins teammate, Matt Boldy, who scored 42 goals for the Minnesota Wild this past regular season.

All of that is preamble to Griffith’s focus on football and eventual arrival in Saskatchewan.

After completing his NCAA eligibility, he received NFL rookie mini-camp invitations from the New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks.

“I ended up getting signed by the Seahawks for a couple of days and was cut due to some roster issues,” Griffith said. “I started working in Boston, but I still wanted to play football.

“I still love the sport and I want to play as long as I possibly can, so I quit working and went back to training full-time.

“My goal was to either play in the UFL or the CFL. The UFL didn’t work out, but then I got the call from the Roughriders … and I’m here.”

Griffith is just the third Harvard graduate to sign with Saskatchewan.

Defensive lineman Tim Fleiszer played in 13 games with the Roughriders over the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Regina-born running back Ron Kram tried out for the Green and White in 1968.

Griffith is a part of another select trio. He is one of only three New Hampshire-born Roughriders players.

Offensive lineman Andrew Lauderdale (Concord, N.H.) played in 19 games while with Saskatchewan in 2021 and 2022.

Quarterback/defensive back Dave Sarette (Manchester, N.H.) dressed for 13 games with the Roughriders in 1962. He made one start at quarterback.

Sarette was the final Roughrider to wear 23 before Ron Lancaster immortalized the now-retired number.