'Bittersweet': Riders' Bertrand-Hudon reflects on first CFL touchdowns

The Saskatchewan Roughriders may have recorded their fourth straight loss last weekend but running back Thomas Bertrand-Hudon did have something to celebrate after he recorded not just his first Canadian Football League (CFL) touchdown but his second as well.

“Bittersweet a little bit because they happened at the end [of the game] and we were losing at that point. So bittersweet like I said but happy I broke the plane on that one,” he shared.

It was a fourth quarter push for the Riders as they were down 33-12 with a little over a minute and half remaining. A handoff to Bertrand-Hudon, who rushed for two yards, landed the running back his first touchdown.

Fellow running back and teammate, Jamal Morrow, shared in the excitement.

“Oh it was great, I was jumping up and down, I was so excited for him,” he said ecstatically. “It was great for him to get in. I wish it was a better result, but you know, the first one is always exciting and as soon as I saw him, I gave him a huge hug. There should be more of that to come.”

Bertrand-Hudon said he was happy in the moment but had to go back on special teams after to try to get the ball back.

“I was more focused on trying to win the game than actually, I guess, being in the moment,” he shared.

Another handoff to Bertrand-Hudon led to another two-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter, where the score was 33-19.

However, the Riders ultimately came up short and the CFL rookie said the loss overpowered his two-touchdown night.

“Some people were pretty sad about it, I was sad. But now we just focus on the next. We can not stay in the past, we have to stay focus on the future,” Bertrand-Hudon said.

However, head coach Craig Dickenson was still excited for Bertrand-Hudon’s performance despite the loss.

“It was nice. I was happy for him. He’s a good player. We liked him coming out [of the draft] and he’s been even more than we expected coming out. He’s a downhill runner, he’s faster than you think, and he’s strong,” Dickenson said.

“He’s a big part of what we’re doing and we’re thrilled to have him for another few years. We’re going to try to incorporate him more in our offense.”

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Bertrand-Hudon was selected in the fourth round, 30th overall in the 2023 draft. The Delaware State product has played in all 15 games this season where he has recorded nine carries for 66 yards and those two touchdowns.

“It’s good, I’m adapting every week, getting better every week. I just have to keep going to make progress,” he said when asked how his first season is going.

Bertrand-Hudon, who hails from Mont Saint-Hilaire, QC, was a Montreal Alouettes fan growing up. He said his love for the running back position came from watching Mike Pringle as a kid but also shared that his skillset is what landed him this spot.

“I was just fast. I was one of the fast ones, so that worked well,” he joked.

On Saturday, Bertrand-Hudon will get his first chance to play the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in his CFL career, as it is the Riders first game against the 7-8 squad this year.

“[It will be] fun actually. I’m kind of tired of playing the same teams over and over. I’m pretty happy with playing a new team,” he said.