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For many, it seemed a cruel twist of fate on Friday the 13th.
Rider Nation woke up Jan. 13 to learn that beloved quarterback Darian Durant was traded to the Montreal Alouettes for a pair of draft picks.
The news broke before Durant posted to social media, starting his goodbye with “Dear Rider Nation.”
“This is a very emotional time for me right now and it’s hard to put my thoughts together, but I wanted to send out a thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Durant wrote.
Thousands of people have been sharing their thoughts and kind words in the comments on the athlete’s post.
“I have so many cherished memories of my time in Green. I’m excited for a new opportunity,” he wrote, adding he’ll say more “once this has sunken in.”
Surprised fans also took to the 650 CKOM and 980 CJME Facebook pages to talk through the news.
“It’s a sad day in Saskatchewan we have given away all our best players in the last two years. I think it’s time for the head coach to be gone,” wrote Jamie Milner.
Commenter Gwen Myers added Durant was a “class act both on and off the field.”
Durant joined the team ahead of the 2006 season and spent the next 11 seasons with the Riders.
He played 157 regular season games in his Riders career, finishing second among the franchise’s quarterbacks with 3,519 attempts, 2,186 completion and 28,136 yards. He leaves the team with 149 passing touchdowns, good for third place all-time.
Durant was twice named a West Division All-Star, in 2009 and 2013. He also leaves the team as a two-time Grey Cup champion, winning in 2007 and 2013.
Numbers aside, Durant was the face of the Riders – and one fans felt close to as the years went by. No surprise then that social media reaction was swift.
Premier Brad Wall expressed his thanks to Durant for the memories and Grey Cup victories.
So many great moments. Thank you @DarianDurant for the memories and for bringing the Grey Cup to #RiderNation. pic.twitter.com/jIlgruf451
— Brad Wall (@PremierBradWall) January 13, 2017
One person receiving little love is Head Coach Chris Jones. The Saskatchewan Roughriders Twitter account tweeted updates from a news conference held Friday in Regina.
“I’ll thank him. He was here for a decade. He was the face of the organization.” #CFL
[Jones on Durant’s time in Riderville] pic.twitter.com/4Zr5TzFGaK
— Sask. Roughriders (@sskroughriders) January 13, 2017
One tweet from the organization quoted the coach as saying, “When you’re at the end of your career, you can’t play forever.”
The Roughriders ended the flurry of tweets with a thank you post to Durant.
“When you’re at the end of your career, you can’t play forever.” #CFL
| https://t.co/fPg4r9YaF6 pic.twitter.com/9VDRH5KyDO
— Sask. Roughriders (@sskroughriders) January 13, 2017
Thank you, Darian.4⃣#RiderPride pic.twitter.com/EhwlZF58NX
— Sask. Roughriders (@sskroughriders) January 13, 2017
Others took a different approach to the news:
I’m 100% sure that Jones has a plan cause you don’t make a move like that unless you have a plan in place. IN JONES WE TRUST! #Riders #SASK
— Belton Johnson (@bjizzle56) January 13, 2017
Did the #Riders really just trade Darian Durant on Friday the 13th? And the Curse of Darian of born.
— Drew Edwards (@scratchingpost) January 13, 2017
When your grocery shopping in Vancouver and you are able to pick these up – why yes I will take a box @dariandurant @sskroughriders #riders pic.twitter.com/WE4xGgp7Ck
— Shaun Mykytchuk (@mykytchuk1) January 4, 2017
And it wouldn’t be a big moment in Saskatchewan sports without restaurants getting their digs in with tongue-in-cheek specials.
Today only, to say goodbye to @dariandurant we’re offering any Sask made craft beer for only $4 when you buy a Montreal Smoked Meat Poutine pic.twitter.com/IKNrCrNwqA
— Beer Bros. (@BeerBros) January 13, 2017
Daniella Ponticelli is the senior web editor for 650 CKOM and 980 CJME.