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While the Saskatchewan Roughriders came up short of the playoffs, two members of the team picked up awards due to their contributions both on the field and off.
Slotback Brayden Lenius won the Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Award, while kicker Brett Lauther took home the CFLPA’s Tom Pate Award at the CFL awards on Thursday.
Lenius had a trying season on the field, but that never dampened his spirits off of it.
His commitment to remaining active in the community and in the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ locker room led to the 26-year-old winning the prestigious award.
The award is given to the player who “Best demonstrates the attributes of Canada’s veterans – strength, perseverance, courage, comradeship and contribution to Canadian communities.”
It is named after the late Gaudaur, a veteran of the Second World War and the longest-serving Commissioner in CFL history.
“It’s everything. It’s what I pride myself on — a lot of people ask me how you’re so positive throughout all of this that I had been through this year,” Lenius said. “Every player goes through adversity but I got it back-to-back pretty good this year. Just having that willingness to not give up and have a village around you that support you — having my brothers, my fiance, my mother — it really takes them pushing me to a level to keep me upright.”
The Tom Pate Award is given to players who display qualities that distinguish them from their peers. It’s named after Tom Pate, who died at the age of 23 when he suffered an aneurysm during a game against the Calgary Stampeders as a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He died two days later.
Saskatchewan Roughriders kicker Brett Lauther was named the 2023 recipient of the Tom Pate Memorial Award. (Jamie Nye/980 CJME)
According to the CFLPA’s website, “The recipient should embody the qualities that distinguished Tom Pate; qualities that recognize a player with outstanding sportsmanship, a player who has made a contribution to his team as well as to his community and to his Association.”
“It’s a bit surreal right now for me. I don’t feel like I deserve it but I want to accept it for all the people that work so hard behind the scenes to put me in the position I’m in,” Lauther said. “There’s too many people to name, I don’t want to leave anyone out but everyone knows that deals with me on a day-to-day basis how much I appreciate them.”
The Jake Gaudaur Veteran’s Award was first given out in 2010, with then-Rider Mike McCullough winning it. Last year, Riders’ centre Dan Clark was the recipient.
Lenius was dealt a blow in the preseason when he suffered a lacerated kidney on June 2 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, placing him on the injured list for the first six games of the 2023 campaign.
“It happened the second play of the game when I was on offence,” Lenius said. “I got a shot right to the kidney. In the preseason we don’t play the full game so I finished at halftime and put ice on it and started talking to (the trainers) and said I was feeling a little sore here and my lower back was stinging a bit.”
But the Regina product battled back to return from the injury a month ahead of schedule to play in the Touchdown Atlantic game – a 31-13 loss to the Toronto Argonauts.
But in his return to action, he suffered a lisfranc sprain in his foot, ending his 2023 season with only one game appearance.
“I just couldn’t believe it,” Lenius said. “I was in shock … I’ve done a lot of things right and I put everything into it but that’s just not how it goes.
“It was humbling and upsetting but I dealt with it but once I was able to get over the fence of the pain, the rehab started.”
Despite the poor luck with injuries, the team said Lenius remained a leader and positive influence in the locker room and an active member in the community.
As a member of the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation, Lenius delivered over 50 presentations which reached around 3,500 youths in the province. He discussed topics like healthy coping mechanisms, relationships and mental health, as well as tips for managing anxiety and stress.
“When I was growing up, that wasn’t prevalent and I think a lot of us do struggle with (mental health) and to be able to go talk to those kids and for them to hear from an individual like myself — sports is supposed to be tough and gritty but still be vulnerable and open up,” Lenius said. “When you tie it all together, you can see the change. Maybe it’s one kid, maybe it’s a bunch of kids. It’s amazing work that we do.”
Lenius has played four CFL seasons, all with the Riders, who drafted him 15th overall in the 2019 CFL Draft. He has appeared in 35 games, hauling in 58 passes for 659 yards and five touchdowns. He was signed in 2022 by the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, but was waived in July of that year.
Lenius will be back in green and white for 2024, after it was announced he signed a one-year contract extension.
“There wasn’t a question — this is home to me,” Lenius said. “I feel like I’ve put a lot into this community and I have a lot more to prove on this field. I am still young and I love this organization. They believe in me and for them to have that openness of after the season and be willing to take me back in a heartbeat, where else would I want to play?”
The other nominees for the award were offensive lineman Andrew Pierson (B.C. Lions), defensive lineman J-Min Pelley (Edmonton Elks), fullback Charlie Power (Calgary Stampeders), running back Brady Oliveira (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), running back Sean Thomas-Erlington (Hamilton Tiger-Cats), defensive lineman Deionte Knight (Toronto Argonauts), running back Jackson Bennett (Ottawa Redblacks), and wide receiver Régis Cibasu (Montreal Alouettes).
Lauther is currently the CFLPA rep for the Riders, and not only has excelled on the field for the team, but off of it as well.
On the field, Lauther has become one of the CFL’s top kickers with an 83-per-cent field goal rate since he joined the Riders in 2018. Prior to that, he was a member of the Tiger-Cats in 2013-14.
The Truro, N.S., product was given an honourary degree by Saskatchewan Polytechnic earlier this year due to his dedication to the community.
Lauther has also been a foundation ambassador for the Riders, participating in a number of initiatives across the province. In 2023, he founded and co-organized the inaugural Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation Winter Classic. The charity hockey game featured current and past members of the Roughriders, NHL alumni, and others, and successfully raised $25,000 for KidSport.
“(Getting in the community) is everything. The fans in that province, a community-owned team and the fan support is the real reason we can do a lot of this stuff,” Lauther said. “This is the coolest and probably the best thing I will ever win in my life.”
The list of the other CFL awards winners are as follows:
- Most Outstanding Rookie: Qwan’tez Stiggers, defensive back, Argos
- Jane Mawby Tribute Award: Laurence Pontbriand
- Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Award: Brayden Lenius, slotback, Riders
- Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Mathieu Betts, defensive end, Lions
- Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: Javon Leake, returner, Argos
- Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership Award: George Hopkins
- CFL Comissioner’s Award: Bob Young
- Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman: Dejon Allen, offensive tackle, Toronto Argonauts
- Tom Pate Memorial Award: Brett Lauther, Kicker, Riders
- Coach of the Year: Ryan Dinwiddie, Argos
- Most Outstanding Canadian: Brady Oliveira, running back, Bombers
- George Reed Most Oustanding Player: Chad Kelly, quarterback, Argos