From Tornado Survivor to Grey Cup: The Resilience of Kori Roberson Jr. pays off
PRESENTED BY ÉPATANTE PATATE DU QUÉBEC
The life of a CFL player can be challenging—especially for a young American rookie like defensive tackle Kori Roberson Jr. The 24-year-old suited up for seven games this season but didn’t see regular-season action after the Alouettes’ big win in Saskatchewan on September 13. Despite being a healthy scratch week after week, Roberson continued to work relentlessly on and off the field—and that perseverance paid off in the Grey Cup Playoffs.
Roberson was elevated to the starting lineup ahead of the Eastern Semi-Final against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after an injury to Mustafa Johnson and the release of Shawn Oakman.
When head coach Jason Maas was asked about Roberson on the Alouettes’ official postgame show following the win over Winnipeg, he praised the young lineman’s work ethic. Maas recalled heading into the team gym at 7 p.m.—long after most players had gone home—only to find Roberson and rookie defensive back Don Callis hard at work. Roberson was in the middle of squatting an impressive 465 pounds.
“Don and I decided to get some work in,” the jovial defensive tackle said. “We wanted to start the week early. We do that every week. We were squatting heavy!
“Everyone had left and we didn’t have much else to do, so we figured, why not get some extra work in? We put some weight on the rack and got after it. We stayed late, trying to get better.
“Some guys head home after practice, but I like to stay and work on my craft—to make myself better for the team and for me. I always want to keep that edge. When my number’s called, I want to be ready.”
At that point, the Houston, Texas native had no idea whether he’d actually dress for the Semi-Final. Johnson’s injury status was uncertain, and Oakman hadn’t been released yet.
A few days later, not only did Roberson start on the defensive line, but he also forced a key fumble in the fourth quarter when he stripped Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira. Safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy recovered, and the Alouettes scored a touchdown shortly after to extend their lead to nine points.
“At first, I was upset that I missed the tackle,” Roberson admitted. “Then I saw that Oliveira had lost the ball, and everyone came up to me saying I made the play that changed the game’s momentum. It’s such a great feeling when you realize you helped the team—and that all the preparation paid off. There’s no better feeling than showing your teammates that.”
Roberson is no stranger to adversity. He’s faced highs and lows both in football and in life.
Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, Roberson had drawn interest from several teams. But during his pro day at Southern Methodist University, he suffered a hamstring injury that derailed his NFL hopes. Teams that had been interested backed off, and once again, Roberson had to stay patient.
His opportunity finally came when the Montreal Alouettes called last May. Training camp was already underway, but the team needed depth at defensive tackle and offered him a contract.
“I didn’t have any other opportunities in pro football,” he said. “I didn’t care where I had to go. I packed my bag and grabbed as much winter clothing as I could find,” he laughed. “I arrived the next day, and now I’m here.”
As tough as his football journey has been, nothing compares to what Roberson went through in 2022.
While living in Oklahoma, a tornado struck his home while he and his older sister, Bellodgia, were inside. Roberson was just 20 years old. As the winds intensified, the siblings took cover in their bathroom.
“That was the most challenging year of my life,” said Roberson, who began his college career at Oklahoma. “My sister and I are from Houston, so we’re used to hurricanes, not tornadoes. It was around 8:30 pm — it came out of nowhere—and we were suddenly homeless.
“We had a three-bedroom house. My room was at the front, and my sister is in the back. The back of the house and the living room collapsed. The only part that survived was my room. So, we slept in my bed and waited for morning. We couldn’t leave because power lines were down. We lived behind a storage unit, and that’s what caused the worst damage.”
Eventually, the Roberson siblings rebuilt and sold their home.
“That was a scary experience, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “But I’m just grateful everyone made it out safe. The only things that were destroyed were the truck and the house. We didn’t suffer any injuries at all.”
That same positive outlook has helped Roberson push through the mental and physical grind of his rookie CFL season.
Now, just three years after surviving a natural disaster, Kori Roberson Jr. will take the field in his first Grey Cup, living proof that perseverance pays off.
