28-05-2025
Former Calgary quarterbacks Maier, Stevens get new lease on CFL careers with Roughriders
After years of matching up against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, quarterback Jake Maier is now wearing the colours of one of his biggest rivals.
He was traded in the off-season in exchange for a conditional draft pick to Saskatchewan following a less-than-ideal end to his four-year tenure with the Calgary Stampeders.
'There's a lot of humility that comes with that,' Maier said. 'Really turning the page and starting over. I consider this a bit of a reset for my career and I like it that way, though, because I get to start over and really prove myself to a team and an organization.'
Maier is turning the next page in his career after the only CFL team he's known moved on from him after he ended his 2024 season with 3,841 yards passing, 22 touchdowns and 14 interceptions on a Stampeders team that finished last in the league with a 5-12-1 record.
Story continues below advertisement
Starting under centre for Calgary over the last three seasons, the California product makes up half of the Stampeders' quarterback duo now sporting green and white in Regina.
The Roughriders were also able to ink fellow Calgary pivot Tommy Stevens in the off-season, someone Maier has grown close with over the years, sharing a love of football and wrestling.
'We're pretty close to brothers as you can get,' Maier said. 'We've developed a pretty close bond over the years. That (wrestling fandom) is just playful stuff on Twitter, we like watching WWE.'
Backing up Maier over the last three years, Stevens said it's been a fresh start with a new crop of teammates and a few familiar faces like Maier taking the field at Roughriders training camp this month.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
'It's awesome to have him alongside,' Stevens said. 'Another familiar face that I'm able to have a connection with, it's great. I'm glad he's here and I'm also excited just to meet a brand new group of guys.'
Carving out a reputation as one of the CFL's top short-yardage quarterbacks since 2021, Stevens has rushed for 685 yards and 25 touchdowns in 54 games.
2:06
Saskatchewan Roughriders shine spotlight on fans for 2025 Green & White Day
While that's been the Indianapolis native's bread and butter since moving north of the border, Stevens said he is more than ready to prove his arm is just as effective as his legs.
Story continues below advertisement
'Every quarterback that does short yardage in our league is still learning the offence as if they're the starter,' Stevens said. 'And vice-versa, every starting quarterback is in the meetings when we're talking about short yardage too.
'We're all learning the same information, we're all being taught the same way and it's really just about trying to execute it to the best of your ability.'
The addition of the former Stampeders has built a Saskatchewan quarterback room that is bursting with CFL experience. Maier and Stevens are learning behind 13-year veteran Trevor Harris, who is entering his third season as Roughriders starting pivot, along with depth quarterback Jack Coan, who got into a game against Calgary last fall.
'We have a really smart room, probably one of the smartest rooms I've ever been around, to be honest,' Maier said. 'So that's a big plus for us.'
Having carried a trio of quarterbacks on the roster last year in Harris, Coan and Shea Patterson, head coach Corey Mace said it's one of their deepest QB groups in years.
'The four guys that are here are all excellent,' Mace said. 'We think so freakin' highly of all of these guys, man. Each have a little bit of different leadership skills, each have a little bit of a different skill set, but all of which I think helps us.'
Story continues below advertisement
With Week 1 quickly approaching, the friendship between Maier and Stevens has been put slightly in the background, with competition for Harris's backup ramping up in the coming weeks.
Knowing they'll have to make the most of the remainder of training camp, Stevens said it's about rising to the moment and putting his best effort forward.
'Learning, even when it's not your rep, and just controlling the things you can control is really the best way I think to go about this,' Stevens said. 'Whenever your number is called, you got to make the most of it.'
In Saskatchewan's first pre-season game on Saturday, Maier completed eight of 13 throws with one interception in a 15-9 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, while Stevens was 2-for-3 with 21 yards passing and 15 yards on the ground.
For Maier, first impressions have been his focus over the past month and he believes that will translate to results in his new CFL home.
'My goal here is to earn the respect of my teammates and coaches,' Maier said. 'Whatever comes of that is what comes with that. All I'm focused on is let's just make good impressions with your new boys, your new coaches and just see where it goes.'
The Roughriders will wrap up their pre-season schedule on Friday night at Mosaic Stadium as they'll host the Blue Bombers in a rematch of last weekend's contest.
