After rumours swirled earlier this season that Trent Richardson could be coming to the green and white, the former NFL running back has arrived in the Queen City.
The Riders announced they signed the international running back Tuesday.
Richardson was successful at the University of Alabama, rushing for more than 3,000 yards and winning two national titles with the team.
He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns third overall in 2012. He holds the Cleveland Browns’ rookie record for rushing touchdowns with 11.
Richardson also played for the Indianapolis Colts and was a member of the Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Ravens practice teams.
He finished his NFL career with 2,032 yards and 17 touchdowns.
“I feel good, it’s a little different, it was a long flight but I feel good just being back on the field and just being around a group of guys and everyone embracing the opportunity and everyone’s coming up to me and introducing themselves,” Richardson said after practice.
He said he’s been talking to head coach Chris Jones for a long time and said he got to know him over the past few weeks.
“My mindset has always been that I just want to play football.”
He said he wanted to make sure everything was in place for his family before coming north of the border to play football.
He did admit he didn’t know much about the CFL game but doesn’t expect that to be a problem.
“You put a pigskin in my hand, a football in my hand I’ll be ready to run, I’ll be ready to go and do what I do best, get in the end zone and probably run somebody over.”
He said he knows a few players on the team, Christion Jones and Duron Carter, and that helped with his decision to come to the team.
Chris Jones said it was an opportunity to shore up their running back depth.
“I think that he’s a pretty good athlete and from the people that we got videos from down in Alabama he’s in tremendous shape so we’ll see.”
Coach Jones said the team will condition Richardson daily to see what kind of shape he’s in and will then determine how much he will play.
It was believed the Riders were going to sign the running back earlier in the year, but Richardson reportedly backed out of the deal at the time.
—With files from Arielle Zerr.
Trent Richardson has arrived at Rider practice. Wearing #26.
— Arielle Zerr (@arielle_zerr) September 26, 2017
Scratch that. He's switched with Christion Jones now wearing #33.
— Arielle Zerr (@arielle_zerr) September 26, 2017