Stampeders’ Simon excited about playing at Mosaic Stadium as a pro
Regina Rams’ all-time rushing leader competing to earn spot on Calgary roster
Atlee Simon is ready to embrace the unaccustomed role of being a visitor in his hometown.
Simon, who spent the past four Canada West seasons with the University of Regina Rams, will play for the Calgary Stampeders in Friday’s CFL pre-season game against the host Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“It’s going to be a pretty cool feeling,” the 22-year-old running back says.
“As a kid growing up in Regina and playing football, it’s kind of your dream to be running out on to the field at Mosaic Stadium and playing in a CFL game.
“To run out as a pro is going to be a pretty special feeling, even though it will be for another team.”
Calgary selected Simon in the sixth round (50th overall) of the 2018 CFL draft.
In eight games with the Rams last year, Simon rushed for 914 yards and added 27 receptions for 293 yards. He scored six touchdowns — three along the ground and three via receptions — en route to being named a Canada West allstar.
With one season of collegiate eligibility remaining, Simon is already the U of R Rams’ all-time leading rusher, with 2,943 yards.
As a pro, however, he is hoping to crack the Stampeders’ roster while focusing on special teams.
In that role, he first stepped on to the field for Calgary on June 1, late in the second quarter of a preseason game against the visiting B.C. Lions.
Late in the game, Simon received some repetitions on offence, carrying the ball once for a one-yard gain.
What was going through his mind when he entered the game?
“Just don’t mess up,” Simon recalls with a chuckle.
“Know your assignment and know your responsibility and execute that to the best of your ability. That’s all the coaches ask.”
His position coach just happens to be former Rams quarterback Marc Mueller, who is in his fifth year on the Stampeders’ staff.
“I think the camp has gone really well and I’ve learned a lot,” says Simon, who is competing for playing time with international tailbacks Terry Williams, Don Jackson, Romar Morris and Rushel Shell III.
“My position coach being Marc Mueller has been awesome, because it’s a familiar face and a person I grew up watching and someone who has been around the Rams organization a lot.
“The four guys who are in the running backs room are great guys and they’ve helped me learn a lot. We’ve really pushed each other. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience from my first training camp.”
Simon was part of another first on Oct. 1, 2016, when he rushed for 114 yards to help the Rams defeat the University of Saskatchewan Huskies 37-29. That was the first football game of any description to be played at the new Mosaic Stadium.
“Being able to play at that stadium as a Ram was a blessing,” Simon says, “and to be able to come back as a pro and try to play to the best of my abilities in front of a lot of friends and family is a dream come true.”