George Reed of the Saskatchewan Roughriders was an unstoppable force

George Reed poses on his street

Former Saskatchewan Roughriders running back George Reed, a CFL legend, passed away at the age of 83, just one day before his 84th birthday. Reed’s remarkable career and contributions to both football and his community are celebrated.

George Reed, widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs in CFL history, enjoyed a remarkable 13-year professional football career with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He retired in 1976 as the game’s all-time leading rusher, boasting 16,116 rushing yards and 134 career rushing touchdowns, a record that still stands today. The Roughriders paid tribute to his legacy by retiring his jersey number, No. 34, on October 24, 1976.

Reed’s career was marked by extraordinary achievements. He recorded an unprecedented 11 seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards, earning him nine CFL All-Star selections and ten West All-Star nominations. He also participated in five consecutive all-star games from 1970 to 1974. In 1965, he secured the Schenley Award for Most Outstanding Player in the CFL and was a close runner-up for the award in 1968 and 1969.

Notably, Reed played a pivotal role in the Roughriders’ historic Grey Cup victory on November 26, 1966, when he rushed for 133 yards and a touchdown, bringing the Club its first-ever Grey Cup.

George Reed

Born in 1939 in the segregated town of Vicksburg, Mississippi, Reed faced the harsh realities of racial discrimination. Despite offers from several NFL teams, he believed Canada to be more inclusive and signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1963.

However, Reed found that Canada was not as tolerant as he had hoped, particularly as a Black man in Western Canada during the 1960s. While most of his teammates were supportive, some players refused to shower alongside their Black counterparts. Shockingly, Black players on other CFL teams received prank calls mimicking Ku Klux Klan members and were even forbidden from bringing white dates to team banquets.

Reed also encountered a covert quota system that restricted the number of Black players to four or five per team, regardless of their talent. This led to players hiding injuries to avoid being dropped from the team. Reed himself played for two months with a broken tibia, driven by the need to support his family.

Despite these challenges, Reed thrived in Saskatchewan. His on-field success earned him numerous accolades, including the Tom Pate Memorial Award in 1976 and the Order of Canada in 1978. He was inducted into various halls of fame, including the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, Canadian Football Hall of Fame, State of Washington Hall of Fame, and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. The Roughriders also honored him by erecting a statue alongside teammate Ron Lancaster outside the new Mosaic Stadium in 2017 and renaming the street along Mosaic Stadium to George Reed Way in 2019.

Beyond his football career, George Reed’s passion for giving back to the Saskatchewan community was unparalleled. In 1975, he established the George Reed Foundation, dedicating nearly 50 years to volunteering and supporting education, continuous learning, healthy living, and individuals with disabilities.

Reflecting on her father’s passing, Georgette Reed expressed gratitude for the immense honor of being part of the Saskatchewan community. She acknowledged the profound impact her father had on Rider Nation and how much he would be missed.

George Reed’s legacy lives on in the hearts of fans and in the enduring impact he made on the game of football and the Saskatchewan community he cherished.