Hopson dead at 73

He played four seasons with his hometown Saskatchewan Roughriders, but Jim Hopson’s greatest contribution to the storied franchise came in the boardroom.

Two of the Riders’ four Grey Cup victories were during Hopson’s tenure as president and chief executive officer. The Regina native died Tuesday at age 73.

Hopson was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in 2021.

“I’m being very honest when I say I’ve had an incredible life,” Hopson told The Canadian Press in January. “I feel blessed.

“The opportunities I’ve had to play with the Riders, to play with Ronnie and George (quarterback Ron Lancaster and running back George Reed, both legendary players in franchise history). My education career I’m very proud of and to come back and we had this marvellous run and Grey Cups and all the other things. I wish there was a little bit more of a runway here going forward but you don’t get to choose so you have to be thankful for what you have.”

Following his diagnosis, Hopson emphasized the importance of early testing.

“If I would’ve got checked even six months before or a year before for sure, it probably would’ve been a situation where they could’ve done something,” he said. “What’s been gratifying is I’ve had people reach out and say, ‘Jim, I’m in my late 40s and I thought what the heck and got checked and sure as heck I had some growths but they were precancerous.’

“If you can do that and get people to pay attention, that’s what I’ve wanted to do, to leave that message with people and tell them to be positive and try as hard as they can to enjoy every day and every good moment.”

Football was a major part of Hopson’s life. He played high school football in the city before joining the Regina Rams junior squad.

Hopson, an offensive lineman, signed with the Riders in 1973. He became a starter the following season and played with Lancaster and Reed.

While playing football in 1975 and ‘76, Hopson also taught school in Saskatchewan. Hopson appeared in the 1976 Grey Cup game with Saskatchewan, a game the Ottawa Rough Riders rallied to win 23-20.

Hopson was dealt to Winnipeg before the ‘77 campaign but retired to pursue teaching full-time. He’d graduated from the University of Regina with a degree in education and went on to receive a master’s degree from the University of Oregon.

Following a career in education, Hopson returned to the Riders. He became their first full-time president/CEO, a post he held from 2005 to 2015.

“As president, Jim ushered in a new era for our organization that included two Grey Cup championships, incredible financial success, and perhaps most importantly, a belief in Roughrider football that will never fade away,” Riders president/CEO Craig Reynolds said. “But more than that, Jim was an optimist, someone who made you feel better by just being around him and a friend to all who knew him.”