Riders’ Bertrand-Hudon perseveres to achieve football dreams

Thomas Bertrand-Hudon has always been drawn to the football field — even when he was playing a different sport.

“I played baseball. My dad played baseball so me and my three brothers basically went through it,” the 26-year-old Saskatchewan Roughriders running back said. “My mom said apparently I was just sitting at third base looking at the football practice.

“I guess it just caught my eyes.”

The Mont Saint-Hilaire, Que., product eventually found his way onto the football field and hasn’t looked back.

“I just love it. It just came natural for me from the beginning,” Bertrand-Hudon said. “I just like playing. I have the best job in the world basically.”

What started out as a childhood love has blossomed into a professional career for the 6-foot-0, 227-pound ball carrier after the Riders selected him in the fourth round of the 2023 CFL draft.

On Friday, he’ll look to help Saskatchewan continue making a push for the playoffs in a matchup with the Edmonton Elks. Kickoff for the game at Mosaic Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m.

But while Bertrand-Hudon started playing football in his childhood, he has had to overcome a number of hurdles along the way.

He wanted to try and play college football in the United States but found out there wasn’t much interest in bringing him in as a running back.

“I had interest for different places but it was walk-on offers because they wanted me at a different position,” Bertrand-Hudon said. “I decided to go to Carleton instead of paying the money. I did one semester there and then did a college tour with a bunch of players from Quebec.”

He attended summer camp with the Delaware State University Hornets and, three weeks later, was offered a scholarship.

He spent four seasons at Delaware State, registering 239 carries for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 11 catches for 51 yards over 27 games.

But it was injuries that started to affect the running back. He injured a shoulder in the spring of 2021 and then tore an Achilles tendon that fall.

“That was really hard; (the biggest thing) is having to come back from it,” Bertrand-Hudon said. “I had just had my first surgery in my entire life on my shoulder in May and came back (and) in my first game back, I tore my Achilles.

“I thought somebody was trying to tell me to stop playing football. I thought it was a sign from God.”

The injuries had Bertrand-Hudon believing he would need to retire from the sport.

“It was sad,” Bertrand-Hudon said. “I went into some dark places but eventually I realized when I was in those dark places (that) the one thing that was keeping me up was football.”

Bertrand-Hudon was going to enter the CFL draft in 2021 but decided to pull his name from it due to the Achilles injury.

With 2022 being his final season of eligibility, he entered the 2023 class and was taken 30th overall by Saskatchewan.

“It meant a lot, especially dealing with the injuries and everything in the past season from college,” Bertrand-Hudon said. “Coming here and seeing how the players are, the community, the facilities, it’s everything.

“I think it’s the best team in the league if you want to come and play and have fun and win. It’s the best place to come.”

Bertrand-Hudon has also found himself getting more and more opportunities in recent weeks, not only on special teams but in the running game as well.

He was the Riders’ leading rusher in the 51-6 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Banjo Bowl with 41 yards on five carries.

“It feels good just grinding every day,” Bertrand-Hudon said. “Whenever I’m in there, I want to do what’s the best possible for my team to win and if that means getting more touches, I’ll take them.”