His cousin, Noah, was the quarterback<\/a>. It truly was something to see.<\/p>\nPicton to Picton was also a potent duo with the University of Regina Rams. When Noah won the Hec Crighton Trophy as the premier player in Canadian university football, his favourite target during that 2016 season was No. 6 \u2014 which rhymes with Mitch.<\/p>\n
Saskatchewan\u2019s fifth-round selection in the 2017 CFL Canadian Draft, Mitch outlasted most of the 36 players who were chosen before him.<\/p>\n
Although he made it look easy while collaborating with Noah on one big play after another, Mitch had to scratch and claw his way into the Roughriders\u2019 lineup.<\/p>\n
A practice-roster player in 2018, he did not dress for a CFL game until the following year.<\/p>\n
He had to wait two more years \u2014 and through a global pandemic \u2014 for his first reception, his first start, his first touchdown.<\/p>\n
Picton ended up with 96 catches for 1,081 yards and six touchdowns over 64 games as a Roughrider. The total increases to 69 when you factor in playoff games and, best of all, the 2025 Grey Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s a testament to the work that I put in,\u201d he said. \u201cSomething I\u2019m very proud of is that I wasn\u2019t a high draft pick. I had to come in and earn everything that I had and that I achieved.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a lot of long hours, long days, early mornings. There\u2019s no shortcuts in this game. The game knows when you put in the work and when you don\u2019t. You\u2019re rewarded for the work that you do put in.\u201d<\/p>\n
The work did not begin and end at Mosaic Stadium. He devoted countless hours to community appearances in all corners of the province, treating everyone he met like they were the celebrity in the interaction.<\/p>\n
And when it was time to retire, he made it about everyone else.<\/p>\n
Media members aside, here is a complete list of everyone Picton mentioned during Friday\u2019s media conference:<\/p>\n
\u2022 His wife (Kaylee, a \u201creal-life super-hero\u201d), parents (Derek and Cheryl), siblings (Aaron and his wife, Megan; Sydnee and her husband, Steve), nieces (Piper and Molly) and nephew (Jack) \u2014 all of whom were present on Friday \u2014 along with \u201cgrandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins \u2026 we really are a football family.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Noah Picton, of course.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Dwayne Masson, a beloved Rams assistant coach who passed away on April 16.<\/p>\n
\u2022 A variety of coaches, including Corey Mace, Frank McCrystal, Marquay McDaniel, Travis Moore, Marc Mueller, Bernie Schmidt and Rick Seaman.<\/p>\n
\u2022 The Roughriders\u2019 current Football Operations staff \u2014 most notably O\u2019Day, Kyle Carson, Larry Dean and Jordan Greenly.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Teammates such as (where do you start?) Mario Alford, Rob Bagg, Devon Bailey, Jake Dolegala, Samuel Emilus, Logan Ferland, Trevor Harris, Jorgen Hus, Adam Korsak, Brett Lauther, Brayden Lenius, Kian Schaffer-Baker \u2026<\/p>\n
\u2022 Dan Farthing, Greg Mayer, Brooke Kosolofski, Dalton Clarke and everyone who provides their expertise and care in the areas of strength, conditioning and athletic therapy.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Cindy Fuchs, Marnie Forsberg and everyone with the Roughrider Foundation.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Dr. Jordan Buchko, Dr. Martin Heroux and \u201cour whole medical staff, which is incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Arielle Zerr, Director of Communications, who may have set a Roughriders record for tissues dispensed (eight) during a media conference.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Gordon Gilroy (Equipment Manager) and his assistant, Ty Robinson.<\/p>\n
\u201cGordie, I see you,\u201d Picton said at the media conference. \u201cNow I\u2019m going to cry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI spent a lot of time in (the equipment) room (with Gilroy and Robinson). They took incredibly good care of me. I\u2019m going to miss these guys a lot.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt might have seemed like I was just going back there to hang out and shoot the breeze with those two. But there are some hard days in this job, and sometimes just going into their room and having a cup of coffee and getting made fun of by Ty for a few minutes was exactly what I needed on certain days, after a bad practice, a bad game, a bad loss \u2026 whatever it may be.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been here for nine years. It hasn\u2019t always been sunshine and rainbows, but thank you, Gordie and Ty. I\u2019m looking forward to more coffee and lunches in the future that maybe will turn into Happy Hour beers.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was a happy time on Friday, even though tears were shed.<\/p>\n
One of the many laughs resulted from the reminder that his name will always appear on the Grey Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy sister-in-law\u2019s name is Megan and my grandma\u2019s name is Mildred, so they\u2019re also \u2018M. Picton,\u2019 \u201d he said. \u201cIt could be me, or it could be them.\u201d<\/p>\n
True to form, Mitch Picton ensured that the discussion was about everyone except the person whose career was being celebrated for reasons that include, but are not restricted to, what he accomplished on the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cStats are stats, and they\u2019re great,\u201d he said. \u201cWas I a guy who had incredible stats throughout my entire career? No. Was I a guy who took great pride in being trusted by my teammates, earning the respect of my teammates? Yes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether I was on the roster that week or off the roster, I was trying to be the same guy every day. Especially in my later years, I kind of blinked and I was like, \u2018Holy smokes! I\u2019m the old guy in the receivers\u2019 room now.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cTrying to show guys what it looks like to be a true pro is something that I took a lot of pride in.\u201d<\/p>\n
He showed it once again on Friday, when one of the stats was, in fact, \u201cincredible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mitch Picton acknowledged 47 people by name. The number increases exponentially, and incalculably, when you consider all the groups of people he mentioned \u2014 aunts, uncles, teammates, coaches, Foundation staff, physicians, athletic therapists and, yes, even the media.<\/p>\n
The pleasure was all ours.<\/p>\n
NOVEL IDEA<\/p>\n
The Roughriders recruited Harry Potter.<\/p>\n
This is not fiction!<\/p>\n
Dale Richter, a brilliant historian, passed along some tidbits he extracted from 110 1\/2-year-old editions of the Regina Leader-Post.<\/p>\n
I wrote those stories, so I should have remembered them, but Dale was thoughtful enough to bail me out.<\/p>\n
Sept. 20, 1915: \u201cPotter, a former Nebraska college star who is now located on a farm of his own within a few miles of Regina, may possibly line up with the local Rough Riders. He is a big husky youth, and according to records can play the gridiron game to perfection.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oct. 5, 1915: \u201cPotter, the former Nebraska university star, may get in harness. He has a farm about six miles from Regina and has practically assured Coach (Hick) Abbott that he will get out of needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oct. 25, 1915: \u201cPotter \u2026 has gone home to Lincoln, Neb., to spend the winter. He has been in Regina for some time looking after two farms that he owns in the vicinity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alas, the Regina Rugby Club \u2014 periodically referred to as the Rough Riders in those days \u2014 did not reach into its farm system and activate Potter.<\/p>\n
He was, however, active in local bowling circles before returning to Nebraska.<\/p>\n
QUARTERBACK TRIVIA<\/p>\n
\u2022 Mitch Picton was in the lineup with 20 quarterbacks during his time with the Roughriders. The list, which includes pre-season games, consists of: Harris, Dolegala, Jack Coan, Cody Fajardo, Mason Fine, Isaac Harker, Jake Maier, Shea Patterson, Antonio Pipkin, Tommy Stevens, Bryan Bennett, Brandon Bridge, Zach Collaros, B.J. Daniels, Ty Gangi, Kevin Glenn, Noah Pelletier, Marquise Williams, David Watford, Troy Williams.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Bridge, Bennett and Williams directed passes toward Picton in the Roughriders\u2019 first game at Mosaic Stadium \u2014 a pre-season matchup with Winnipeg on June 10, 2017. Picton spent the 2017 season with the Rams and on the Roughriders\u2019 practice roster.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Saskatchewan\u2019s all-time list of quarterbacks includes Jack Coan (2024-present) and John Coen (training camp 1974). The latter pivot had a Hall of Fame nickname: Cyclone Coen!<\/p>\n
\u2022 Coan wears No. 14, which was also Coen\u2019s number during his stint in Saskatchewan.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Coen attended President William McKinley High School in Honolulu, as did another future Roughriders quarterbacking hopeful.<\/p>\n
Hawaii-born Pat Silva, who was with the team in a 14-day trial in July of 1980, was known as the Silva Bullet.<\/p>\n
ROLL CREDITS \u2026<\/p>\n
\u2022 Nice people who deserve a plug: Mitch Picton (and everyone he mentioned), Kenzi Hus, Makaia Hus, Livvy Hus, Jennifer Ackerman, Clinton Ackerman, Pam Busby, Bernie Schmidt, Dallas Skulski, Jack Coan, Dale Richter, Peter Godber and Campbell Godber.<\/p>\n
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