Roughriders defeat Tiger-Cats 28-23 with late game touchdown

Tim Wharnsby · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 15, 2025 1:03 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

KeeSean Johnson enjoyed his Canadian Football League coming-out enactment connected Saturday.

The 28-year-old receiver hauled successful 8 passes for a career-high 128 yards to assistance the Saskatchewan Roughriders to a 28-23 triumph against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats earlier 22,810 astatine Tim Hortons Field.

His 15-yard touchdown reception midway done the 4th fourth was the quality maker, putting the visitors up 27-20.

"I privation to accidental a batch of our receivers astir apt don't get talked astir arsenic overmuch arsenic I consciousness they should," Roughriders caput manager Corey Mace said. "KeeSean Johnson is an unbelievable receiver.

"He got the item [catch] tonight. So, hopefully, moving guardant radical volition recognize who Mr. Johnson is."

After a palmy collegiate vocation astatine Fresno State, the Arizona Cardinals drafted Johnson successful the sixth circular (174th overall) successful 2019. He spent 2 years with the Cardinals, gaining a first-rate receiver acquisition watching standout Larry Fitzgerald hole and perform.

Johnson past bounced around, making stops connected the signifier rosters of the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills earlier landing successful Regina.

"I've inactive got a batch of learning to bash with this squad and this league," said Johnson, who has portraits of his 2 daughters, Brooklyn and Jersey, tattooed connected his close leg.

"Every time since campy and since past twelvemonth I effort to larn and enactment hard arsenic hard arsenic imaginable each day. Our coaches propulsion america each day."

Johnson went to Palo Alto High School and crossed paths with Los Angeles Rams wideout Davante Adams. Johnson was a freshman there, portion Adams was successful his last year.

Johnson past followed Adams to Fresno State. He redshirted arsenic a freshman and past went retired and broke each of Adams' schoolhouse receiving records, including 275 catches for 3,463 yards.

He besides caught a walk successful 50 consecutive games, shattering a 35-year-old schoolhouse grounds of 34, acceptable by Henry Ellard.

Although helium likes to speech astir what he's learned from players specified arsenic Fitzgerald and Adams, the astir predominant question Johnson has been asked is if the spelling of his archetypal sanction is close due to the fact that of its similarity to Keyshawn Johnson, the retired Super Bowl champion receiver.

"My Dad liked the sanction KeeSean," Johnson said. "That's the story."

"But I did conscionable Keyshawn Johnson. When I was looking for an agent. We talked with him. We didn't take him arsenic my agent, but I'm inactive affable with him erstwhile I spot him."

Roughriders placekicker Brett Lauther endured a horrible outing, missing wide-right connected 3 field-goal attempts and whiffing connected an other point.

Hamilton backmost Bo Levi Mitchell missed a accidental to notch his 100th triumph successful his 143rd commencement to determination into a necktie for ninth with Matt Dunigan connected the all-time CFL list. Mitchell inactive has a accidental to go the fastest successful CFL past to 100 wins. Ron Lancaster won his 100th crippled successful his 149th start.