Riders’ Ouellette delivering blows to the competition

WATCH: Despite running back AJ Oullette leaving the season opener with a suspected concussion, he had one of his best games in Week 2. Jacob Carr reports.

While the CFL season is still young, week three just being on the horizon, Saskatchewan Roughriders’ running back AJ Ouellette made his early case for play of the year, or at least stiff arm of the year.

Ouellette’s highlight-reel 47-yard touchdown run against Hamilton was punctuated with a stiff arm that sent the Ti-Cats DaShaun Amos to the Tim Horton’s Field turf.

“We called the run, and I knew it was going to be a good play, I didn’t think it was going to develop into that. But once I saw our monster kick out their d-end, I said there’s nobody back here. So, I just had to set up the safety in the front and press it back,” Ouellette said.

Ouellette told CTV News that everything about the run was fun, but in particular, dishing out the punishment at the end.

“Coach Harris was yelling at me all of last season that my stiff arm wasn’t violent enough, and the stiff arm was a straight punch to the jaw, so it felt good.”

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Daniel Johnson, who made his first start of the season at left tackle in week two, said that being a part of the celebration left him more winded than the long run.

“I was too busy breathing, trying to catch up to AJ celebrating. It’s amazing, I feel like the celebration is more tiring that the play itself because you’re just so geeked up. You’re so happy to see your brothers win, and so happy to see us in the endzone.”

Ouellette and the Riders have a quick turnaround this week, heading to Toronto for their second Eastern away game in a row on Friday. Ouellette is no stranger to playing on BMO Field, having been a member of the Argos as recently as 2023, even making a quip about some possible gamesmanship by Toronto.

“It’s going to be a fun one, I’m used to the grass so I’m excited to see if I still got the footwork on the grass. They’ll probably do some extra watering the night before and the morning of, not that I know any secrets.”

The Riders will take on the Argos Friday at 5:30 CST.