'I've seen it all': Riders' Awachie on re-signing with former team day of game
It was a wild series of events for fullback Albert Awachie who was released by the Toronto Argonauts on Tuesday last week only to be picked up by his former team, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, almost immediately and put on their game-day roster versus Ottawa that Thursday.
“I got the call saying that they wanted me back. That was pretty much the day before they were heading out to Ottawa so it was a quick turnaround,” Awachie shared about the experience. “I was excited to be back especially with people I am familiar with.”
Awachie began his Canadian Football League [CFL] career with the green and white back in 2017 and played with the team through 2023. During the off-season, he signed with the Toronto Argonauts and suited up for seven games with them this season. Last week, he was released by the Argos but his phone started ringing with an offer.
The fullback had less than 24 hours between leaving his one team and joining his former squad and suiting up for their next matchup as Awachie cracked the game day roster versus the Redblacks last week.
“There’s a lot of stuff I’ve never seen (before) and that was the first one (for that),” laughed head coach, Corey Mace. “We were at the night meeting the night before (the game) and I’m introducing a guy who’s going to be playing. Luckily for the majority of the guys, they know Albert and if you’ve been in the league awhile you’re familiar with his work.”
“It’s the nature of the business. It’ll be my eighth year, seventh season and I’ve seen it all. Nothing really comes new to me but obviously that was a new situation for me. But I had faith in the product I’ve been putting in and it’s good to know the coaches believe in me,” said Awachie.
He did add that is it nice to be back in the colours he started in.
“I’m always going to compete (no matter who I play for) but wearing the green it definitely brings out the most in you. I stepped on the field the other day for the first time in so long and all of those memories came back to me,” Awachie shared.
It is also a great time for Awachie to be joining the Riders as he went from being in third place in the East Division to first in the West.
“It’s a testament to them and how hard these boys have been working and I definitely just want to add to it,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Affordability crisis could be reaching its peak in Canada, economist says
With Canada's annual inflation rate reaching the central bank's two per cent target, the country's affordability crisis could be peaking, according to an economist.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, goes back to work days after cancer treatment update
Catherine, Princess of Wales has held her first engagement since revealing that she has completed her chemotherapy treatment.
Ukrainian drones strike a large military depot in a Russian town northwest of Moscow
Ukrainian drones struck a large military depot in a town deep inside Russia overnight, causing a huge blaze and prompting the evacuation of some local residents, a Ukrainian official and Russian news reports said Wednesday.
How to prevent lung cancer, regardless of whether you smoke, according to a doctor
More people who have never touched a cigarette are getting lung cancer, but there are ways to prevent it, according to a doctor.
Bride's family speaks as West Vancouver woman sentenced for driving SUV into wedding party
Sixty-five-year-old Hong Xu, who drove her SUV into a crowd of people celebrating a wedding at her next-door neighbour's house in West Vancouver on Aug. 20, 2022, has been sentenced under the Motor Vehicle Act for driving without due care and attention.
This airport landing is so challenging only 50 pilots are qualified to do it
Bhutan's Paro International Airport (PBH) is widely considered one of the most technically difficult plane landings in the world. Maneuvering onto a short runway between two 18,000-foot peaks requires both technical knowledge and nerves of steel.
Exploding Hezbollah pagers in apparent Israeli attack made by Hungarian company, Taiwanese firm says
A company based in Hungary was responsible for manufacturing the pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria in an apparent Israeli operation targeting Hezbollah’s communications network, another firm whose brand was used on the devices said Wednesday.
'It's ridiculous': Ontario man told to pay $1,000 to end water heater contract
An Ontario man was surprised to learn he would have to pay a $1,000 penalty to cancel his water heater rental. 'I was shocked that the penalty I had to pay was almost the cost of a brand new water heater,' James Alves, of Etobicoke, told CTV News Toronto.
Taylor Swift previously said she was uninspired to include politics in her music. Now, she's singing a different tune
In 2011, a young Taylor Swift said she was not inspired to sing about topics related to politics. Over a decade later, she's singing a different tune.