Taylor Shire
Regina Leader-Post
A hall-of-fame kicker, a tough receiver and a gritty offensive lineman wouldn’t necessarily be three players you’d link together, but when you consider their roads to the CFL, the 2026 Plaza of Honour induction class just might outwork the rest.
Paul McCallum, Rob Bagg and Dan Clark weren’t drafted. Nor were they handed anything during their respective years with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Instead, each of those players went out and earned everything they achieved. And even after their spot was earned, they needed to make sure they kept it.
“Looking at the three of us and the opportunities that we’ve had, it’s been challenging,” said Clark, an offensive lineman for the Riders from 2009-22. “It’s been looking at draft picks that are going to replace us that have been constantly brought in.
“And you know what, we did a pretty good job I would say.”
First joining the Roughriders’ practice roster as a territorial junior out of the Regina Thunder in 2009, Clark spent time practising with both clubs over the next two seasons before getting his first taste of the CFL game action in 2012 when he dressed as a backup offensive lineman.
The Regina product was part of Saskatchewan’s 2013 Grey Cup championship team, playing alongside Bagg, before eventually earning the starting centre job in 2015, which was a role he held through the 2022 CFL season — his last in the CFL.
Clark had to overcome injuries over his career and while he admitted he was never the best player, at least technically, he made a promise to himself that no one was going to work harder.
“At a very young age when I first got into football, my dad looked at me and said, ‘When you step on that field, you’re the baddest man on the planet,’ ” said Clark. “No matter where I came in, no matter being the 19-year-old kid that walked in the first time to practice the Riders, I had the belief in myself that I can overcome anything, any adversity, any anybody else that was in front of me, I was going to do my best to be able to get myself a spot.
“And it just took one person to believe in me and then the organization to believe in me. And it was an opportunity that I just ran with.
“I’m not the most talented individual, but I can tell you what, I’m going to give you everything I’ve got.”
You’d also be hard-pressed to find a Canadian receiver as tough as Bagg. And one who worked as hard on and off the field.
The Kingston, Ont. product, who played at Queen’s University, went undrafted in 2007 but signed with the Roughriders as a free agent. He actually made the team in training camp that year but elected to go back to university for one more season before joining the CFL club in 2008.
“Everybody always talks about talent,” said Bagg, who ranks sixth all-time in club history with 364 catches. “But I think it’s understated when it comes to effort as being a talent.
“I think it’s a tangible thing that some people put under the table just naturally.”
Bagg went on to play 143 regular season games for the club over the next decade, dealing with serious injuries in his career, but always seemed to persevere.
“Even though of course I wish I never had to go through them, every single setback I had was ultimately provided me the strength that I needed for the next challenge,” said Bagg. “And by the time I got to the Riders, obviously as an undrafted, relatively unknown receiver, I think that was just the perfect motivation.
“I’ve always been the type that likes to be pushed and challenged, and certainly when I feel like somebody else deems themselves to be better than I, that’s when it’s game on. I enjoy and flourish in those moments.
“As much as I maybe didn’t have the height or the speed or whatever as some of the other guys, I feel like all that build up over the years just made me resilient. And I think that was kind of my biggest strength and certainly my biggest talent in the end.”
Like Bagg and Clark, McCallum had to earn his way into the CFL. And in his case, he had to pay for it as well.
A talented soccer player growing up in B.C., McCallum played in Scotland for a year before returning to his home province to play junior football for the Surrey Rams.
Once his junior career was over, McCallum considered his next option.
At the time, CFL evaluation camps, now known as the combine, typically consisted of mostly university and college players, but that year junior players were allowed to attend.
“My junior career was over (and) I found out that the CFL combine was allowing junior players to go,” recalled McCallum, who ranks second all-time in Roughriders’ history with 1,615 points. “I flew myself out to Hamilton.
“And Don Matthews was there — he was with the Riders — and he wanted me to come to Saskatchewan. I was speaking with him and the special teams coach. And what happens is Hamilton quickly put me on the neg list, but Don Matthews had me on a flight out to Saskatchewan, and then he found out that Greg Mohns (former Tiger-Cats assistant general manager) snagged me to go with Hamilton.”
McCallum never suited up for the Tiger-Cats, but he did go on to play for the B.C. Lions and Ottawa Rough Riders in 1993.
He played five games for the Lions again in 1994 before being released. It was then when he joined Saskatchewan after veteran kicker Dave Ridgway got injured.
McCallum went back to B.C. for the 1995 season but was put on injured reserve for most of the year before once again joining the Roughriders in the final weeks of the regular season.
After a stint playing American football in Scotland, McCallum came back to the CFL and earned Saskatchewan’s kicking job in 1996 before an injury ended his season.
Back healthy in 1997, McCallum served as Saskatchewan’s kicker and punter for the next nine seasons before he was essentially shown the door by then general manager Roy Shivers, who reportedly wanted McCallum to take a pay cut to stay with the club.
Deciding to move on, McCallum kicked for the Lions for the next decade before another stint with the Roughriders in 2015, playing briefly with Bagg and Clark, as the club brought him due to an injury to their other kicker.
In 2016, McCallum signed back with the B.C. Lions, ultimately retiring as a member of the team, but still looks back on his career in Saskatchewan in a positive light despite it not ending on the best terms the first time around.
“I have nothing but fond memories,” said McCallum. “I wouldn’t have left Saskatchewan if it wasn’t for one person that didn’t want me there.
“To the fans and everyone else, this is very humbling for me so I just want to say thanks to everybody.”
tshire@postmedia.com
