Travis Lulay considered playing for the Riders before retiring

Photo courtesy: Travis Lulay

Had Travis Lulay elected to continue his playing career instead of announcing his retirement last week his likely destination was the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“Full disclosure, I had an opportunity in Saskatchewan. If the circumstances were different and I had a strong desire to play, I’d have been there in a heartbeat,” Lulay said on 980 CJME The Green Zone.

“I saw Geroy Simon leave a legacy of a career in B.C. and he joined a Saskatchewan team that I know that was a hugely rewarding experience for him. I have a bit of a relationship with Craig Dickenson and I think he’s going to be a phenomenal head coach, so I thought long and hard about that opportunity.”

Lulay spent all 10 of his CFL seasons playing for the B.C. Lions. The 35-year-old led the Lions to a Grey Cup championship in 2011 to cap a campaign in which he threw for a career-best of 4,815 yards and 32 touchdowns and earning the CFL Most Outstanding Player Award. But he admitted the tie to one franchise would not have stopped him from going to Saskatchewan.

“I only say that because I want to dispel the notion that quarterbacks maybe aren’t as interested in going to play there. Saskatchewan would be a phenomenal place to play,” Lulay said.

“Under a different set of circumstances that would’ve happened and been really rewarding. But it just wasn’t meant to be.”