Grey Cup champions Saskatchewan Roughriders start season on a bye week - BERITAJA

It’s rather uncommon that the defending Grey Cup Champions unfastened the play connected a bye week, but that’s exactly the business for the Saskatchewan Roughriders this season.

While the remainder of the CFL kicks disconnected Week 1 action, the Riders will beryllium forced to hold moreover longer to statesman their title defence and players aren’t excessively pleased pinch the schedule.

“You would deliberation that the champions would unfastened up the first crippled you’d for illustration to spot a rematch,” said Riders wide receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker.

It’s an overseas spot for the reigning champs, particularly pinch each the excitement about the squad astatine a precocious pursuing past year’s Grey Cup run. As violative lineman Logan Ferland tells BERITAJA, the spread adds immoderate strength to the remainder of campy and believe ahead.

“It is what it is — schedule changes each year, right? So I don’t for illustration not playing for that agelong truthful that conscionable intends we really person to compete each azygous time successful believe and dainty each time for illustration a game,” Ferland said.

The unusual schedule quark intends Saskatchewan will spell 21 days betwixt games aft wrapping up pre-season play, creating 1 of the largest gaps betwixt a pre-season and regular play crippled successful modern CFL history.

While galore aren’t a instrumentality of the Week 1 bye, players statement location is immoderate upside to the break, for illustration protect backmost Marcus Sayles.

“It gives america a chance to get our bodies backmost together and, you know, a batch of group get to spell location to spot their families and recharge their bodies and you cognize we’re going to travel backmost and we’re going to beryllium fresh for our first game,” Sayles said.

The hold yet ends astatine Mosaic Stadium connected June 13th, wherever the Riders will raise their title banner earlier their location opener. For a fanbase still riding the precocious of a Grey Cup victory, the delayed commencement only builds anticipation for what should beryllium an electrical kickoff to the 2026 season.