‘You have to wait and see’: Riders’ Shawn Bane Jr. plays coy with training camp status after knee surgery

Photo courtesy: Saskatchewan Roughriders/Electric Umbrella/Liam Richards

Saskatchewan Roughriders’ receiver Shawn Bane Jr. is trending in the right direction following season-ending knee surgery, but can’t promise he’ll be ready for the start of training camp.

“You might have to wait and see if I’m ready for camp. I don’t know if I can tell you that yet,” Bane Jr. said in an appearance on 980 CJME’s The Green Zone.

“Rehab has gone beautiful. Technically, I’m close to five months post-op, but since it happened, six months. I’m able to jog. I got my knee brace fitted.  I’m pretty much, I would say, close to 75 percent. Strengthening really well. They’re waiting on me to actually get to cutting and doing the things that I do, but overall, the leg, the knee, everything is good. We’re in line and we’re firing on all cylinders.”

The 29-year-old pass catcher suffered a significant knee injury on a low hit from Ottawa Redblacks’ defensive back Money Hunter in Week 17, which caused him to miss the remainder of the season. In 14 games to that point, he had caught 49 passes for 581 yards and five touchdowns.

The five-foot-nine, 178-pound receiver had a breakout season after joining the Riders in 2023, recording 93 receptions for 1,104 yards and four majors. His desire to get back to that level of production and deliver a comeback campaign in 2025 is fueling him through rehab.

“I know sometimes you don’t have to attack it that way but for me, it’s exactly that. I want to show people that adversity isn’t going to stop me,” Bane Jr. said. “So, yeah, trust me, that’s in the back of my brain.”

As a result of the injury, Bane Jr. has added Ottawa to his list of most anticipated opponents alongside rival Winnipeg and his former team, Calgary. The Riders will open the 2025 CFL regular season against the Redblacks at Mosaic Stadium on Thursday, June 5, though he seems more focused on their second meeting — perhaps hinting at a longer timeline for recovery.

“I’ve definitely circled Week 18 for us,” the receiver said. “I’m excited.”

The Sarasota, Fla. native has one year remaining on his contract with the Riders and that makes this season a critical prove-it year for the speedster.