Tate lured out of retirement as QB insurance
Veteran CFL quarterback takes break from college coaching position in U.S.
This time, the Saskatchewan Roughriders made Drew Tate an offer that was simply too good to refuse.
As a result, Tate made his debut with the 2018 Roughriders at Wednesday’s practice, ending a brief retirement.
The Riders also had talked to Tate during the pre-season, not long after he announced that he was stepping away as a player following an 11-year CFL career spent with Saskatchewan (2007-08), the Calgary Stampeders (2009-16) and Ottawa Redblacks (2017).
Tate said Wednesday that the initial call was made after quarterback Zach Collaros was injured June 8 during a 39-12 pre-season loss to the visiting Stampeders.
Tate, at the time, was settling into being a defensive assistant coach with the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. He had accepted the position before getting a phone call from John Murphy, the Riders’ assistant vice-president of football operations and player personnel.
“I said ... that I wasn’t coming up and that I was done,’ ” Tate said after Wednesday’s practice. “(Murphy) called me last week and everything kind of lined up the way it was supposed to and I hopped on a plane.”
The Riders reached out to Tate after Collaros missed the final three quarters of Saskatchewan’s 35-16 win over the over visiting B.C. Lions on Oct. 27. He was injured after absorbing a hit to the head from defensive end Odell Willis.
“We talked about who we would get if we ran into this situation,” said Chris Jones, the Riders’ head coach and general manager. “Unfortunately the hit (on Collaros) put us in a situation where we did have to look around. We called (Tate) and his coach was willing to let him come up and make a run at this thing.”
Tate provides insurance in case Collaros suffers a setback leading up to Sunday ’s West Division semifinal against the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The Riders currently have three quarterbacks — Collaros, Brandon Bridge and David Watford — on the active roster. Tate doesn’t have any issue with his position on the depth chart.
“I just got here and those guys have been here all year,” he said. “I think I have a little insight on this offence with the few plays that I ran last year (with the Redblacks).”
Tate wasn’t the only insurance policy added by the Riders during the bye week. They also announced the signings of offensive lineman Simeon Rottier and defensive tackle Cory Johnson.
Rottier, 34, had played with the Hamilton Tiger-cats (2009-11) and Edmonton Eskimos (2012-17) over the previous nine seasons. He retired before the start of the 2018 season.
“We have a good offensive line rotation going right now,” Jones said. “It’s like anything else — we’re one injury away and then you would be into the next week having to play a young guy. (Rottier) was made available and he gave us the option to bring an older guy in.”
Johnson started nine games for the Blue Bombers this season before being assigned to the practice roster. He was granted his release Oct. 30. The next day, he was contacted by the Riders, who announced his signing on Friday.
Johnson adds depth with Mic’hael Brooks sidelined due to a broken foot.
EXTRA POINTS: Five Riders — defensive ends Willie Jefferson and Charleston Hughes, offensive lineman Brendon Labatte, defensive back Ed Gainey and placekicker Brett Lauther — were named to the West all-star team Wednesday. Lauther was absent from practice Wednesday, but Jones expects him to be OK … Wide receiver Shaq Evans didn’t practise Wednesday. His status is day-to-day, according to Jones ... Tailback Marcus Thigpen, who has missed two games with an undisclosed injury, is expected to be activated for Sunday’s game.