Former Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive end John Chick holds a farewell media conference on Monday. He's leaving for Indianapolis to prepare for the upcoming football season with the NFL's Colts.
Photograph by: Roy Antal, Leader-Post
Photograph by: Roy Antal, Leader-Post
REGINA — John Chick couldn't leave without saying goodbye.
The former Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive end did that Monday during a media conference at Capital Ford-Lincoln. Chick, who recently signed a three-year contract with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, wanted to express his appreciation for what had taken place during his three years with the Riders.
"Hopefully this isn't a permanent goodbye,'' said Chick, who was named the CFL's most outstanding defensive player in 2009. "We have a lot of friends here and some who feel like family. We wanted to say thanks for not only the football opportunity but for what a great community it has been. I hope that Indianapolis is half the community that it was here and we'll be going to a good place.''
Chick, who is a Type 1 diabetic, immersed himself in the community while serving as an ambassador for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. His efforts there and on behalf of the Riders led to many friendships on and off the field.
"We had no idea that this (signing with Indianapolis) would happen and we pictured our career in Saskatchewan,'' said Chick, who with his wife Catherine, has three children — Camryn (three), Robert (two) and Joshua (11 months). "You never know what's going to happen in football whether it was an injury or an opportunity like this. We dove into the community and loved it.''
Chick isn't scheduled to leave for Indianapolis until March or early April. Until making that move he has issues to deal with like selling his Regina home and getting settled in Indianapolis before he begins working out regularly with the Colts.
Chick wouldn't reveal the financial figures but the fact the Colts were willing to sign him to a long-term contract and pay what was termed a "significant'' signing bonus was enough for him to commit to moving his family south of the border.
"It will be a tough situation because I know that I will have to compete to play at that level,'' said Chick. "I feel that I'm up to the task.''
Chick, who was fourth in the CFL with 11 sacks in 2009, is one of 11 CFLers to sign with NFL teams since the end of the 2009 season. CFL players in the option year of their contracts are allowed sign with NFL teams between the end of the season and the CFL's free-agent deadline on Feb. 15. If they exhaust their NFL opportunities, the players must return to their CFL teams.
"This will peak more interest in the CFL,'' said Chick. "Hopefully it will continue to bring great players into the CFL.''
Chick, 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, has previous experience with NFL teams. After graduating from Utah State in 2006, he attended training camp with the NFL's Houston Texans. Chick was released after the third pre-season game.
"I never felt comfortable with them because it wasn't a good place for me or my family,'' said Chick, a 27-year-old product of Gillette, Wyo.
Chick sat out the remainder of the season before being contacted by former Riders general manager Eric Tillman. The Riders announced Chick's signing on Jan. 17, 2007.
"At the time we were mad at football because I had just been fired,'' said Chick. "I wasn't too excited about coming here to prove myself.''
"At the time we were mad at football because I had just been fired,'' said Chick. "I wasn't too excited about coming here to prove myself.''
It didn't take long for Chick to do that. He picked up a sack in his first CFL pre-season game. He dressed for 13 regular-season games in 2007 and recorded five sacks while sharing in the Riders' 2007 Grey Cup victory. Injuries limited Chick to eight games in 2008 but he still had three sacks. In 2009, Chick was named a West Division and CFL all-star while recording 32 tackles. Saskatchewan advanced to the 2009 Grey Cup, but lost 28-27 to the Montreal Alouettes.
Chick said the two Grey Cup appearances were among his on-field highlights with the Riders. Chick even commented on the Riders' loss to the Alouettes in the 2009 Grey Cup game in Calgary. The Alouettes scored the winning field goal after a Riders penalty for having too many men on the field gave place-kicker Damon Duval another chance.
The Riders have never named the extra player. Chick said that he wouldn't do that either.
"I'll take that to the grave with me,'' Chick said with a chuckle. "I hope that the fans don't dwell on it too much. We had a 27-11 lead and we lost that. That's why we lost the game and they missed the kick that they shouldn't have missed. Please don't look at the 13th man as a bad thing. (The fan support) has been a blessing for the Roughriders and I hope that it continues to be strong. Every other team in the league is envious of that.''
"I'll take that to the grave with me,'' Chick said with a chuckle. "I hope that the fans don't dwell on it too much. We had a 27-11 lead and we lost that. That's why we lost the game and they missed the kick that they shouldn't have missed. Please don't look at the 13th man as a bad thing. (The fan support) has been a blessing for the Roughriders and I hope that it continues to be strong. Every other team in the league is envious of that.''
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