Photo courtesy: Jamie Douglas/B.C. Lions
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a franchise with few regrets these days — a Grey Cup title tends to do that. But for some in the Queen City, Justin McInnis will always be one that got away.
The two-time All-CFL receiver was a first-round pick by the Riders in the 2019 CFL Draft, but failed to meet expectations in three seasons with the team. It was only after the franchise let him walk for nothing in free agency that the native of Pierrefonds, Que., blossomed into one of the most feared pass catchers in three-down football.
“To be honest, I think the biggest thing was B.C. understood what kind of receiver I was more than Saskatchewan,” McInnis explained to 3DownNation. “They tried to use me more as a traditional tight end hybrid receiver, that’s not my game. I’m better out in space. I’m better when I can use my height and use those advantages.”
McInnis made just 10 catches for 149 yards in his rookie season with Saskatchewan in 2019. After the cancelled 2020 season, he reportedly arrived at his second training camp out of shape and struggled to stay healthy, making five catches for 83 yards in five games.
The 2022 season offered some redemption for the highly-touted target, as he set new career highs with 33 receptions for 364 yards and two touchdowns. Even so, the Riders decided it was time to move on and didn’t renew his contract. That was the best thing to happen to McInnis in his career.
“After Saskatchewan, I kind of lost my love for the game. Growing up, you’re always the number one guy, you’re the highlight, and then I get to Saskatchewan, that wasn’t the case. Riddled with injuries and couldn’t find myself out of it. I almost stopped playing,” he admitted.
“I went to B.C. with a clear mind, clear head, trying to find that love again. When I got there, they gave me the chance to do that. I guess that’s what I needed. I needed someone to give me the chance to be myself on the field. When they gave me that, and I saw that’s what they were allowing me to do, I was like, ‘Alright, here we go, we’re back. Time to run with it.’”
In his first season with the Lions, McInnis was utilized as the team’s sixth receiver and emergency fill-in, but still managed 46 catches for 690 yards and five touchdowns — 94 more yards and three more majors than he had produced during his entire tenure with the Green and White.
The next year, he more than doubled his career high once again, becoming the focal point of the B.C. offence and leading the CFL in receiving with 92 catches for 1,469 yards and seven touchdowns. His production decreased in 2025, but not by much, as the six-foot-four, 214-pound target still finished third in league receiving yards with 1,256 on 72 receptions, adding seven more majors.
Softening the blow for fans in Saskatchewan has been the consistently high level of play from their own Canadian pass catchers, most notably Samuel Emilus. The two-time thousand-yard receiver has not been quite as productive as McInnis over the past three years, but recently rocketed past him to become the CFL’s second-highest-paid player at the position. In the eyes of many, that was possible due to a mega-deal signed by McInnis after the 2024 season, which still places him fifth league-wide.
“His rookie season, (Emilus) was actually living with me. Great guy off the field, great player on the field — we all know that,” McInnis said. “He had some injuries last year, but when he was in the game, he made an impact. You don’t win Canadian MVP of the Grey Cup without performing. You look at that game, he had some huge catches. He’s an awesome guy, I’m super happy for him. Everything he got, he deserves. I have nothing bad to say about it.”
McInnis has earned a reputation as a Saskatchewan slayer, largely due to a 14-catch, 243-yard performance in Week 6 of his breakout 2024 campaign. He added a 119-yard outing against the Riders later that same year, and caught five passes for 66 yards and a touchdown in their playoff meeting.
However, that was a bit of a misnomer last season, as he combined for just six catches for 89 yards in three regular-season meetings with the Riders. His best performance came in the West Final, posting four receptions for 68 yards in the loss.
While he insists that he treats games against his old team the same as any other, McInnis is still hoping for better results in 2026.
“Last year wasn’t good enough. I gotta do better, to be honest,” he said. “Look at 2024, I had that monstrous game, but last year, there were games against them that I would definitely wish I could have back. There are plays I left out there.”
The B.C. Lions and Saskatchewan Roughriders meet for the first time this season on Saturday, June 13, at Mosaic Stadium. It marks the season opener for both teams after a Week 1 bye.
