Darian Durant sat beside the gentleman who pulled off the Doubles Steal — a transformative trade that brought two future Grey Cup-winning quarterbacks to the Saskatchewan Roughriders — and reflected on a remarkable run.
Durant, who was joined in the Mosaic Stadium media room on Thursday by fellow 2024 SaskTel Plaza of Honour inductee Roy Shivers, accomplished so much here that a simple summation of it all would devour considerable time and space.
But, from this perspective, one of Durant’s finest moments transcends facts and figures, wins and losses, touchdowns and tackles.
He missed an entire half of football and still made it something to remember.
At halftime of an Oct. 7, 2023 CFL game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Durant and his teammates from 2013 were recognized collectively as Plaza inductees.
The game soon resumed but, in unscripted and unforgettable fashion, “Doubles” never left field level at Mosaic Stadium.
He spent the final two quarters signing autographs, happily posing for selfies, and expressing gratitude to the fans who thanked him profusely for everything he contributed to a magical era in franchise history.
“First of all, I was late to the (pre-game) autograph signing out in front of the stadium, and I wanted to make up for that,” Durant said with a chuckle.
“It just started because I wanted to get to a couple of fans in the corner who wanted an autograph. I saw everyone coming down from their seats and just felt the love from the crowd.
“It had been a while since I had been in that environment. As a former player, you’re used to being on the field and feeling the environment from the fans on that level, so it kind of brought back memories a little bit.
“It kind of made me feel like I was a player again and that just took over. Once you get that feeling, I guess I didn’t want it to end, so I just made my lap around the stadium.
“It was beautiful and it was something I’ll never forget.”
The timing was as impeccable as Durant’s sense of the occasion.
George Reed had passed away only six days earlier. Everyone’s spirits needed a boost.
Then Durant returned to Regina to celebrate the Roughriders’ landmark home-field Grey Cup victory in fine style.
Reed and Durant had shared the field on Oct. 29, 2016, during the closing ceremonies for historic Mosaic Stadium.
A formal farewell to the facility was held after the Roughriders’ 2016 home finale against the B.C. Lions — who, coincidentally enough, will provide the opposition on Saturday during Legends Night.
The 2016 ceremonies culminated when Reed accepted the Grey Cup from two RCMP officers in red serge. No. 34 passed the trophy to Roger Aldag, who handed it to Gene Makowsky, who gave it to Durant.
Little did anyone suspect at the time that Durant had just suited up for his last of 157 regular-season games as a Roughrider.
Durant and Rider Nation were floored by a Jan. 13, 2017 trade that sent him to the Montreal Alouettes, for whom he played one more CFL season.
Thankfully, he was able to play in one game at new Mosaic Stadium, considering everything he and his teammates had done to help the once-unimaginable facility become a reality.
But it never looked right, or felt right, to see an iconic Roughrider carrying someone else’s colours. It had that “Michael Jordan, Washington Wizards” vibe.
For a few years afterward, we didn’t see or hear much from Durant. There was a young family to raise and the imperatives of life after football to prioritize.
And, yes, some time was required for healing.
It was a turning point, then, when he returned to Riderville just over a year ago. He caught up with teammates and fans, had a fabulous time, and realized once more how much he means to this team, this community, this province.
This is someone who, as a full-time CFL starter for the first time, helped the 2009 Roughriders earn top spot in the West Division’s regular-season standings — ending a 33-year drought — and come within a whisker of engineering a monumental Grey Cup upset of a 15-3 Montreal powerhouse.
Durant threw for a league-best 5,542 yards the next year while piloting Saskatchewan to another Grey Cup berth.
When he returned to the big game three years later, it was at home. Again, he had a masterful sense of the occasion.
The night before the 101st Grey Cup Game, Durant paid a visit to Riderville and, in another unscripted moment, went on stage and addressed the fans.
That wasn’t even a fortnight after he had essentially willed the host Roughriders to a 29-25 victory over B.C. in the West semi-final.
With Saskatchewan trailing 25-16 after three quarters, Durant took the game into his own hands by using his feet.
He rushed for 76 of his career-high 97 yards over the final 15 minutes while leading the home side to victory.
Although the running plays typically dominate the highlight packages from that game, it should be remembered that Durant also threw a touchdown pass to Weston Dressler during the final quarter.
Durant was 19-for-23 for 270 yards and two scores in addition to using his running ability to great effect.
He followed up a week later by going 24-for-30 for 280 yards and three TDs as the 11-7 Roughriders upended the 14-4 Calgary Stampeders in the division final.
Durant threw three more TD passes in the Grey Cup win over Hamilton.
All totalled, he produced eight aerial touchdowns without throwing an interception over three post-season games in 2013.
As one fan wrote on Twitter/X after the 2013 West semifinal: “LegenDarian.”
Durant was discussed in a different context — if he was even discussed at all — after Shivers engineered an April 12, 2006 blockbuster with Hamilton.
The priority at that time was to address the Roughriders’ quarterbacking situation by obtaining the first overall pick in a dispersal draft of players from the suddenly defunct Ottawa Renegades.
Hamilton surrendered the No. 1 pick in return for receiver/returner Corey Holmes, safety Scott Gordon and Saskatchewan’s first-round draft pick in 2007. Shivers then selected quarterback Kerry Joseph to kick off the Renegades fire sale.
With less fanfare, two other quarterbacks were part of that transaction. Durant’s CFL rights were sent to Saskatchewan for those of another negotiation-list passer, Reggie Ball.
Durant’s rights had actually belonged to Ottawa before the Renegades folded. Hamilton then claimed in him a negotiation-list dispersal draft.
The former University of North Carolina Tar Heels standout was signed by Saskatchewan within two weeks of the Durant-Ball rights exchange.
Durant was in uniform for the Roughriders, as the third-string quarterback, when they posted a 23-19 Grey Cup victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Nov. 25, 2007 in Toronto.
Joseph, who had just been named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player, rushed for a game-high 101 yards to help Saskatchewan register the third Grey Cup win in franchise history.
The next three times the Roughriders played for a title, Durant was behind centre.
Think about that for a second.
One trade. One day. Two elite quarterbacks. Four Grey Cup appearances, and two championships, between them.
It all leads to this.
Durant and Shivers, reunited, on Plaza of Honour weekend.
“It’s always good to be back, first and foremost,” Durant said with a smile. “Just to be back in this capacity, you realize what this weekend and this week is about.
“Of course, going in with the man who brought me to Saskatchewan, you do a lot of reflecting. It just brings back a ton of memories.
“It’s good to be back and I look forward to all the festivities.”
And who knows? He might even see some of the game.
