Regina’s own Mitch Picton retires after Grey Cup championship with hometown Riders

Mitchell Picton Saskatchewan Roughriders

Regina-born receiver Mitch Picton has announced his retirement from football after spending nine years with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Selected by Saskatchewan in the fifth round (37th overall) of the 2017 CFL Canadian Draft, Picton caught 96 passes for 1,081 yards and six touchdowns in 64 career regular-season games with the Green and White.

Picton played in the Roughriders’ first game of any description at new Mosaic Stadium, the June 10, 2017 pre-season game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers when he caught two passes for 21 yards in that game.

The former LeBoldus Golden Suns standout spent five seasons (2013-17) with the Regina Rams, playing in 38 U Sports games.

• Download the CTV News app to get breaking news alerts sent to your device

Over that span, he caught 170 passes for 2,447 yards and 24 touchdowns. In 2016, he led Canada West in catches (58), receiving yards (834) and aerial touchdowns (11) enroute to being named a Canada West All-Star and a First-Team All-Canadian.

During his graduating season with the Rams, Picton was also a member of the Roughriders’ practice roster. He returned to the practice roster in 2018 before making his CFL regular-season debut on July 27, 2019 against the host B.C. Lions.

Picton made a career-high 25 receptions in 2021, when he scored his first CFL touchdown. He also established a career single-game best for receptions (eight), against the host Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Nov. 20, 2021.

In 2023, Picton posted a personal-best 232 receiving yards.

Last season, Picton caught 20 passes for 226 yards in 14 regular-season games.

Seven of those receptions were registered against the visiting Calgary Stampeders on July 12.

He went on to wear No. 81 on Nov. 16 for the 112th Grey Cup, in which Saskatchewan defeated the Montreal Alouettes 25-17 in Winnipeg.

His time with the Roughriders includes the club’s establishment of the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation, which he has represented by visiting schools across the province and speaking with youth about literacy and mental health.

More to come...