The Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ next game theme is a perfect match for Tommy Stevens.
WrestleFest is slated for Hamilton Stadium on Saturday — in conjunction with a CFL matchup between the Tiger-Cats and Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Stevens has borrowed from the persona of wrestling legend Stone Cold Steve Austin, adding a flourish to a remarkable run of prosperity.
The second-year Roughriders quarterback/short-yardage specialist enters Saturday’s contest having rushed for three touchdowns in back-to-back games.
After the third score during Friday’s 42-20 victory over the Ottawa REDBLACKS, he smashed together two water bottles while standing on the home team’s bench at Mosaic Stadium. It was a salute to Austin and his beer-can-crushing routine with the WWE.
“Somebody tipped me off to the idea last week,” Stevens said after Tuesday’s practice at Mosaic Stadium. “It kind of hit me in the moment and I thought it would be a good idea to do it.
“It was pretty cool. Brayden (Schager, Roughriders quarterback) was right there and I said, ‘Watch this!’ Then it happened.”
Short-yardage situations have been a happening since Stevens joined the Roughriders in 2025.
Dating back to last year’s Grey Cup, Stevens has rushed for 13 touchdowns in his last nine games. He leads the league with 11 majors this season.
At this rate, Stevens will soon break the Roughriders’ single-season record for touchdowns by a quarterback. Kerry Joseph established the current mark of 13 in 2007, when he was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.
Stevens is already tied with Kent Austin for the second-best total in franchise history.
Austin scored his 11th touchdown in the Roughriders’ 16th game of the 1992 season. Stevens has reached 11 TDs in only eight games.
In fact, Stevens has set a team record for most touchdown runs after eight games. He is second All-Time in terms of overall touchdowns at this juncture of a season:
13 — Hugh Campbell, 1966 (0 TD runs, 13 TD receptions).
11 — Tommy Stevens, 2026 (11-0).
10 — Ken Carpenter, 1955 (5-5).
9 — Hugh Campbell, 1964 (0-9).
9 — George Reed, 1971 (9-0).
9 — Craig Ellis, 1985 (6-3).
9 — Wes Cates, 2010 (8-1).
8 — Jeff Fairholm, 1989 (0-8).
8 — Wes Cates, 2008 (7-1).
Stevens is on pace to break the Roughriders’ record for TD runs in a season.
As it stands, he is in a seven-way tie for 16th. With 10 regular-season games remaining, he is one TD shy of moving into a nine-way tie for seventh:
16 — George Reed, 1968.
15 — George Reed, 1967.
15 — Wes Cates, 2010.
14 — Craig Ellis, 1985.
13 — George Reed, 1972.
13 — Kerry Joseph, 2007.
12 — Ken Carpenter, 1955.
12 — George Reed, 1965.
12 — George Reed, 1969.
12 — George Reed, 1971.
12 — George Reed, 1973.
12 — Bobby Johnson, 1986.
12 — Wes Cates, 2008.
12 — Kory Sheets, 2013.
12 — William Powell, 2019.
11 — George Reed, 1975.
11 — Milson Jones, 1988.
11 — Milson Jones, 1990.
11 — Kent Austin, 1992.
11 — Chris Szarka, 2003.
11 — Kory Sheets, 2012.
11 — Tommy Stevens, 2026.
Not only that, Stevens is steadily approaching the Roughriders’ single-season record for TDs — 18, by Carpenter in 1955.
EXTRA POINTS
• Returner/receiver James Letcher Jr. (forearm) and defensive lineman Ali Saad (calf) were limited participants in Tuesday’s practice. Both players have missed the past five games. Offensive linemen Zack Fry (knee) and Daniel Johnson (illness) did not practise on Tuesday. Fry has missed the past two games. Johnson was a late scratch for Friday’s game versus Ottawa. Erik Andersen started in his place at left guard.
• The Roughriders, with Joshua Bell in his first season as the Defensive Co-ordinator, are allowing a league-best 26.9 points per game.
• Saskatchewan has been assessed a league-low 50.8 penalty yards per game.
• KeeSean Johnson leads the league in second-down receptions (23). He was also first overall last season, with 39.
• The Roughriders’ next two games are on the road. After playing Hamilton, the Roughriders will meet the B.C. Lions in Vancouver on Aug. 23.
• Saskatchewan’s next home game is on Aug. 29 against the Toronto Argonauts. Starting with that contest, five of the Roughriders’ last eight regular-season games are at home. Tickets are AVAILABLE HERE.