The Saskatchewan Roughriders will be starting their games without their quarterback, Trevor Harris, who recently suffered a tibial plateau fracture in his right knee. The injury was sustained midway through the fourth quarter of their closely contested game against the Calgary Stampeders.

Harris, a 37-year-old veteran in the CFL who recently celebrated his 100th career game, was injured with just over nine minutes remaining in the game. After an attempted scramble out of the pocket, he took a heavy hit that caused him to spiral and fall awkwardly, his right leg bearing the brunt of the impact. The stadium fell into an unsettling silence as the on-field action ground to a halt.

The seriousness of Harris’ injury became apparent as both Roughriders and Stampeders players gathered near midfield while he was carted off to the locker room. Before disappearing from the public view, Harris managed a brief wave to the crowd, his face buried in a towel.

The team confirmed on Sunday that Harris will undergo surgery in Regina to repair the damage to his knee. “We are optimistic Trevor will make a full recovery and are not ready to rule out a return at some point later in the season,” the Roughriders’ statement read.

In the wake of this unfortunate turn of events, backup quarterback Mason Fine will take the reins of the Roughriders’ offense. Following Harris’ injury, Fine stepped in, leading the Riders on two touchdown drives and securing a momentary lead before the Stamps snatched victory with a last-second field goal.

Fine, a 26-year-old native of Oklahoma, has been with the Riders since December 2020. Despite having only two career CFL starts under his belt, Fine has impressed his teammates with his unwavering commitment to the team and his extensive knowledge of the offensive playbook.

Despite his relative inexperience, Fine has quickly earned the trust of his teammates. Prior to Saturday’s game, he had completed 72-of-111 career passes for 754 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions in 19 career games.

The Roughriders, now with a 3-2 record, are set to return to the practice field ahead of their upcoming game against the 4-1 B.C. Lions in Vancouver. As the team adapts to the temporary loss of their star quarterback, all eyes will be on Fine as he shoulders the leadership of the Roughriders’ offence.