Veteran defensive lineman Mike Rose has been playing in the CFL since 2017 and he reflected on what it is like to play for Saskatchewan after his first season with the Roughriders following winning the 112th Grey Cup.
“I’ve gotten more love in one year playing football than I probably have since college,” Rose explained to voice of the Green and White, Dave Thomas. “It’s a football place.”
Nothing was more evident to Rose about Saskatchewan’s devotion to football than when fans came out to celebrate the fifth Grey Cup in team history with a parade on Tuesday, November 18.
“It confirmed what I thought about Rider Nation, about the fans here and about the people of Regina — they take their football seriously,” Rose explained.
The 33-year-old played four seasons at North Carolina State from 2012 thrugh 2015 and spent time in the NFL, attending training camp with the New York Giants in 2016. When he came to the CFL, he played for the Calgary Stampeders from 2017 through 2024. The Fountain Inn, South Carolina native won a Grey Cup in 2018 and earned three CFL all-star nods from 2021 through 2023. The six-foot-one, 258-pound defender signed with the Riders in February.
“They said they wanted to win a Grey Cup and you know what? They followed through,” Rose recalled from the Riders free agent pitch. “They said they’re going to do something, they follow through on it.”
Rose dressed in 17 games for the Green and White in 2025, he accumulated 17 defensive tackles and six sacks. Players from the Riders cleaned out their lockers on Wednesday, November 19 and he explained how that day is not considered bittersweet to him.
“Nine times out of ten, you see guys on another team or they’ll hit you up in a DM. I’ve met so many guys through the CFL, still keeping in contact,” Rose said. “I can give an example. The first person to text me after the win of the Grey Cup was Mike Kashak. The Mike Kashak, if you know who that is, defensive end for McMaster University, played for the Calgary Stampeders. He was my roommate for years.”