Courtesy Regina Leader Post:

Yo Murphy’s retirement party has turned out to be quite the bash.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver was able to play in the 95th Grey Cup in his final game as a professional football player. Murphy then shared in a championship in his swan song as the Roughriders beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23-19 in Sunday’s game in Toronto.

If that wasn’t enough, he had two more chances to share the remarkable end to a 15-year professional career with a rally at Mosaic Stadium on Monday and a parade down Albert Street on Tuesday.

“I won the championship when I first came into the league and now, I’m going out as a champion,” Murphy said. “It’s incredible.”

Despite all of the ceremonies since winning the Grey Cup, Murphy hasn’t changed his mind about retiring.

“It made me want to retire more after the way it ended,” said Murphy, who is the only player to participate in a Grey Cup, NFL Europe World Bowl and Super Bowl. “There isn’t any way I can go out any better.”

Murphy, 36, turned professional in 1994 after playing four seasons with the University of Idaho. He joined the B.C. Lions, where Murphy won the Grey Cup championship. Among the members of the Lions’ staff was current Riders head coach Kent Austin, who was a quarterback, and general manager Eric Tillman.

Murphy spent three seasons with the Lions before joining the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe. He won the 1996 World Bowl, where he was named the most valuable player after catching eight passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns.

In 1999, Murphy played seven games for the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He joined the St. Louis Rams in 2001 after starting the season with the XFL’s Las Vegas Outlaws. Murphy fielded the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XXXV and had an eight-yard reception. The Rams still lost 20-17 to the New England Patriots.

Murphy returned to the CFL in 2003 with the now-defunct Ottawa Renegades. He spent three seasons with the Renegades before becoming a free agent after the team folded.

Murphy was signed by the Roughriders in September of 2006 to add a veteran presence and stability to the receiving corps.

The conclusion to Murphy’s 2007 season was more satisfying than the year. He suffered an injury to his Achilles in training camp and didn’t play a game until Sept. 15. He later suffered a hamstring injury in practice, which forced him to miss another game. Murphy played in only four games where he had 12 receptions for 173 yards and no touchdowns.

“During the year I was really depressed because I was injured and I couldn’t play flat out every game,” Murphy said. “It wasn’t what I wanted but at the end I was champion. What else could I do?”

Murphy was held to one reception for 21 yards in the Grey Cup win but it was enough to allow him to leave the game satisfied.

“I wanted to do everything that I could to help the team,” Murphy said. “I definitely didn’t want go out dropping the only pass that was thrown to me.”

Murphy plans on returning to his home in Tampa Bay and devoting a year to becoming a realtor.

“I just want to stay in one place for a year,” Murphy said. “I have a feeling that I might want to get back in football but I don’t want to travel all over the place.”

Before leaving Regina, Murphy posed for another picture with the Grey Cup. This one was with Kerry Joseph, the Roughriders quarterback who is one of Murphy’s best friends on the team. The two also played together in Ottawa so the photos were a fine way to mark CFL career that featured 213 receptions for 3,175 yards and 16 touchdowns.

“It meant a lot to me because we got along so well,” said Joseph. “He gets to go out on top and how many guys get to do that? He gets to ride off into the sunset with a championship year. It’s a dream that came true for him.”