Due to a hand injury, Jayden Dalke watched from afar when the Saskatchewan Roughriders visited the Ottawa REDBLACKS on July 3.<\/p>\n
But there was still a distinct Dalke presence at TD Place.<\/p>\n
Ryan and Shannon Dalke, who routinely travel to watch their 30-year-old son play in the CFL, were in the stands to cheer on the Roughriders.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy parents had scheduled the Ottawa flight (before the injury),\u201d explained the fifth-year Roughriders linebacker and special teams standout, who is to return to the lineup on Sunday against the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThey didn\u2019t know if I would be cleared to play. We all didn\u2019t really know. I said, \u2018I can\u2019t really give you an answer until the week of the game.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cThey decided, \u2018Well, that\u2019s, that\u2019s OK.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n Off to Ottawa they went. The Dalkes, who reside in Leduc, Alta., were pleased to see Saskatchewan win 27-22 and improve its record to 3-1.<\/p>\n \u201cThe team came back and all of a sudden I saw (teammates Antoine Brooks Jr. and DaMarcus Fields). \u2019Toine said, \u2018Oh yeah \u2026. this is from your mom.\u2019 He grabbed my head and kissed the top of my hat.\u201d<\/p>\n Dalke missed three full games after injuring his left hand in the June 13 regular-season opener against the visiting B.C. Lions.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving to watch everybody leave for Ottawa, that one stung a little bit,\u201d he said. \u201cThe doctors finally agreed that I\u2019d be able to play, so I\u2019m happy to be back.\u201d<\/p>\n He wore a cast during Saturday\u2019s walk-through at Mosaic Stadium. Padding and tape will be added in time for Sunday\u2019s game.<\/p>\n As Dalke put it: \u201cIt\u2019ll be all clubbed up.\u201d<\/p>\n Anything to help the Club.<\/p>\n \u201cI love all these guys,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve been playing with some of them for five years. The coaching staff has really helped me along.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, I\u2019m still getting paid to play football, so it\u2019s pretty awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n A.J. = ACE BACKFIELD<\/p>\n