Charleston Hughes returns to the Roughriders highly motivated
SASKATOON - - Saskatchewan Roughriders fan favourite Charleston Hughes is back in Saskatchewan after spending last season with the Toronto Argonauts.
“Just knowing that I can go somewhere where I was comfortable, going somewhere where I know they can use my ability to the best possible and I know I can give them my all,” said Hughes on the decision to come back to Saskatchewan.
“They know what they're going to get from me every single play.”
Hughes returns to the Riders highly motivated, recording just two sacks in nine games with Toronto, after back-to-back seasons of leading the league in that category with Saskatchewan (15 in 2018, 16 in 2019).
The 38-year-old says he and the Argonauts weren’t a “perfect match."
“I know it might come off to other people as if I'm starting to decline or my game is starting to fall off, but I'm exactly where I want to be,” he said.
“I didn't fall off. I wasn't up to me, the reason why I had a bad season, so it's one of those things where I come out here, show what I do, show the team what I do best, and let them decide.”
Head coach Craig Dickenson expects Hughes to earn a starting spot on the defensive line, playing 30 to 40 plays a game.
“He's a leader, he's got a lot of street cred, and even though he hasn't played with some of these guys on the [defensive] line, they all know who he is,” said Dickenson.
“Charleston has always been one of the hardest workers on the team and he worked really hard this offseason to get in shape and to get his body where it needed to be, and he I thought he looked good for his first day out.”
Defensive line coach Ben Olson says the addition of Hughes is almost like adding another coach onto the field.
“Charleston's got more experience than any [defensive] lineman in this league,” he said.
“We have a bunch of guys with their second year or rookie year, so Charleston brings all sorts of experience to this group that we can really build off of.”
Hughes enters this season with 132 career sacks, just 25 behind the CFL’s all-time leader Grover Covington, and he feels he can still play at a high level.
“When I was training this offseason and I didn't tell anybody my age, verybody thought I was 28,” he said.
“When I tell them I'm 38 they asked “How in the hell are you still playing football?””
And his signature “surfing” sack dance will also be returning to the green and white.
“I can't wait to whip it up,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.