The last time the Saskatchewan Roughriders won the Grey Cup was 11 years ago, on November 24, 2013, at Taylor Field, when the Green and White beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 45-23.
"To finally capitalize at home in front of Rider Nation and be able to hoist the Grey Cup trophy on Taylor Field, man, it was special," Darian Durant said on the SportsCage.
Durant was "jubilant, overjoyed and relieved" considering the team was unsuccessful in 2009 and 2010 against the Montreal Alouettes in multiple Grey Cup "disappointments."
"The way we revamped pretty much the entire roster, leading up to that season -- you name so many different emotions and things to describe how it felt," Durant said.
The Riders took on the Als in the 97th Grey Cup on November 29, 2009, and everyone remembers it as the 13th man game. That penalty was for too many men, which allowed Montreal kicker Damon Duval to have a second chance at a 33-yard field goal and win 28-27. The following year, on November 28, 2010, the teams would rematch with the Alouettes repeating as champions, winning 21-18.
Before the 2013 season, the Riders added Geroy Simon from the B.C. Lions in a trade. During free agency, Saskatchewan brought in Ricky Foley, Dwight Anderson, Weldon Brown, and Tristen Black. Another player the Green and White signed, John Chick after he spent time in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Riders finished the regular season with an 11-7 record, second place in the West Division. Saskatchewan hosted a home playoff game against the Lions as the Roughriders won 29-25 on November 10, 2013. The Riders carried momentum a week later and defeated the Stampeders in the West Final 35-13 on November 17, 2013.
After the Grey Cup victory against the Ticats, Durant and his teammates felt the win was surreal.
"We wanted to soak in that moment," Durant said. "A lot of the core of that team, we had been through all the ups and downs of losing, winning, losing close friends, injuries, you name it -- we've been through everything. We took a lot of time to reflect on everything and enjoy the moment."
Prior to the victory, the Riders last won the Grey Cup on November 25, 2007, when Saskatchewan beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23-19. The fans made sure to celebrate the championship win in 2013 on home soil.
"When we left the stadium, the energy that was all up and down the streets outside the stadium, down Dewdney, everywhere around the city was electric," Durant said. "It's something I'll never forget.”
