Super Bowl champion Luke Willson had never been to Saskatchewan but that changed when he came to Saskatoon for the Dogs' Breakfast.
"It's my first time ever in Saskatchewan. I've got nothing but good things to say from the moment I touched down in Saskatoon at the airport," Willson told the SportsCage. "Every person I've met -- I might have to move out here."
Prior to the NFL, Willson played football at Rice University and while there he garnered interest from the Toronto Blue Jays. He had to make a decision about whether to play football or baseball.
"They're like: 'Well, what are you thinking? Do you want to stay and not go back to college?' In my head, I'm in the very lowest level of the minors. I'm a positive thinker. Could I potentially make it to the MLB one day?" Willson recalled.
"Sure, but there's six or seven minor league teams that I've got to go through. Each one of them has a first baseman. You're looking at a five to 10-year -- if ever -- projection. I was going into my red-shirt senior year at Rice, I was looking at being drafted potentially in six months."
"It wasn't really a choice. I love playing football, I always have, so it wasn't like I hated football. I can either give this football thing a shot, hope I get drafted in six months or stay here, play six years and hope I make it after that. It answered itself based on timing."
Willson's NFL career started with the Seahawks who selected him in the fifth round, 158th overall during the 2013 NFL Draft. He played with Seattle until 2017. In 2018 and 2019, he spent time with the Detroit Lions, the Oakland Raiders, and then the Baltimore Ravens in 2020. He also had a second stint with the Seahawks from 2019 to 2020. Overall, he played 97 games in the NFL, accumulating 111 receptions for 1,307 yards with 11 touchdowns while earning over $10.2 million USD.
One of Willson's greatest achievements was winning a Super Bowl with Seattle as the Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos 43-8 in February 2014.
"You're allowed two people on the field. That Super Bowl was at MetLife in New York and it just happened. There was a snowstorm the next day, but it was a great weather night, we won, my mom and dad were on the field. Confetti's coming down. I think Michael Strahan had the Vince Lombardi Trophy because it was a Fox Super Bowl. It was a surreal moment to share that with them," Willson said.
"I grew up in a pretty traditional Canadian family with two older brothers and a younger sister; all of us were involved in a lot of activities. My parents, when you're young, you take it for granted. They're driving all over the place, playing hockey, playing baseball, and playing football. If it wasn't for them, I would have never even come close to having the success that I had. I think to be able to share that moment is a thank you and something that I'll forever cherish."
After his NFL career, Willson has been working with TSN as an NFL analyst. Initially, he helped TSN during the Super Bowl when he was still playing. The network wanted him to start with them in 2019, but Willson still wanted to play. He continued his playing career in the NFL until 2021 when he retired because of a heart-related problem.
"When I officially retired two years after that, I was still living in Seattle, but I had talked to a gentleman by the name of Mike Lane, who's a good friend of mine. He's kind of transitioned to the hockey world. Mike was like: 'Hey, if you're in Toronto, any chance you want to do once a week? I think you'd be great on the Jay Onrait show," Willson recalled.
"I'd been on Jay's show and grew from there organically, started as the Wednesday night guy. My family is in Ontario and being back in Ontario, I really enjoy it."
