It was an excited group of Saskatchewan Roughrider fans that waited at the Co-op grocery store in Kamsack on Sunday for the arrival of Jonathan Newsome and AC Leonard.

The two members of the Roughriders, who are both current starting defense ends with the team, were in Kamsack as part of the Co-op Game Day Approved campaign.

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They arrived to a cheering crowd that had been served hot dogs and soft drinks by members of the Kamsack Cyclones ball team in support of Kamsack Minor Hockey.

Newsome and Leonard, smiled, greeted everyone, obligingly posed for photographs with all who requested, and then went into the store where they sat at a table and signed autographs on Rider shirts, flags, footballs and anything else fans had wished.

Throughout there was a gentle banter between fans and the Riders, and both had fun commenting on the Riders’ game the night before when they were defeated 53 to 7 by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

A portion of proceeds from Co-op Game Day Approved products is donated to the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan.

In 2015, partnerships between western Canadian Co-ops and four CFL teams, the Edmonton Eskimos, Calgary Stampeders, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, raised $120,000 for children’s hospital foundations, said information from Co-op. These proceeds are in addition to Co-op’s $5 million donation over five years to the five western Canadian foundations.

Jonathan Newsomeis an American gridiron football linebacker who had played college football at Ohio State and Ball State and had been drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

Newsome had started his college career at Ohio State. In 2009 he played in five games for the Buckeyes. In 2010 he earned his first collegiate start vs. Minnesota and played in all 13 of the Buckeyes’ games. After his transfer to Ball State, Newsome redshirted the 2011 season. He started 22 games in two seasons for the Cardinals, racking up 116 tackles (24 of them for a loss in yards), and 16.5 sacks for a total loss of 96 yards.

He recorded his first NFL tackle on the September 21, 2014 in the Colts’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. In week nine, playing against the New York Giants, he recorded seven tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble.

Newsome made his first career start in week 17, and went on to win the AFC Defensive Player of the Week award for his performance. He finished the game with eight tackles, one forced fumble, and two sacks. Newsome finished the season with a team-leading 6.5 total sacks, the second-most amongst NFL rookies in 2014 and the third most by a rookie in Colts' franchise history.

On May 30, Newsome signed with the Roughriders.

AC Leonard, who had played wide receiver for the BC Lions in 2015 before converting to a defensive lineman this year, had attended Tennessee State University where he played college football for the Tigers and studied criminal justice.

Leonard was eligible for the 2014 NFL Draft and ran the fastest 40-yard dash among tight ends at the NFL scouting combine that year. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Minnesota Vikings and participated in training camp. He was released on August 6, 2014 and later that year, he played for the Brooklyn Bolks of the Fall Experimental Football League in its inaugural season. He was assigned to the New Orleans VooDoo of the Arena Football League in December 2014.

In April 2015, Leonard signed with the BC Lions and he made his CFL debut on July 17, 2015 against the Roughriders, where he recorded four receptions for 26 yards and two touchdowns.