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On the field, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are warriors. Scoring touchdowns, sacking quarterbacks, and bringing Rider Nation to their feet. But off the football field, they’re just like us – they have big dreams, they’re raising families, and maybe even nurturing a hidden talent. Hosted by Daniella Ponticelli, Air It Out will bring fans even closer to the players, coaches and staff of the Green and White with topics that go beyond the Xs and Os and to the heart of what makes the Saskatchewan Roughriders so special to its fans and its community.
Pete Robertson: Hello. How you guys doing? This is Pete Robertson. Texas Pete. Texas finest.
I'm here with my best friend, Anthony Lanier.
Anthony Lanier II: How you gonna say best friend and not say the second?
Pete: Anthony Lanier the second, sorry guys.
[Musical transition]
Daniella [Narrator]: When it comes to football, rivalries often make headlines. But you’ll find, on
every team, there are friendships that grow beyond the game.
I am Daniella Ponticelli, the host of Air of It: A Saskatchewan Roughrider Podcast.
This week I sit down with two pairs of B-F-F’s: Best Football Friends.
Starting with defensive linemen Anthony Lanier the second and Pete Robertson …
Pete: I don’t know what it is about this guy that me and him kind of stuck together, you know
what I mean? I just love being around him. He a funny dude. Sometimes he do upset me, but
he’s a guy man that I know, in any situation, on or off the field, he’s gonna back you up.
Daniella: Later – you’ll hear from wide receiver Jake Wienek and starting quarterback Trevor
Harris.
Trevor: We’re like brothers for eternity first, we’re like friends second and then it’s like we’re
teammates third. Uh, it’s just like one of those rare relationships you come across in life.
Daniella: These friends have a lot to share about each other – beginning the duo who live
together and claim to have the CLOSEST friendship of any on the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Daniella [host]: Anthony Lanier the Second. Pete Robertson. You two play on the defensive line
together as Saskatchewan Roughriders. But take me back to how you two first met through
football.
Pete: 2017? 2017.
Anthony: There you go.
Pete: We became teammates. My first year I was with Seattle and he was already with
Washington. We’re the Commanders now and our dynamic, our friendship started in 2017.
Anthony: Started going into, you know, meeting together, sitting by each other and, you know,
just rapping in the locker room because that's mostly where the camaraderie comes. And then
one thing that we noticed that we had in common was, one, we love to rush the passer. And
also the team noticed it. So they used to have me and him line up against everybody every day,
even after practice, and made us go when it was against every offensive lineman and we never
lost.
Pete: It was fun, but it was tiring. [Pete and Anthony laugh] But I think that that helped boost me
and his relationship with him being, you know, more than just teammates, but friends for the
long haul because, you know, we kind of is funny because we kind of the same like same
person. You know, we both from the south, he from Georgia, from Texas and our dynamic, we
just, it picked up from there. I think we talk probably like every week.
Anthony: you know, check in everything good? You know.
Pete: Yeah. I talked to his mom. He would talk to my mom. He’ll talk to my brothers. You know,
we hang out. It'd be tight. There are times we would call each other around, it would be like two
in the morning, one in the morning. But, you know, Georgia is an hour ahead of Texas, so.
Anthony: So it's just like, randomly we up at the same time. It's like we’re on the same time
clock.
Pete: And we were we're definitely we're both early birds. We're probably both up around 5:00 in
the morning.
Daniella: And when is bedtime?
Anthony: It just depends.
Pete: It just depends. Sometimes with us we will go to sleep without knowing we even sleep,
right?
Anthony: Because the funny thing about it, you get to watching film and then you sitting and
talking about it so much and in this like brother, like, look at it like, why is he doing this? Like,
And then the next thing you know you’re kind of just locked into and he's like, ‘Hey, Pete? Pete!’
And he’s like, ‘Oh my bad, my bad, my bad dirty.”
Daniella: So you guys, you met obviously playing in Washington. Did you like each other from
the get go?
Pete: Oh for sure. That team that we had there, you know, we had a lot a lot of up and down.
We win and losses. But as far as like a together group, you know it was a lot of guys from the
South they could relate. It was a huge brotherhood we had there you know in like he grown
because then I had a family member that played with Washington as well and he knew Anthony
before I knew him and we was all genuinely close, you know, as friends. So we used to crack
jokes on each other and all that. And they used to talk about my nose and I used to talk about
his feet, his feet. Anthony got huge feet.
Anthony: You had to bring up he used to bring up that part? [Laughs]
Pete: So as you see, we crack a lot of jokes.
Daniella: Oh Gosh, you've kind of already started doing it in terms of describing each other,
talking about how funny you are. But describe each other, you know, in as much seriousness as
you can, I guess, as both players and as people.
Anthony: I'ma take this one, the first one. Describing Pete, I have to say, definitely a person you
could depend on, on especially on the field, because a lot of the things as far as visual that
come, that may be hidden for me, especially like being at the defensive tackle position
sometimes are overlooked or not seen and vocalized by him and being able to trust him as far
as you know, was the right connection. I mean, what’s the right track that we got to run and
making sure that we know what we watch. And I understand exactly what he's seeing just by
him, what he's saying, like it helps us play so much better because at the same time, with him
looking at me and telling me or or him saying these things or we vocalizing them back and forth
to each other, we know how to play off each other because we've been playing with each other
so long. He say, okay, this type of say, well, he might go on on this one or he might go over on
top of his. This might be a sticky situation for him. So let me go ahead and take these up off of
him and he can go make this play, you know, So it's never no, you see less like selfishness
between everybody as a whole just off what we do at the start.
Pete: Yeah. um, describing Anthony. First and foremost, I can say throughout the years when
playing sports, I always have a genuine friendship with everybody. You know, I try to get close to
everybody on the team, but sometimes I don't know what it is about this guy that made him kind
of stuck together, you know what I mean? And I just love being around him and he a funny
dude. Sometimes he do upset me, but he he's a guy, man, that I know in any situation on or off
the field, you know, he's going he going to back you up, 24/7. And he's a guy that especially
when we on the field like you say, you know, I make a certain call, a certain adjustment where
the guys don't see it. And he's a guy that me and him got so much chemistry together. We done
play together, practice together over the amount of years, he know exactly what I'm saying as
I’m alerting it. I do a lot of things. I do sign language a lot while we are out there, instead of
being vocal because some teams are smart enough to pick up on, you know, what we keep
saying and stuff like that. I do a lot of sign language to where you get to a point. Anthony I
already know when a certain formation come or something come up here. I know where I'm kind
of going with, you know, I mean, or like now how they trying to play the game now with both of
us kind of been on the outside, trying to take one of us out and you know try to minimize the
other one. But I think our communication and how we both approach the game is unmatchable
you know, and this game right here, I can say that is more than football to us. You know, it gave
us an opportunity to be the providers of our family. It gave us an opportunity to be the guys that
the community look up to. a guy with opportunity, the opportunity to be around the kids and and
establish what we done learn and what we done did to the kids because, you know, Anthony
have his foundation with the undefeated warrior, what he do with the kids back home. And a lot
of people don't know I actually coach during my offseason. I'm an actual coach. I'm an assistant
D-line coach at the high school and I coach middle schools, the basketball out of the basketball
level because you know, we being football while they and football as well so we involved in life
with the kids you know because we was a kid before and we still have that kid mindset where
we know that every kid need opportunity we both kind of feed off of it and we enjoy being
around each other, like I said before, and it's like it's a is like when we go on an offseason, we
enjoy our time, but it's like when we call each other so much and I know it’s getting to a point
where I’m like, ‘Alright you know we will have to see other right?’ Well, you know so Anthony
here so it was times he would come to Texas and me I move around all across the bay where
he'll be and he'd be looking for places to fish and
[Pete, Anthony and Daniella laugh}
Pete: And I be chilling and he’s be like ‘Man, I’m in Houston, Come to Houston.’ I'm like, ‘Bro,
I'm like 5 hours away.’ You know, he'd get mad at me that I'm far away. And then when he in
town. I'm trying to get him, you know, get with me. And, you know, it’s just like, after the years
going on, man, the relationship it done got so big it’s something that, you know, I endure and I
love it.
Daniella: Tell me then, what do you guys like to do together?
Pete: Call of Cuty. Anthony just bought an XBox not too long ago.
Anthony: Yeah I'm I'm getting introduced to it.
Pete: And he's on the call of duty way with me so we are definitely big on that and the thing is
during the offseason we do so much with the kids. We kind of be busy within our states, but
actually this year coming up, we are we putting a project together to where I'mma pack my guys
up, we're going to travel down to Georgia and we're going to do like a big seven on seven
tournament while I bring some guys from Texas and some guys from Georgia. And we're going
to, at the end of the tournament camp or however you want to call it, we're going to have like
some gifts, we're going to talk, we'll have some more guys that we play football with that
involved in they communities trying to, you know, get into it with us. So I think that's that's that's
that's our biggest goal this offseason. Once we get together is to a do something for the kids.
Daniella: That's great and you have to start planning it now, right?
Pete: Yeah, yeah. We’ve been planning it since they offseason. So it's going to be a good deal
for sure.
Daniella: You have to be good friends to live together harmoniously. Especially when you're
spending so much time together. Pete, you mentioned something about sometimes he upsets
me? [Group laughter] I want to know more about that.
Pete: Well, you know, Anthony, sometimes choose to direct me, And you know what? He's not
wrong. I'm gonna tell you guys [Anthony laughs] even though I do get upset.
Anthony: I appreciate that, I appreciate that.
Pete: It’s just that sometimes I will get I will I will lose my mind sometimes. And you know, you
got to had a friend to bring you back to play. You know, I never was you know, you always me
personally the friends I do have they I always tell you when you right or wrong and you know at
in this day and age how life is I don't want nobody around me that's going to tell me you know,
I'm saying I'm right even though I'm doing wrong. If I'm wrong, let me know what I'm doing
wrong. You know what I mean? Because life's too short, you know? I mean, I. I have children. I
have two. I have a daughter and son. He has a daughter and son, you know, I mean, so it's like
it's bigger than us, you know what I mean? So my attitude at that moment in time, just like for
him, if he upset and I got to pull him to the side, he don't want to hear it, but he know I'm gunna
tell it just the same, vice versa he’s going to let me know as well.
Anthony: Yeah because there's a difference when, you know, anybody can come tell you that.
But it's just the being who we are to each other, you know, it makes it that much more like caring
because you know that they actually care and they actually love you and they actually worry
about what's going on with you. So you take it to heart more. You can understand him more.
Pete: At that moment, you might say some cuss words, but you know, but later on that day you
going, you know once because we not the type of guys we're not going to stay mad all day.
Anthony: Nah, if this happened on the field you wrong? We going to ride behind each other. You
wrong? We wrong together. But now if you wrong and then we get back here and watch this
film. Hey, hey, hey, hey. We was wrong, and we need to [Laughs].
Pete: Yeah, but I think that's the biggest dynamic. we we, we definitely.
Anthony: And it’s vice versa every day.
Daniella: Yeah. You hold each other accountable.
Pete: Definitely.
Daniella: You mentioned your children. It's got to be tough to be away from them this long during
the season. But that’s part of being a professional athlete and both of you have lived this. Does
your friendship help with that? Are you able to kind of lean on one another?
Pete: Yeah because we both been through similar situations with our kids and it helps.Like, you
know, I just got back from the bye. We both like my son's birthday tomorrow, you know, and just
like, during camp. It was my daughter’s birthday. And since I've been in Canada, I've missed
three of her birthdays, which I normally don't miss. My son. I missed the birth. And the first
birthday and this one. Butt um, being with them guys, like I was saying on the field earlier, at
practice. Man, you guys are the only reason why I would miss anything, you know, that tend to
do my kids.
Anthony: Definitely, my bad, definitely because at the same time, you know, people don't think
about how far away we are from home and how we miss our families as well. So like, and that
comes with the team camaraderie as Pete says and being in tune with the people. Because just
like me k nowing that, you know, I'm going to celebrate that birthday, you know, with it or, you
know, trying to make his day a little bit brighter. Because I know how I would feel if I was, you
know, wanting to be home with my children at that time as well. So their birthday as good as my
children’s birthday, you know, making sure that everybody understands that we are in this
together. Because what people also don't know is and you know, it's been told a couple of times,
but, you know, I’mma say it officially and let it be known that as well. I wouldn't be in Canada if it
wasn't for, you know, Pete actually calling me and sitting down and talking to me and asking me
to come up here with him and I'm giving him his flowers right now because we’re on his
microphone, because that was a dark time in my my career. And I was about to hang up my
cleats and my boy came through and called me. Asked me to come up here with him. And that
was one of the better decisions I made by coming up here and being with my brother.
Daniella: Yeah. I mean, that's that's friendship right there. That's love. I wanted to ask about
that, obviously, because, Pete, you signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders February of
2020.
Pete: Right.
Daniella: There was no season. You opted out. You opted back in and then, Hey, you’re buddy,
you're Buddy Anthony was there. What kind of happened during that time for you?
Pete: You know, that's when we was all kind of traveling with, you know, and didn't nobody know
about the pandemic and things was going to happen like that. And once, you know, everything
had happened with the pandemic, I was kind of stuck within what should I do? And it was funny
because the pandemic actually blessed me because I was able to start a trucking company with
a guy, went to college, which is still doing phenomenal. And a shout out to JJ. JJ, I love you.
That's my my business partner doing a great job. And I started my trucking company. I was
actually driving for a while. I was working with my trucks and my employees for a minute and
Paul Jones gave me a call and he wanted me to sign because it was funny because they was
actually trying to get me to sign when I had left Washington in 2018. But I really wasn't, you
know, up for it yet. About coming to Canada and I ended up going still playing another year in
the NFL. And once I finally got that call, you know, I was just like, you know what? I'ma test it out
and I’ll see what it's about. You know, Paul really. You know, he sound like he he he wanted me
to get here so bad. So I well, you know, I'm a test, you know? I don't got nothing to lose. There’s
a pandemic going on. And as I was talking to Paul, he said, Oh, what about you, your brother?
Your boy? And my mind like, who you talking about? And he say, Oh, Anthony, I gave him a
call, you know, he said he gon call back. And I say, ‘Anthony Lanier?’ I say, man, Paul I'll call
you back. Let me call. And I'll remember [laughs] I remember [laugh] as soon as I got on the
phone with Ant. I'm talking to him.
Anthony: You got to say it, if you got to say it. Yeah, go ahead.
Pete: I say, Ant, man, you won't come? He say, Ant say, ‘Man them folks called you?’ [Pete and
Anthony laugh] I say, ‘yeah man, I think I'm a go.’ You’re gunna go? I say, ‘Yeah, I'm a go. But
listen, if I go, I need you with me. He said, Man, I'mgunna thing about it. I said, ‘Man, don't do a
lot of thinking,I need you with me.’ He hung up the phone. I don't think he was an hour later, he
called me back saying, ‘Let's do that.’
Anthony: Because at that point in time, like I said, I wasn't thinking about playing football
anymore or anything like that. So the request wasn't for me to come play football so much in my
head. It was, ‘Come back your brother up.’ Because he about to go to war.
Pete: Yeah.
Anthony: You know what I'm saying? So it was I. And then, you know, our family, a family goes
and that's my family. Right or wrong, we going into it. Yeah. You know.
Pete: I told him, we're going to go up here together, we're going to handle the league together
and you know, God blessing us right now to this day, you know, we we playing lights out and I
pray he continue to keep us healthy and and we keep keep playing how we play.
Daniella: Yeah. You guys had, you know, the highs of 2021. Last year, there were some
challenges for the teamThis year, though, your third season with the Riders, what are you each
focused on?
Anthony: Just the growth of our legacy. Because as of right now, I think we're doing Rider Nation
some justice by showing them that they made the right decision by having us here and putting
the faith in us to make sure that we get the job done. You know, the fans are getting pad and
they have something more to talk about. And we love to hear the energy that they're bringing to
us because one thing about Rider Nation, they will give it to you. However, one thing they going
to ride behind you, too.
Pete: I think the biggest thing you know, with us going into this year is, in my mind, just stay
healthy and be consistent. You know, I think, God gone handle everything else for us, you know,
as long as we keep him first and at the end of the day, you know, this is a game we've been
playing for so long.You know, that's why I'll be talking to some of the rookie. They 're asking you,
are you nervous? Nah, it's another day. It's another day for us. So this is the game I love is the
game he love, you know, is what we going to do until, you know, it's time for us to hang it up.
Daniella: You two obviously bring a lot of energy to the Riders defence Describe what it's like
actually being out there in the trenches in the battle with your, with your best friend.
Pete: you know, besides just being out there with Ant, being out there with Micah. Miles or
Christmas. Larry Dean. Moncrief. Nic Marshall. Reavis, Henderson, Jeremy Clark. Rolan. Man,
it's a defence Anthony and me love playing on. We love them guys behind us because they
know at the end of the day oh Ant coming in with barking [laughs] I'm coming in with the money
game.
Anthony: uh uh.[laughs]
Pete: you know, man we gone bring the energy. Especially up front, it start with us. It start with
us. And you know, we got another guy, Micah Johnson that’s, you know, been in the league for a
long time. And he was actually one of the guys that we when we first got here,
Anthony: He was he was the top dog.
Pete: Yeah, he was he was he was the top dog when we got here. I know one thing about me
and Ant, man, We we always give, you know, people their respect.
Anthony: Definitely.
Pete: You know, and he was a guy that, you know, we dealt with, you know, a majority of the
time we was close. We still we close with today. I think our relationship with him got even
stronger, especially with this season coming back because, it’s funny, because he even want to
come back to be here with us. Going to war with them guys and participating in every game,
practice weight room, you know, it's something that you're going to forever remember, you know,
I mean, there's something that within your career you're going to know certain teams you play it
on or who you play with. You know I'm pretty sure me and Ant going to continue talking and go
‘Man, you remember when such and such did this? Or such and such did that?’ You know and
know just by being able to play with them guys. You know what I mean? It's so it's a great
opportunity because there's a lot of people that's within our age or where we from don't get the
opportunity to even play, you know, college, you know what I'm saying? Or even try to get the
chance to sniff professional. So building that bond and being with this team, because we got
some guys that's besides me and Anthony, like Moncrief and Dean, for instance, man them
guys how they approach the game from practice, film it’s, it’s remarkable, you know. I mean, it's
like they remind of the guys who've been in the NFL. Cause they approach it as, you know the
CFL is nothing not far from from the NFL, let me clear that up. Because there's great talent up
here. But how them guys approach the game, how they take certain little things serious, even
on special teams, them guys not even on special teams, it go to show you that, okay we know
each other care, me and Anthony, but now we see okay these guys care as much as we do.
And we gonna have no problem you know, busting somebody across the head for them guys.
Anthony: Right.
Pete: You know, me and Anthony wll lay it out.. I tell Ant, Man take all of them out [laughs] Take
em all out. You know, and we will be on, you know, we'll be on with team leaders too.
Daniella: [laughter] What are some of your favourite moments playing together so far? And I
know that's a big question because we really have lots of good memories.
Anthony: I got I got two real good ones and it was kind of crazy because we went down to
Winnipeg our first years up here, and that's when they got real cold.
Pete: We played in that cold, it that final.
Daniella: Yeah.
Pete: In that final. Oh my God.
Anthony: We looked at each other in the locker room and we, like, already knew in our head it
wasn’t no time to back down from it. We took our shirts off. We walked around the field. And it
was just like, ‘Okay, yeah, we back out here, it's time to do this.’ And we had Winnipeg’s stadium
dead silent. Untouchable. My favourite one, though, I got to say, of all time with him: we were in
the red zone and he came around the corner onto my, just, you know, just fluent pass rush,
move, you know, his favorite one and you know that one.
Pete: mhmm.
Anthony: and just watching him because I'm on the same track trying to get there and you know
it was just like being able to admire each other's determination to get to that point. But, you
know, he got a sack and got up – and this is my favourite part – he got up, he turned around and
looked at me like, come on. He shot out for about 20 yards and then did his little set, beating on
his chest and crawling on the ground. But like, people don't I don't think people understand and
really can see that in the game. There's genuine love and support of each other. But like, I'm
over here acting like, I just got to a sack. And he got it. And I'm like, Oh, money game, money
game uh uh. Get him, baby! [laughter]
Pete: oh, um, one of my favourite –I got a lot, I got a lot. But this one right here.
Anthony: Hey, keep it clean.
Pete: Yeah, I'm gonna keep it clean. This one right here is one of my favorites. We was playing
Ottawa last year, when all the crazy stuff went on. I suffered my injury, you know, And I
remember when I suffered my injury, the first person I see when I look up, it was Ant. I ain’t
never seen him this livid. I tell you he was hotter than fish grease. Hot. Mad. He say, looking me
dead in my eyes, ‘Don't worry about it I got you.’ With the next play – well, you know
quarterback got hurt, not that play – but the play after you know when it was Anthony or one of
them D-line end up causing the fumble, we get the ball back. As I'm sitting down, I look up again
They bring me the football. Anthony had it. So that that moment right there for me because I, I
was you know, I was I was devastated cause I honestly thought, you know, I had a
season-ending injury how my foot and stuff, that situation happened. So that moment right there
for me, that's when I knew, you know, if I go down, anything happened, whatever, I know, you
know what I'm saying? This guy right here, he going he going to hold it down for me. He going
make sure he I don't care what he he going to hurt himself trying to get get back for me. So that
was one moment, man, that I was like, I was like, ‘Dang, well, all right, this my boy.’ [laughs] I
love him so.
Daniella: Well it's incredible that you two have had so much time to work together. Obviously
now live together as professional athletes, a job that just by its nature comes with movement
and a lot of change. Regardless of what happens in the future, what are you both appreciating
about this moment right now?
Anthony: Life. Just being a part of each other, being able to share this opportunity together,
share these memories together, because he will go home. I will go home. We will talk all these
tales about what we did up here. And until they hear or see us in person with each other,
actually seeing that confirmation and understanding the energy level that's coming from it. And
uh, footballs that we were talk about that we got at the house that’ll be up on podiums, jerseys
that will be hanging over in each other’s houses and it's an unexplainable feeling that we wish
people could feel. Because when you don’t have a feeling of having people, especially with me,
because I'm an only child, so you know that brother/sister love, I never understood it or felt it.,
beautiful this is what it feels like, hold onto it forever.
Pete. Like I say, it’s life because I just got to say life, man. We got to be appreciative because if
if it weren't for the things we sacrifice. if it wasn’t for the blessings we've received, you know, we
wouldn't be here today. We wouldn’t both be on this podcast, you know, with you. Even with
you, everybody, you know, I feel like everybody's blessed in their own favor and I just celebrate
life. Even just traveling, coming down here, it’s funny. I was on the flight coming down. We was
going through a storm and the plane was shaking and stuff like that. But I was just sitting there
thinking, I'm like, you know, you you got to you got to appreciate everything you go through, you
know? So you're going to go through storms , you're going to go through trials, you're going to
go through a lot. It’s about how you come out, you know, and I always say even after a loss, the
loss we suffered against Winnipeg, I wasn’t even upset. Because, like I tell them all the time,
you know, you not defined, or you know, you can't define yourself until you bounce back from a
loss. You can’t define yourself until you've been down, you know, saying where you feel like you
can't come up no more and then you find a way up. You know what I mean? And that just grows
within being a hard worker, you know what I'm saying? Accepting reality and dealing it. Facing it
instead of running from it. We deal with it. We face it. And we handle it right then and there and
we move on from it. So one thing I’m appreciative of is definitely life at all times.
[Musical Transition]
Daniella [Narrator]: Our next two guests drew a lot of hype on the first day of free agency.
Trevor Harris: Yeah, I’m Trevor Harris, quarterback and play for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Jake Wieneke: Jake Wieneke, wide receiver for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Daniella: Before making the move west this year, the two played together for the Montreal
Alouettes. And quickly learned, they have A LOT in common.
[Musical Transition]
Daniella [host]: Trevor, Jake, let’s start at the beginning. The most important question here in
your friendship [laughs] how did you two meet?
Jake: I guess I briefly met him when he went, I think it was 22 for 22. He started the game with,
is that what it was? in the 2019 Eastern finals. We played against him. I was in Montreal, he was
in Edmonton. Uh, Eastern semifinals, and started off 22 for 22. And after that game, I think I
briefly met him and I said, ‘Good job, you destroyed us.’ [laughter] But then I guess I officially
met him and kind of became friends when he came to Montreal in 2021. And I just met him in
the locker room his first day right before practice. And and I heard so many great things about
him. Knew just the type of man he was, the man of God that he was, the leader that he was and
obviously the football player that he was. And yeah, I got to kind of first meet him then and then
our relationship started to grow a little bit in 2021, throughout that Bible study. And then when he
signed back, when we both signed back in 22, I think is when our relationship really took off.
And actually a funny story how that kind of happened before 2022 season. I was on my way. We
were both driving up to training camp and I was on my way. I was in Indianapolis visiting my
cousin on the way up. I just kind of split the trip up there and my car broke down the morning I
was driving to Montreal and I called Trevor, it was like 4 a.m.. He's not even awake yet. And I
was like, Hey, my car just broke down. I don't know how I'm going to get there. And he ended up
coming, meeting me halfway. My cousin dropped me halfway and I rode the rest of the way to
the training camp with Trevor, and it was just an awesome time. First of all, just his being able to
take out, take 3 hours going the opposite way or an hour and a half there and an hour and half
back. Taking 3 hours out of his way to make the trip. We didn't get into Montreal till like 2 a.m.,
but we had an awesome time just just getting to fellowship and just growing our relationship with
each other, talking about the Lord, talking about football, talking about life. And I think that just
even just jump started our relationship even more.
Trevor: Yeah, it was. It's funny because the first time I actually saw Jake was in the 2019
season, and I was like, Man, this guy's pretty good. You know, watch him throughout the year.
And the funny thing is, is the playoff game, you know, all this stuff that happened, he's always
like he's like the first thing he says, he's like, Dude, your haircut looks so good.
[Group laughter]
Trevor: So I’m just like, dude my haircut? Like, we just balled, like we played a playoff game.
Yeah. And then when I signed with or when I got traded to Montreal, it was more or less I heard
a lot of things about everybody, just, you know, your reputation, a lot of time precedes yourself
and you hear so many great things about Jake. And so often I said, I should say, very few times
in life you meet somebody where they exceed your expectations in terms of the football player
they are, but more importantly, the type of man they are. And Jake's been like, I mean, shoot,
he's however years younger than me and he's a mentor to me in a lot of ways because I learn
from him and grow from him in a lot of ways. And so it's like more than a friendship. It's like a,
it's like a brotherhood. It's like a legitimate brotherhood with Jake and so to me, like, it's just
been, you know, we're like brothers, you know, eternity first. We're like friends second. And then
it's like we're teammates third. It's just like one of those, you know, rare relationships you come
across in life. And so it's just been a blessing to me. And I'm just thankful that he he's stuck with
me now. He's going to be my friend for the rest of his life. [Group laughter}
Daniella: So the fact that you two met on the field after playing one another, I don't know if you
can even answer this question; Did you know right away you two would have this extra special
bond?
Trevor: No, I mean, we didn't, like, come up with a super secret handshake after the playoff
game or anything. [Laughter]
Daniella [joking]: No, you didn’t?
Trevor: Even, you know, the first couple of days in Montreal. Like, I'm just trying to learn the
offense and it's just it's funny because my first or second practice there, I remember Jake got hit
late on a play and one of our coaches was like, I think Jake even said a cuss word.
Daniella: Oh no.
Jake: There’s no way.
Trevor: and I was like, I go, you said a cuss word? Like, I was like, Why is that even a deal? And
he was like, I didn't say a cuss word. And I was like, Oh, you didn't. Okay. And to this day, I've
never heard Jake say a swear word. On top of that, more importantly, I've never heard him say
negative word about a single person. And he's the only person in my life I know that I can say
that about. Two years I've known him and I've never heard him say a single negative word about
a single person. And he's the only person I know that I've come across. I never heard gossip.
And so, like I said, there's so many incredible things you can learn about Jake. But I think
honestly, the biggest thing I've learned is just how steadfast he is and who he is, the authenticity
and, you know, who he is every single day. It's unchanging, it's unwavering. Whether he's hurt,
injured, tired, sick, not football is not going the way he wants. It doesn't matter. Same guy every
day. And, you know, I just think there's just so many things you could say, but that's about how
I'd wrap them up in one sentence right there.
Daniella: And when you think then about what you do get to talk about, right? When you take
away gossip, when you take away negativity, you get to fill your conversations with so much
more. So share a little bit about what you do often talk about. I know football's up there, faith is
up there and family. You do have such a great connection now, both of you welcoming new
additions to the family.
Jake: I think that's what's was so cool about spending time with him. I mean, he mentioned a
little bit earlier, too, there might be a little bit of an age gap, but I feel like what's so cool is we go
on the road and we're sitting in the room. Yeah, we talk about football. Yeah, we we talk about a
lot of different things. But I think what's was so cool is we both have ultimately our same vision
of how we want to live. We want to honor God in all that we do. We want to seek him with our
whole heart and we want to love God. We want to love our family, want to love those that he's
put in our life. And we're in very similar spots in as far as our marriage with our wives. We will
have three kids now. Our kids are a couple of them are about the same age. He's got one that's
a couple years older as well. But now we will have newborns at about the same age. We both
have a three year old and it's just cool to to kind of go through similar stages in life. And then
also also knowing ultimately they were both seeking the same thing in life. And I think when you
when you find that it's just easier, like I can just I can just come into my come into our room and
just know like I don't have to have an agenda of what I want to talk about, whatever. Like it just it
just happens. I don't know. It's hard to explain because whenever I'm around him, like, it's just
so easy just to get deep into talk. Whereas a lot of times those conversations are tough and
then and you really got to work hard at it. But when me and him are talking and just all of
sudden we can be joking around and also now we're okay, we're talking about the truth. We're
talking about real life, real things that we're going through. And I think that's why I love being
around, because I know I'm going to grow. I know I'm and have fun. I know we're going to joke
around. We're going to enjoy one another's company. But also every time I'm around him, I
become a better man.
Trevor: And fun fact is, if you come into our hotel room, it's essentially a treatment center.
[Group laughter] We have, you know, floss bands, sometimes a slant board, we've got laser,
we've got massage guns. And it's funny because one of us will start like doing something for
like, you know, prehab, rehab, like trying to stretch or whatever it may be. And then all of a
sudden the other one will stand up and start. This becomes like a competition that it's just like
you're just rehabbing and doing all these things to get yourself feeling better, like the whole
night. And so it's just like one of those things that we just keep talking the entire time. And so
we've got quite a bit of treatment devices. So if you're ever you're on our team and you ever
need some treatment, you know, come to our room.
Daniella: Now, I know that you have nicknames for a lot of players, different receivers. Do you
call each other by your first names or do you two have nicknames for each other?
Trevor: Yeah, we typically call each other by our first names when we're together. But for around
teammates, his nickname is JL for Jesus Lover and my nickname actually changed this year,
which is kind of one of those things I’m not sure how it works.
Daniella: Oh.
Trevor: but they made me change it because it was brand new. And so my nickname is Sheriff.
Daniella: Oh, you like it? It's good.
Trevor: It's okay.
Jake, laughing: He wants to change it to Chimney.
Daniella: Oh?
Trevor: Yeah. I wanted to change it to Chimney because I was like, I want all the smoke so I
wanted to be chimney, but [Jake laughs] it was just a fun joke, but the name’s Sheriff for now.
Daniella: Sheriff. I like that [laughs] strolling into town making some big changes that’s for sure. I
know you've both talked a little bit about the journey to Saskatchewan, but I'm excited to have
both of you here to kind of talk about that, about what happened at the end of last season and
the excitement from Jake – from Jake [Jake laughs] — to get here to Saskatchewan. I just love
this story.
Trevor: In January we were in Missouri at our Christian convention and we're like talking to
people and they were like, ‘So who do you guys, who do guys play for? You guys play in the
Canadian Football League?’ And Jake's like, ‘Yeah, we played for Montreal last year, but next
year we're both going to play for Saskatchewan.’ And I like looked at him and I was like, What is
this dude talking about? And he like, said it like, we didn't know this person. Like it wasn't like
somebody that we knew. He's like, ‘Yeah, we're both going to play for Saskatchewan. I'm going
there and he's coming too, for sure.’ [Group laughter] So like, yeah, I was like, Jake, actually. I
looked down and I had a text from Danny Maciocia at the time and I was like, ‘Man, I don't
know,’ because like, Danny was like, We're going to work this thing out, bro. I promise you. I
was like, I don't know, man. I'm not sure. Like, But yeah, he said it, and here we are.
Daniella: And you were just so confident.
Jake: I think yeah, I was just very hopeful and yeah, at the time too, I really didn't know if I was
going to. And I definitely didn't know if Trevor. I mean, he was the franchise quarterback at the
time for Montreal, in my opinion. So I thought he was for sure going to be back there. But I think
I was definitely hoping to be here and hoping that Trevor would somehow too. And and at that
time we hadn’t, we both hadn’t even started being in conversation with Saskatchewan yet. So I
mean, it was it was kind of a far, far out there idea, but I guess we were just more so hoping for
that. I was hoping for that. And I would have loved to play with Trevor. And just the fact that it all
worked out. I mean, it was just amazing. Just a God thing that it all worked out like that.
Daniella: And so then you start having conversations, I would imagine, with the Roughriders.
And I know, Jake, you asked Trevor for some advice. Did you ask Trevor for some advice on
how to handle some of the free agency negotiations?
Jake: [Laughs] I mean, I was talking with Trevor throughout it, but ultimately I just wanted to be
here. So, I mean, I told Trevor that, I told the coaches that I told Coach Dickey that. J-O,
everybody. I just said, I want to be here. And this is really where I wanted to be and I'm glad that
I'm here now.
Trevor: Yeah. So it was, you know, right around the window time opening up and I called Jake
and I was like, we go, We're going to Sask. And I’m going to make sure you're coming with me.
And, and yeah, actually that was when I kind of knew. And I was like, I and we need to make
sure we get Jake here because he's a difference maker for us in the locker room and on the
field. And yeah, just somebody that I hope until I take my last snap, I get to play with this guy.
Daniella: You know, I think when when fans heard both of you were going to come here, there
might might have been this little fantasy expectation that you two would hit the field and it would
just be constant connection, you know, completions to one another. And that's not exactly how
things have rolled out early on in the season.
Trevor: Yeah, first that will come.
Daniella: Yeah [Laughter]
Trevor: That's not something I'm worried about. Jake played the majority of the last game we
played on a pretty, pretty good injury and the fact that he gutted through that is incredible. But
that'll come. You don't got to worry about that. That fantasy expectation. You can expect it. It's
just a matter of when that happens because we're going to blow the, blow the roof off of this at
some point. And him he's he's a guy that has to be involved and has to be at the forefront for us
to be that. And so, yeah, that will come.
Jake: Yeah, it's I think it's it's the funny thing about football because I mean, I think we have
those expectations I guess as well. I mean I had those I know coming into the season ago like I
think I think every player does and I think that's the cool thing about football. And the cool thing
about life is it just doesn't always go as planned, doesn't go as expected. And you know, I think
sometimes when you when you hit those different things, you might be questioned a little bit, but
able to be able to go through it with Trevor, and ultimately our faith in the Lord, is just like it's
going to carry us through. And knowing that we're not ultimately out there to just have success
and have everything go perfect. We're out there to glorify God in everything we do and strive to
get better every single day. And I think that's that's what's cool about football, is it teaches you to
continue to do that and just continue to to go every single day and get better, regardless of the
circumstance, regardless of the situation. In every single football game, you can look at so many
little pieces throughout the game, so many plays that you made or didn't make. And it's just like
if little things go a little bit differently, it is a big game or small game, whatever it might be. And
just to be able to continue to to grind through and get better every single day, knowing that
hopefully that will come.
Trevor: Yeah. And I think one of the most important things about football in general and this ties
into a lot of things that I think Jake and I talk about is what happens on the field and what we go
through on the field, it’s really not significant because in five years everybody will have done
forgot it. What is important is who we’re becoming in the process. And no matter what we go
through in life, it's really not that significant with the moment. There's I'm not I'm not
downplaying, you know, like there are big things that happen, you know, sometimes a family
member. So I'm not discounting that. But what I am saying is what is the most important thing
most of the time is who we're becoming throughout the process. So if it's not going well for you
in the field, so what? Who are you becoming? Are you going to become the person that that
becomes negative, that talks bad? Are you the type of person that’s going to speak positivity
that says, you know what, I need to turn up my work, I need to turn in my work ethic, I need to
take this situation and I'm going to turn this around. It's just like if anything bad happens to you
in life, who are you becoming in that process? Are you becoming somebody that just says, Woe
is me? I always have a dark cloud raining over my head. Well, guess what's going to happen?
That dark cloud is going to keep following you. But if you speak life, speak positivity. If you say
aw man, we’re about to – our breakthroughs coming, our breakthroughs coming, who you
becoming is that positivity person and that stuff will come and a lot of times life and death in the
power of the tongue.
Daniella: I want to just stop it there [Jake laughs] But I have more questions. That was, that was
very powerful. That's important stuff. I do mean that.
Jake: That’s good.
Daniella: You two talk about rooming on the road, but of course when you're here, you're home
with your families. Both of you now have three kids and everyone is settling into Saskatchewan.
You two live close enough to each other that you get to visit often or or what does that dynamic
been like? Just getting settled here and still having your friendships among your families too?
Jake: I think that's the cool thing about Saskatchewan too. Nothing's too far. So I mean
[Laughter]
Daniella: I realized that as I asked you, I'm like, Wait a minute. [Laughter]
Jake: Yeah, we're kind of on different sides of the town. But I mean, it still is ten, 15 minutes
away, so it's easy to get together. And I think that's something that's been cool even last year in
Montreal and even more so this year, just getting to get the families together and let the kids run
around. And and I think we've been become very good friends with each other's families. Our
wives are good friends and our kids are good friends. I'm good friends with the kids. So it's just
fun to to always get together and and just grow as families and just share a life together in the
fact that we both have newborns at the house. I think that even makes it a little cooler to to get
together and just knowing that we're in very similar stages. And ultimately, again, as families
also, we're seeking the same thing, seeking the Lord together.
Trevor: And I think it's also a commonality that it's like we find an excuse to go see each other
because I have an ARP machine, which is a pretty heavy duty treatment device, and it's at my
house. And, you know, if he's got something going on that he wants to, you know, get to feeling
better, then it's like, Hey, you want me to bring the ARP over or, Hey, do you mind if I come over
and get an ARP and I'll bring the kids and our kids play and then it ends up, you know, turning
into like a three or four hour, just hang out for a while. And so it's just it is really nice to be able
to have that. And so obviously the the whole treatment thing comes into play. The faith thing
comes into play because we go to church together and the football team comes into play
because then we come here every day to the best place in the world to play football and get to
spend time together.
Daniella: Turning it back to football now. What are some of your favorite memories? Just being
together out on the field.
Trevor: I mean, my first year in Montreal, I just remember like my first ever game that I played
and there came a call on the headset that I hadn't heard before. It was Pearl. And I look out
there and I was like, Pearl. I was like, Oh man, I don't know this one as I just got there a few
days before and I was like, I'm just looking for Jake. And so I watched Jake and I'm just like
looking for him. And unfortunately nothing was open. But as I kind of learned Pearl, we were
able to connect on it actually a couple weeks later. And then that couple of weeks later, Jake
actually scored two touchdowns. And I just remember that game. I was like, if I get man
coverage, I'm going to Jake because he's one of the best route runners I've ever been around.
He's able to generate separation, step on toes and be able to get his depth regardless of the
type of man coverage it is. And so he's just always somebody I've leaned on. And I remember
early in my and when I was in Montreal, when I wasn't quite comfortable learning the offense
yet, I remember just saying like, Jake, okay, let's go. And so like and he probably doesn't even
know that. But as it was like if it’s man, I was like, I'm just finding Jake. And I never even have
told him that. But that was a, that was the secret to my early success in Montreal was throwing
to him and Gino just no matter what.
Jake: I think some of the coolest things that I think of plenty of a lot of, I think memories in
Montreal and different things. But just like one thing just in general, it's just like just watching
Trevor, no matter the circumstances, no matter what, no matter how he's feeling, no matter how
the game is going, just continues to go out there and just give everything he has, every single
play. Like I think about this year, like so many times, like not a lot of people know exactly just like
how much pain he's in and what he's going through with his injury. But like, just I do. And just to
know what he's going through and watch him go out there and just grind through and also play
at such a high level, I think is something that I'll always just remember, just the toughness that
he is, how much he loves football and how much he just loves to be out there for his team and
ultimately for the Lord, striving to give everything he has. And it just it inspires me for sure. Just
just seeing him go out there, no matter how he's feeling, no matter what's going on in the game.
Daniella: What is something that people might not know about your friend here?
Trevor: Jake is the best hearts player in the world.
Jake: and Trevor is a little better.
Trevor: So we are on road trips. Like I was telling my wife the other day, I was like, whenever I
am done because, you know, I'm not 26. I was like, some of the things that I'll miss about
football is not necessarily game day. I was like, I'm going to miss, you know, when I get here at
610 in the morning and I walk up to the weight room or the film room, every day I walk by, I see
the dim light on in the linebacker room and I see Larry Dean watching film. And I'm just like,
man’s there’s Champ in there watching film at 615. You know, the leader of our defence. Just
like, that's something I'll miss doing is seeing that dim light and I'll miss the plane rides, you
know, getting the snack bag and looking and being like, ‘nah, we don't eat bread.’ And then like
we play hearts together and we name the other three players, our kids and we just wail on them
and we have such a good time just playing hearts. And then, yeah, those are like the things
you'll miss. And just like the bonding times with your teammates, you know.
Daniella: Definitely. What is the greatest thing – and this will be tough to narrow it down to one
thing – but if you had to summarize it and kind of put perspective on it, what is the greatest thing
about your friendship as it is right now, and it’s only going to get stronger?
Jake: I know every time I'm around Trevor, he points me closer to Jesus. He pushes me closer
to Jesus, He encourages me. It's funny, yesterday we were it's game day and I'm just hanging
out with the family. He's hanging with the family right before he comes to the facility. And so
every week, Bible study we have we've been doing this with our Bible study, even going back to
Montreal days, we have a memory verse. And you actually heard us saying our memory verse
before this podcast started and and he just calls me and he says, Man, I just I heard this quote,
actually it's it's kind of like a statement. And he starts naming off the verse and he starts listing
this verse that he actually goes beyond this week's verse into the next couple of verses. And it
just, it just inspired me. I say, Oh man, how like first of all, you’re a beast, that was awesome.
Second of all, when we hung up that phone, it inspired me to get into my Bible and spend time
with it so I can learn it. And I think that's just a daily thing. Every time I'm around him, he just
pushes me to become a better man and everything. Ultimately closer to Jesus, gets me in the
world, gets me praying more. Spending more time with the Lord, but also makes me a better
father, better with my kids, better with my wife, a better husband, a better football player, just a
better man in general. Better job loving on my teammates, encouraging my teammates. I mean,
every time I'm around him, he just pushes me to be better.
Trevor: That's good. I appreciate that a lot. I think too, I would echo exactly what Jay said, but I
would also say that the best part about Jake’s friendship to me is Jake has joy, not just
happiness. And I think there's a big difference that happiness is circumstantial. You're happy
when you get an ice cream cone and you get to eat it or you're happy when you win a game.
Jake has joy and it's uncircumstantial and a lot of times that speaks to me a lot because football
is not the most important thing in the world, but I treat it like it. And so when it's not going well, I
don't have joy. I've I've had to learn to try and have joy regardless of circumstances that way
and to have proper perspective. And to me, like that's been the coolest thing, is last year, for
whatever reason, they were not letting our best route runner run a lot of routs in games. And his
joy was it was uncircumstantial. He was always, I was just like, ‘Man, we've got to get you more
involved in the offence.’ Like, Dude, it don't matter, man. I'm out there playing for God, just like,
man, like, just stuff that gives you the chills when he says that stuff. And I was like, I can't talk to
you right now because you're way too good of a person. I'm trying to complain for you and
you're not letting me like [Laughter]
[Musical transition]
Daniella [Narrator]: It’s truly a joy to spend time with Trevor and Jake.
Just like it is sitting down with Anthony Lanier the second and his bestie, Pete Robertson.
It’s no surprise both conversations could have filled an entire episode on their own.
That’s why, next week, there will be a special bonus episode of Air it Out! Where the players
asked each other questions, and I test Anthony and Pete’s claim of having the BEST friendship
in the team.
Air it Out is hosted, written and edited by me; Daniella Ponticelli
With technical and editorial support from Blake Tiedeman and Arielle Zerr.
Our podcast graphics are designed by Angela Bailey.
Air it Out is a Saskatchewan Roughrider podcast.
[Musical Outro]