Regina-born receiver Chris Getzlaf has been announced as one of the players to be added in a ceremony Oct, 9, alongside teammate Andy Fantuz. Also being added to the plaza is the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ first black star, Gabe Patterson, who will be inducted posthumously and for his tireless commitment to the Roughriders, Paul J. Hill, who spent more than 22 years on the Club’s Board and Management Council, will be inducted as a Builder. 
Getzlaf said the Plaza was always a shrine he was keenly aware going into the stadium it was where the best of the Roughriders were honoured.
“You hoped one day ...,” he said. “It’s surreal.”
In Getzlaf the Roughriders honour a player who seems very much as though he was always with the franchise, but that isn’t exactly the case. Twenty-eight of Getzlaf’s 147 career games were played wearing other jerseys.
He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2007 CFL Draft, 33rd overall, by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, but played in only two games before being traded that season to Saskatchewan.
Then in February 2016, Getzlaf signed with Edmonton playing 26 games before being released in September 2017.
Fittingly, in October 2017, Getzlaf was added to the Roughriders practice roster. He was promoted to the active roster in November 12.
Getzlaf retired in January 2018.
Having been born in Regina, playing his Junior football there, it seemed only fitting he retired a ‘Rider. Having played most of his career at home is something Getzlaf recognizes as special.
“That’s something I’m really blessed to have had the opportunity to do,” he said, adding it’s made more special because “the city and the province are so passionate about football.”
Along the way he caught 414 regular season passes for 6,192 yards, for an average of 15 yards a catch, scoring 41 touchdowns. He also played in 13 playoff games catching 28 passes and scoring three TDs.
Getzlaf was named the Most Valuable Canadian player in the 101st Grey Cup played in Regina.
Getzlaf said he recognized every game as being special.
“I can say I had goosebumps every single game running out onto the field,” he said. “You prepare that whole week for that specific game. I was excited to come out of the tunnel.”
Interestingly, Getzlaf almost chose a different path in terms of sport.
“I can say as a young kid hockey was kind of more of a focus,” he said, adding that he and brother Ryan, a long time Anaheim Duck in the National Hockey League actually played a range of sports as kids,
So Chris was on skates at age seven who noted “I was really good at hockey when I was younger”, but didn’t pick-up a football for organized play until age 13.
Getzlaf said he sort of peaked in hockey and in high school football finally won out.
“Going into Grade 12, I made a decision to focus on football, not really because I was better at it, but I was enjoying it more.”
So what made it more enjoyable?
“Everything,” enthused Getzlaf, adding there “lots of life lessons come along with any team sport,” but with football the work of a week of practise culminating in the adrenaline and excitement of the game caught him. “. . . The catches, the touchdowns, the tackles,” he added.
The desire to make it a career was still a year or two away.
“My third year of Junior football I really made a goal to play football professionally,” said Getzlaf.
So as he readies for the induction, what game or moment does he think of most often?
Getzlaf said while there were many, one always comes to mind first. It was a game in Calgary in 2009, his first full season with the Roughriders, and his first start in the opening 12. Fantuz was hurt “and I got to step into his role,” he recalled.
With about 90-seconds on the clock Getzlaf takes a pass and scores a 60–yard TD “and we win by one,” he said.
From that point on Getzlaf said he got “more and more playing time” and he was on the path that ends at the Plaza of Honour next month.
“I was lucky to come to a team with a group of young receivers that loved the game and wanted to get better each and every day,” said Getzlaf including the likes of Fantuz, Weston Dressler, and Rob Bagg. “It was amazing to be able to learn together.”
