Photo: Michael Scraper/3DownNation. All rights reserved.
Ajou Ajou’s trademark smile wasn’t diminished in the slightest when he made his much-anticipated return to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday, but don’t mistake his exuberant homecoming for a farewell to his NFL dream.
“No, no, what? I’m 23 years old, man,” the Canadian receiver exclaimed when asked if he was done considering options south of the border. “I’m trying to do what I can, but I’ve just got to be great where my feet are. Right now, I’m a Rider, play for the Roughriders. I’m just trying to be great for this organization.”
Ajou officially re-signed with the Riders on Thursday after he was released by the Indianapolis Colts as part of their final roster cuts. He was targeted eight times over three NFL preseason games, recording four receptions for 27 yards, but didn’t make enough of an impression to stick on the team’s practice roster.
“It was obviously difficult hearing it, but at the end of the day, I grew as a person. I just took it on the chin, and I was like, ‘Alright, how can I get better? What’s next?’ You get knocked down, one step back, but I’m trying to take three steps forward,” Ajou said of the experience.
“I didn’t get any phone calls, so after that I was just like, ‘It’s time.’ I just wanted to play football at that moment. So I was like, ‘Hey Jeremy O’Day, I’m coming home.'”
Unlike many NFL cuts who wait around before returning to the CFL, Ajou wasted no time in making his way back across the border. The native of Brooks, Alta. has felt the sting of rejection before, battling through a circuitous college career that saw him fall from grace after a promising freshman year at Clemson, struggle at South Florida, and eventually wind up at Garden City Community College.
It was the Roughriders who first offered him a path to redemption when they selected him with the 59th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2024 CFL Draft. The six-foot-two, 220-pound target made the most of his opportunity, making 20 catches for 307 yards and two touchdowns through 12 regular-season games as a rookie.
The chances given to him in Saskatchewan, along with his impressive size and previous big school pedigree, were enough to generate NFL interest. He views his return as an opportunity to pay back those who made it possible.
“Home is where the heart is. It’s definitely the people. It’s the first team that took a chance on me — seventh round pick. At the end of the day, I feel like I owe this organization and this province so much,” Ajou said of affection for Saskatchewan.
“It’s a great day to be alive, man. It’s bittersweet, but I’m coming home to some fans and some people who love me. I’m all for it. I’m happy.”
It remains to be seen just how quickly the fan favourite pass catcher will get on the field, though it seems unlikely that he will be ready in time for Sunday’s Labour Day Classic matchup with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Riders’ receiving corps is deep, with KeeSean Johnson, Dohnte Meyers, Joe Robustelli, Dhel Duncan-Busby, and Tommy Nield all making meaningful contributions to the team’s 8-2 start. There are also talented players waiting in the wings, as Kian Schaffer-Baker is nearing a return and Shawn Bane Jr. is biding his time. Samuel Emilus will also need to be reinserted when healthy.
Ajou has been watching the group from afar and spoke glowingly about the unit’s progression since his departure.
“That’s the fam right there. I’ve been keeping tabs on them. Coming back and seeing how much they’ve grown, how much KeeSean stepped up in the room and is finally being vocal — it’s great, man,” he said. “It’s great to see my boy, Dhel, telling me, ‘You got this on this play,’ I’m like, ‘Damn, okay, Dhel, you know your stuff.’ It’s nice to see you making plays out here. It’s not new, it’s routine for us, but it’s been great.”
Once he cracks the rotation, Ajou will look to make his mark in a way that could interest NFL scouts for a second time. Given his age, there could be several years left for him to do it and he’ll leave all options open for as long as possible.
In that vein, he isn’t viewing his NFL release as a failure, but rather the partial realization of a dream and an important lesson on the path towards securing the real thing.
“You can go on Google, search up how many people make it to the NFL — 0.1 percent or whatever. I got to be part of that 0.1 percent for OTAs, rookie mini-camp, training camp,” Ajou smiled. “I just look at it as a blessing in disguise. I learned a lot.”
The Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-2) will host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-4) at Mosaic Stadium on Sunday, August 31 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT. The Blue Bombers are coming off back-to-back wins against Ottawa and Montreal, while the Roughriders had their four-game winning streak snapped by the Stampeders.
The weather forecast in Regina calls for a high of 29 degrees with a mix of sun and cloud. The game will be broadcast on TSN in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the United States, and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 680 CJOB in Winnipeg and 620 CKRM in Regina.