There was a time when Saskatchewan wasn’t exactly at the top of a CFL free agent’s wish list. In fact, when Eddie Davis signed with the Roughriders in 2001, he admits he never thought he would end up in Saskatchewan.
There was a time when Saskatchewan wasn’t exactly at the top of a CFL free agent’s wish list. In fact, when Eddie Davis signed with the Roughriders in 2001, he admits he was one of those players who never thought he would end up in Saskatchewan.
But Davis didn’t just come to Regina and have a great career. He helped change the perception of Saskatchewan as a place to play football.
Before Davis arrived, the Roughriders weren’t viewed as an attractive destination for free agents. The organization was going through changes in its football operations department, and players weren’t necessarily looking to come to the Prairies.
Davis was one of the first to take that chance, and what happened over the next nine years helped make Saskatchewan a much more attractive destination for future free agents.
Davis says Roy Shivers was the biggest influence in getting him to Saskatchewan, but other familiar faces helped convince him to make the move.
“Danny Barrett, who was actually a teammate of mine in Calgary for two years, he was a big influence,” Davis said.
Then there was defensive coordinator Richie Hall. Davis and Hall discovered they had plenty in common, including their connections to Colorado State and Calgary.
“There were so many commonalities between us that it just felt like a good fit,” Davis said. “It honestly felt like a good fit.”
Still, Saskatchewan wasn’t a place Davis initially wanted to go.
“And you’re right, at that time, nobody wanted to come to Saskatchewan,” Davis said. “I mean, I was one of those guys who thought I’d never go to Saskatchewan.”
The economics of free agency helped decide for him. Davis had been with Calgary, but after the 2000 season, the Stampeders had plenty of free agents looking for new opportunities. Davis says much of the available money had gone toward offensive players, leaving defensive players looking elsewhere.
Saskatchewan became his opportunity. It wasn’t exactly a unanimous decision at home.
“It was a tough decision; my wife did not want to go,” Davis said. “So I actually kept a house in Calgary that entire time.”
It turned out to be one of the best decisions of Davis’ career, and it may have been an important decision for the Roughriders as well. Davis went on to spend nine seasons in Saskatchewan, developing into an all-star and eventually a Canadian Football Hall of Fame player.
But his impact went beyond what he did between the lines. He helped establish Saskatchewan as a place where a player could come, succeed and build a career.
“I’m glad I made that decision because nine years later, I transformed it into being an all-star and just a really, really good experience,” Davis said.
Davis believes his previous stops in Birmingham and Calgary helped mould him into a football player, but Saskatchewan was where he became something more.
“I really think that Birmingham and Calgary kind of moulded me into a player, but Saskatchewan moulded me into a Hall of Fame type player,” Davis said.
And that’s an important part of the Roughriders’ history.
Davis was among the first high-profile free agents to take a chance on Saskatchewan when the organization wasn’t considered a destination. Then he proved that a player could come to Saskatchewan and thrive. His success helped change the perception.
Over time, more players were willing to make the move to Regina. Saskatchewan became a place where free agents could see themselves playing, winning and building a career. In many ways, Eddie Davis was the player who helped open that door. He came to Saskatchewan when few wanted to. He stayed for nine seasons.
And that’s Between The Lines for Sheppard Realty in Regina, specializing in farm and ranch real estate in Saskatchewan. Call Harry, Justin or Devan at 352-1866.