AJ Ouellette ‘bringing the dad strength’ to Riders training camp in May

“I’m bringing the dad strength in,” Ouellette said. “The whole sleep thing is getting to me – I don’t know if it’s a trick to have a sleep schedule before having kids but I feel like people need to start training years in advance.”

Ouellette said having his first child has already changed his mindset when it comes to football.

“As soon as I was holding her, it’s not longer I’m playing this game because I love playing it, it’s I’m playing this game so that I can take care of my daughter so I can be the best running back and make sure I am playing again next year and making a paycheque.”

Ouellette said he has gotten advice from the other dads on the team, including quarterback Trevor Harris.

“I got to live with Trevor that last month of the season so I got to have the feel of having a little one – kudos to him with having three more (kids) on top of a newborn – but they are like, ‘Just take it all in,’” Ouellette said. “They change so fast. Take all the pictures and videos you can. This is the easy part of fatherhood because when I put her down on the couch, she can’t move. They said just wait until she is running around the house.”

Ouellette was a key part of the Riders’ run to the Grey Cup, as the now 30-year-old had 1,222 yards on the ground and eight rushing touchdowns last season.

Often, after winning a championship in professional sports, other teams might come in and want to sign key pieces away. Oullette admitted it can be hard to keep teams together.

Players like Malik Carney, A.J. Allen and Tommy Nield have all signed with new teams in the offseason. Ouellette signed an extension with the Riders on Feb. 1, hours before the CFL free agency negotiation window opened.

“The ones that left, I felt like were chasing what they needed in their career at this point. I believe we kept the core guys together and brought in some good one,” Ouellette said.

Training camps around the league are set to open in May as the Riders look to win a second-straight Grey Cup.

Along with the new plays and wrinkles the team can add in camp, Ouellette is excited to see the mindset everyone brings.

“We’re no longer the Grey Cup champions. We’re the Saskatchewan Roughriders of 2026 and we have to show up day-in and day-out to win the battle every week against the opponent,” Ouellette said. “You should get everyone’s best. It’s the CFL. It’s professional football. Every team is good and any team can win any given day.

“Show up and get your wins because you need to stack them early and often to set yourself up in a good position.”