Latest news with #NelsonLokombo
CTV News
28-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
New year, new attitude and a new number for Riders Jaxon Ford
WATCH: After missing most of his sophomore season due to injury, Jaxon Ford is ready to make an impact. Jacob Carr has the story. Saskatchewan Roughriders' defensive back Jaxon Ford was forced to miss a large portion of the 2024 season with a broken bone in his wrist. But all that time off gave Ford an opportunity to see the defensive side of the game through a different lens. 'Last year definitely helped me learn the defense from a different perspective. I wasn't taking too many reps, so I was taking a lot of mental reps, and just asking and talking to the guys about it definitely helped, just a different perspective,' Ford told CTV News. A clean bill of health isn't all that's new about Ford in 2025, he also switched numbers, from 17 to 21. It was a three-way trade of numbers formulated by Ford and Riders' quarterback Tommy Stevens. Stevens wanted 17 and Ford wanted 21, which was already slated to Nelson Lokombo. According to Ford, after several text messages to Lokombo from both Stevens and Ford, they finally wore him down and Lokombo agreed to switch to his current number 25. 'A win for everyone,' Ford said. The defensive back now gets to wear the same number as his grandfather Al did back in his Riders playing days from 1965 to 1976. 'It means a lot, not only to me but the whole family. I remember when I told him about it, he was very emotional, me too, so yeah it means a lot,' Ford said. Riders Head Coach Corey Mace said that if Ford's stellar preseason performance was any indication of his play moving forward, the switch to number 21 should have happened earlier. 'Yeah, I think we should have changed his number years ago. I didn't [get] to watch Al out there, if he was anything like that, Jaxon looked like a different guy, and he had the sidelines going. He played really well,' Mace noted. 'So really pleased with his effort and again he's kind of set a new bar for himself and that's the expectation that we all expect from him.' Ford registered four defensive tackles and two tackles for a loss in Saskatchewan's first preseason game against Winnipeg last weekend and displayed a high level of physicality. 'The new me, smarter, more aggressive – that's how I would describe the new me for sure,' he said. Ford's goals are team-oriented in 2025, and after watching from the sidelines as the Riders lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in last year's western final – he wants to help Saskatchewan finish the job. 'I think every year is important for me, but yeah this is an important year for us, for the franchise,' Ford explained. 'We have to take that next step this year.'
National Post
27-05-2025
- General
- National Post
Roughriders' Jaxon Ford eager to showcase 'new me' with new number
Jaxon Ford's new jersey number comes with a new identity. Article content Article content 'Smarter, more aggressive,' said the Saskatchewan Roughriders third-year defensive back. 'New number, new me.' Article content After wearing No. 17 for his first two CFL seasons, Ford was approached this off-season by quarterback Tommy Stevens about giving up No. 17. Article content Considering Jaxon's grandfather Alan Ford wore No. 21 when he played for the Roughriders from 1965-76, the proud grandson was amendable to making a change if he could get No. 21, which was also a number he wore with the University of Regina Rams. Article content Ford just needed to convince safety Nelson Lokombo to move from No. 21 to No. 25, which was Lokombo's old number with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. Article content 'Tommy texted me and I forget what number they were going to give him, but he wasn't satisfied with it,' said Ford. 'He wanted 17 and he knew that I wanted 21 and so we both kind of persuaded Nelson, and he knew 25 was open. Article content 'So it worked out and everyone got the number that they wanted. Article content 'It means a lot not only to me but to the whole family. I remember when I told (my grandfather), he was very emotional about it. Me too.' Article content In his first game sporting his new number, Ford drew the start at safety for the injured Lokombo during Saskatchewan's 15-9 pre-season loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday and had four tackles including two tremendous open-field tackles in the first quarter. Article content 'We should have changed his number maybe a couple years ago,' chuckled head coach Corey Mace. 'I didn't have the pleasure to watch Al out there (but) if he was anything like that … Jaxon looked like a different guy. Article content Article content 'He's kind of set the new bar for himself, and that's the expectations that now we all expect from him.' Article content Article content After being drafted in the second round by the Riders in 2023, Ford played 15 games in his rookie season, racking up 12 tackles and five special teams tackles, before undergoing off-season wrist surgery. Article content His recovery forced him to sit out training camp last year before missing the first 12 games of the season. The 24-year-old Regina product was finally able to return in Week 14, racking up two special teams tackles in the final six games. Article content This season, with a full training camp under his belt in his third season, the 6-foot-0, 210-pounder is hoping to take advantage of the opportunity in front of him. Article content 'It feels great being healthy and getting a full camp,' Ford said ahead of Saskatchewan's second and final pre-season game on Friday (7 p.m., CFL+) at Mosaic Stadium against the Blue Bombers. 'Being able to learn the defence and be out there and actually play, it feels great.
