Attitude of gratitude: Appreciating Rolan Milligan Jr. and his “whole journey”

WINNIPEG — Rolan Milligan Jr. is equally adept at tackling rival ball-carriers and life’s challenges.

That is why he is here, preparing to play defensive halfback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Sunday’s Grey Cup Game against the Montreal Alouettes.

“I always tell people that I’m grateful to still be playing today,” he says. “It kind of takes me back through my whole journey.”

It is a trek that began in Lake Wales, Fla., nearly 2,500 kilometres away from Regina.

Over 31 years, there have been some detours and disappointments, but they serve to make the highlights — which are also plentiful — even more joyous.

First and foremost, he is a proud husband, father and son. He is fiercely loyal to and supportive of his teammates, who regard him as an exemplary mentor and a source of inspiration.

There have been accolades, such as back-to-back All-CFL honours for someone who in 2024 was named the league’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.

“I’m not really big on patting myself on the back,” he says. “I know it has been tough at times, but the people I have with me along the way to help keep pushing me to keep going, I think that’s what I’m proud of the most.”

There is, for example, his mother Faye.

“One of the big things she instilled in me as a kid and once I became a young adult was to always check in on my siblings,” says Milligan Jr., who has two brothers and five sisters.

“My sister got older and went to college. Then my next sister went to college. Once we started leaving the house, my mom said, ‘Make sure you check on your siblings.’

“Another big thing was always, ‘Go after it. Go get it for yourself. No handouts.’ To this day, my mom still works two jobs. She might not have to, but she still works two jobs, because she doesn’t want to ask for favours. She doesn’t want to ask for handouts.

“That was something I always saw growing up. She was, a lot of times, working two jobs to make sure that it wasn’t necessarily for what we needed, but if we wanted something, she would be able to get us that. She always gave me belief that I could do anything I wanted to by myself.

“Even though football is a team game, going through my journey personally, from high school to college and then becoming a pro, you can always do what you want to do as long as you put your mind to it.”

The route won’t always be a straight line, but you can reach the desired destination — as evidenced by Milligan Jr.’s presence in Winnipeg, and in the CFL’s upper echelon of players.

Now a mainstay with the Roughriders, he was forced to look for another football option after spending one season (2014) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The school’s football program was discontinued after his debut season at UAB.

“When it happened, it almost felt like a funeral,” Milligan says. “Guys were crying. Coaches were crying. People were yelling and shouting and stuff at all the people when they broke the news.

“The very next day, there were college coaches from all over the country on campus, recruiting. Just that first day after, I probably talked to five or six different schools.

“For me, I was blessed to have people interested. It was still a different situation, but I was able to find a home easier than some other guys.

“For some guys, they probably never got the opportunity to play again. It was definitely a weird situation — but you keep going, because nobody’s going to wait for you.”

Next stop: The University of Toledo. His accomplishments at the Ohio-based school were noted by the Dallas Cowboys, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2016.

Milligan Jr. subsequently spent time in the NFL with the Detroit Lions (2017 and 2018) and Indianapolis Colts (2018 to 2021).

He played in 11 games with the 2019 Colts, starting one game at safety. His snap counts for the season: 130 on defence and 166 on special teams.

For most players, even one snap in the NFL is beyond reach, let alone nearly 300.

But it was time to start over, at least in terms of the pro football ranks, after he was released by the Colts in 2021.

That transaction was of interest to the Roughriders’ Assistant General Manager.

“As is the case with a lot of our players, Kyle Carson walked into my office and said, ‘Let’s look at this player together,’ ” Vice-President of Football Operations and General Manager Jeremy O’Day remembers.

“We watched him and we liked him. It was the time of the year when we were expanding (the practice roster). It was later in the year.

“If it would have been training camp, we just would have said, ‘Yeah, no problem.’ But you only have a select few guys who you can bring on to the expanded roster, so we watched it and said, ‘Yup, I think he’s intriguing. Let’s bring him in.’ ”

The signing of Milligan Jr. was announced by the Roughriders on Oct. 24, 2021. It didn’t take long for him to make a resounding impression.

“With the expanded roster, we do a few one-on-ones after practice, and I do remember this as clear as day,” O’Day says. “I watched him for two reps and I said, ‘Get him out of one-on-ones,’ because I’d seen enough.

“He ended up making his way on to the roster at the end of that year and actually ended up playing in the playoff games, which is very rare. It didn’t take long to see what you had.”

The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder started out with the Roughriders as an inside linebacker before moving to the defensive backfield in 2022.

He was off to a scorching start in 2023 before suffering a season-ending toe injury in Saskatchewan’s fourth regular-season game.

Undaunted, he returned to the lineup in 2024 and, while wearing No. 0, turned in one of the most spectacular individual seasons in Roughriders history.

“Agent Zero” registered a rare hat trick, being nominated for three team awards — Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player. The multi-tasking, it seems, runs in the family.

After posting a league-best eight interceptions, Milligan Jr. was named the top defensive player in the nine-team circuit.

The year 2024 was even more special from a family standpoint.

Rolan and Samantha welcomed Suni Rebecca Milligan on Sept. 17 of last year. Suni’s arrival was also celebrated by her brothers (Lyric and Loyal) and sister (Peace).

“A lot of things I’ve got from being a father come from being with my wife, Sam, and growing through all of it,” Milligan Jr. says.

“Being a father at a young age, I don’t know much at all. I was kind of going through everything with her and learning and growing as a couple as well as being parents. I think that’s where most of it comes from.

“Some of the stuff my mom instilled in me, I try to instill in my kids. Some of the things my dad, my stepdad, instilled in me, I try to instill in my kids as well.

“Just taking bits and pieces from all those people did help me as well, but I think just growing with my wife was the biggest thing that helped me be a better father.”

There were challenges, sure, but he conquered them — true to form.

“To go through all of that stuff and still be here — to be able to adjust and adapt to so many different situations, whether it be coaching changes, school changes, getting cut, moving to a different country to play football — it just keeps building the toughness within me,” Milligan Jr. says. “I know that I can get through any situation, overcome any situation.”