Notebook: Willie Jefferson is thinking about Texas

Willie Jefferson has more on his mind these days than just football.

But the game is helping the Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive end while his hometown battles the effects of Tropical Storm Harvey.

“When hard times fall upon you or your family members, you’ve got to have something to lean on,” Jefferson said Wednesday after the CFL team practised at U of R Field. “I lean on my teammates and on the game of football to take a little bit of that stress off of me.”

Jefferson was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas, which has been battered by the storm. He lives now in Houston, where flood waters have inundated the city.

Meanwhile, Jefferson is thousands of kilometres away.

“It hurts me to my heart,” he said of seeing images from the area. “Me not being there and being able to comfort my mom, comfort my girl, comfort my family like my nieces and my nephews and stuff like that, it puts me at a real standstill.”

Jefferson’s girlfriend left Houston before the storm hit, but his parents remain in Beaumont. He noted that they’re out of harm’s way in the city and, while there is water in their front and back yards, their home remains relatively secure.

Jefferson has been in constant contact with his loved ones and friends to get updates on the situation. Knowing that all of them are OK has lessened the stress on the 26-year-old.

“Once I step off the field, that’s pretty much what my mind goes back to — worrying about friends and family and the communities of Houston and Beaumont,” he said. “Right now, I have a lot going on, but knowing that my family and my friends are safe puts a little ease on me.

“But me as a person who lives in Houston and me as a person who is from Beaumont, I always want to give back and find a way to help even though I’m way out here.”

To that end, Jefferson is using his social media accounts to publish links to sites that are helping with relief efforts. He said there also will be events held in the coming days — perhaps even at Saturday’s Fan Day at Mosaic Stadium — at which people can donate clothing that eventually will be shipped to affected communities in Texas.

“It’s not personal for me right now,” Jefferson said. “It’s all about helping the city of Houston and helping the city of Beaumont.”

Jefferson’s teammates are doing all they can to support him and the other players who have personal ties to the area.

“I talked to the team this morning and I told them, ‘If you’ve got direct family members that are in need or whatever, see me today,’ ’’ Roughriders head coach-GM Chris Jones said. “We’ve explained to all of them that they just need to reach out to us if they are in need.”

Quarterback Kevin Glenn said the players are offering support in whatever way they can, whether it’s by donating money or clothes or just offering to listen when their teammates with loved ones in Texas want to talk.

“It’s sad to see that because I couldn’t imagine being away like Willie, being away from your family or friends and loved ones and knowing that something like that is going on,” said Glenn, who knows a number of former CFL players who live in the affected area. “It’d be tough.”

•••

The Roughriders added another defensive lineman to the fold Wednesday.

Saskatchewan announced the addition to the practice roster of Tavares Bingham, a 23-year-old product of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and the Georgia Military College.

A 6-foot-4, 290-pounder out of Mobile, Ala., Bingham had 12 tackles and three sacks in six games for GMC in 2015. He didn’t play last season.

Bingham was one of two players who were eligible for the 2017 NFL supplemental draft, but neither he nor Western New Mexico running back Marques Rodgers was selected.

•••

On Tuesday, the Roughriders announced they had added national linebacker Beau Landry and national kicker Brett Lauther to the practice roster.

Landry, a 25-year-old from Kitchener, Ont., played 36 games over the previous three regular seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound product of Western University had one defensive tackle and 28 special-teams stops for Hamilton.

Lauther, a 26-year-old who hails from Truro, N.S., was 6-for-10 on field-goal tries over four games with Hamilton in 2013. The product of Saint Mary’s University provides a measure of insurance for the Roughriders, who currently have Tyler Crapigna (who recently came off the six-game injured list) and Quinn van Gylswyk (who’s on the six-game injured list) in their stable of kickers.

“Both of our kickers have had injury issues this year, so we thought it best to try to make sure that we knew exactly who our next guy could possibly be,” Jones said.

•••

EXTRAS: Jones confirmed returner Christion Jones won’t play in Sunday’s Labour Day Classic against the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Jones (the player) sustained an injury to his left shoulder in Friday’s 54-31 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos … Jones’ injury could open the door for Chad Owens to play his first game for Saskatchewan. Jones (the coach) said the staff would watch the film of Wednesday’s practice before making a decision on Owens, who has been nursing a foot injury since training camp … On Monday, the Roughriders announced the release of defensive end Mike McAdoo, who was acquired Aug. 18 from Hamilton for receiver Ricky Collins Jr. On Wednesday, Jones said that McAdoo wasn’t quite in the shape required to play in the CFL, so the Roughriders sent him home. If/when McAdoo gets into shape, Jones said, Saskatchewan will “revisit Mike.”