Family Day is a way of life for Sean McEwen.
The newest member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders — a perennial All-CFL centre — has been a stay-at-home dad since shortly after the 2024 season.
The Calgary-based McEwen cherishes time spent with his wife, Stephanie, and their 15-month-old daughter, Olivia.
“Ever since my wife went back to work in November, it has just been me and (Olivia) at home,” said McEwen, who has already bought green pyjamas for his daughter.
“I don’t think many dads get that kind of quality time with their kids, especially when they’re that young.
“It has been so cool to see her grow. She’s at that kind of age where day to day she’s making such incredible strides.
“It has definitely been busy. She’s not a sit-around-for-very-long kind of girl. She’s up and at it all the time, running around and doing all sorts of crazy things. It keeps me in shape, too, making sure I’m always tracking her down.
“It has been really precious. I don’t think a lot of people get to experience this, at least with as much frequency as I have.”
McEwen brings plenty of experience to Saskatchewan. His eight-year CFL career has been split between the Toronto Argonauts (2016 to 2019) and Calgary Stampeders (2021 to 2024).
Stephanie is advancing her career by working in the Advanced Technical Skills Simulation Laboratory at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine.
Sean McEwen, who played Canada West football for the U of C Dinos, is proud of his long-standing connections to Calgary. Even so, the Roughriders’ offer was too enticing to refuse.
“Off the field, it was a difficult decision to make. Calgary is my home,” he said. “But luckily, I have an incredibly supportive wife. She understood that at the end of the day, she wants me to be happy.
“For a football move, this just seemed to be the right decision to make. It was a football decision. Luckily, I just have the right support system in place.
“All the other things may be logistically challenging, but I just know that the people who love me will do everything they can to make that easier for me.”
The signing of McEwen was announced on Wednesday — Day 2 of the free agency period.
“I think what it came down to was how embraced I felt from the organization,” he said. “It was a general feeling, top to bottom, that this team really wanted me to be there and that I could make them better. I felt the same way.
“At the end of the day, I felt it was a place that I wanted to be. If a team appreciates you like that, it makes you want to give your all to that team. That’s kind of the situation we’ve found ourselves in here.”
McEwen and the Roughriders’ head coach, Corey Mace, crossed paths in 2021 when they were both with the Stampeders. Mace was the team’s defensive line coach at the time.
“Just from the one year we overlapped in Calgary, I know what kind of person he is and what kind of leader he is,” McEwen says. “That made a big difference.
“Even though I haven’t experienced it first-hand, I could tell what kind of culture he has built there. It’s just so exciting to be a part of.
“(As an opponent) I saw how well they played together (in 2024) and how unselfishly they played. That’s ultimately a testament to the head coach.”
McEwen also appreciates the presence of Vice-President of Football Operations and General Manager Jeremy O’Day, who played for the Roughriders from 1999 to 2010 before moving to the front office.
McEwen was signed by someone whose resume also includes three-time All-CFL recognition as a centre.
“One of the cool things is not only being able to recognize good centre play, but also being able to recognize what kind of traits are important in a centre,” McEwen said.
“Obviously, with him being a player who did it at a high level for such a long time, it feels really good for him to have that belief in me. I’m looking forward to continuing to prove myself up to and maybe even exceeding the standard that he believes he can play to.”
That is saying something — considering how high McEwen has already set the bar.
“I think I’m still at that stage in my career where I’m continuing to get better,” said the 6-foot-1, 297-pounder, who turns 32 on June 27.
“I know I’ve been around for a long time, but I don’t feel like I’m slowing down, by any means.
“I think I’ve still got my best football ahead of me. I’m looking forward to bringing that to Riderville.”
