‘I won’t be outworked’: Riders QB Trevor Harris believes he can be even better in 2026

Trevor Harris will be back for 2026 and he believes he could be even better than he was in 2025.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback signed a one-year extension with the CFL club that will keep him in green and white for next season. He had one of his best seasons in his career in 2025, culminating in him and the Riders winning the Grey Cup. He was named the game’s most valuable player after throwing for 302 yards and an 85.2 per cent completion rate— a Grey Cup record.

“I’m still curious what my ceiling is as a player,” Harris said. “I can’t assure you of very much in terms of next year but the one thing I can assure you is I won’t be outworked. I would be shocked if I’m not a better player next year than I am this year. I know a lot of people roll their eyes at that or doubt when I say these things … I can promise you that I will be a better football player next year. I wouldn’t come back if I thought I was going to plateau or hit my ceiling.”

During the 2025 season, Harris threw for 4,549 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

He also added he’s curious how far they can take things in the province. Saskatchewan has never won the Grey Cup in back-to-back seasons.

“I think when you have the right cards in your hand, to just play one and possibly have the same cards in your hands to go play it again, why wouldn’t you? Why wouldn’t you be able to play them better if you have more experience and you have guys together,” Harris said.

The 39-year-old said he wanted to make sure he made a rational decision when it came to returning for another year. He said he has plenty of meetings with his trainers, a nutrition protocol and look over game film to determine how he could be better.

“I go through a very. very rigorous protocol of doing those things and I put a lot into this. My offseasons will probably be what will retire me before my in-season stuff because it is pretty exhausting,” Harris said. “On the drive home, I talked to AJ (Ouellette) a little bit. My wife had sent me a really long text message about how happy she is in Regina and how much she loves being there and how happy it makes her to see me happy at my work.

“Just feel like it was one of those things where it was a no-brainer but let’s make sure the motivation is there and the drive is there and it is. Why not? Let’s go.”

The Waldo, Ohio, product admitted every year since he was 32, he’s told his wife it could be his last year.

“As the year wore on, I was feeling better and better and I feel like my play is getting better and I feel like the guys here, we are kind of hitting our stride,” Harris said. “It was a little bit past Labour Day where I was like, ‘I think I’d be leaning toward playing again,’ but I try to do the best I can about not going there because it takes the focus off of where I am at and thinking about the future,” Harris said.

Harris admitted a two-year contract was talked about but it was brief.

“I don’t think we will have too much drama if at the end of the year, there’s mutual interest to come back, I think we will make it work,” Harris said. “It’s more or less that I’m going to be 40 years old, so why sign the long-term deal and complicate things a little more. I feel if I’m going to play, I’m going to be playing for the Green and White and if they want me to keep playing, we will find a way to make it work.”

Harris is the first big domino to fall for the team and general manager Jeremy O’Day as work continues on putting together the team for 2026. Harris admits he has been on the phone and talking to some of their pending free agents to get them back for next season.

“I got a message (Thursday) from a tow or three teammates — it was weird timing — but it was like, ‘Trevor, are you re-signing? I need to know what you’re doing,'” Harris said. “I don’t know how much recruiting you have to do, everybody wants to be here … people want to be here and it has become a destination.”