Head referee Andre Proulx gives his take on the retirement rumors and whether he will retire after officiating the Grey Cup between Saskatchewan and Montreal

Andre Proulx will take on the role of head referee for the 112th Grey Cup, marking his eleventh appearance in the championship game. Despite having officiated 463 CFL games, Proulx has confirmed that he has no plans to retire.

“I said before the season that I was thinking about retirement, but I spoke too soon,” Proulx told the media. “I thought it would be nice if my last game were a Grey Cup. I convinced myself I was getting older, and it might be fun to finish on a high note. But this year, I really enjoyed it—I’ve found the joy in officiating again.”

Earlier, Proulx had told Radio-Canada’s Jean St-Onge that reaching 500 games felt unattainable, which prompted thoughts of retirement. Looking back, however, he now believes the milestone is still within reach.

“It was funny yesterday because I expected my boss to ask about retirement first,” Proulx said. “Instead, he asked if I wanted to come back. I asked him if he wanted me back, and when he said ‘of course,’ I replied, ‘Perfect, I’ll come back.’ Who knows if I’ll get to 500 games.”

Back Judge Kevin Riopel, who also spoke to the media, praised Proulx for both his skill on the field and his mentorship of younger officials. “Andre is humble, but he still performs at a high level,” Riopel said. “He helps guide new officials through what can be a tough start in the league. We’ve always heard him say, ‘I have two more years left,’ yet it’s been a decade and he’s still going strong. He’s someone the league needs for many more years.”

Proulx expressed pride in his own performance, as well as that of his five regular crew members who will join him for the Grey Cup. “No one realizes it, but there are 140 plays per game, and we’re evaluated on every single one. We’re our own toughest critics—we don’t hide mistakes; they’re all on tape. The key is minimizing them,” he said.

Riopel added context on the scrutiny officials face: “It’s like every time you pick up the phone, someone is evaluating whether you say the right thing. Coaches watch tape too and provide feedback. Making it to the Grey Cup shows you’ve done very well.”

The 112th Grey Cup will see the Saskatchewan Roughriders (13-6) face off against the Montreal Alouettes (12-8) at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg on Sunday, November 16, with kickoff at 6:00 p.m. EST. Montreal advanced by narrowly defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 19-16 in the East Final, while Saskatchewan edged the B.C. Lions 24-21 in the West Final. The teams split their two regular-season encounters, though Montreal’s quarterback Davis Alexander missed both games due to a hamstring injury.

The forecast in Winnipeg calls for a high of 2°C with a mix of sun and clouds. The game will be broadcast on TSN, CTV, and RDS in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the U.S., and CFL+ internationally.

This Grey Cup marks the fifth time the championship is held in Winnipeg and the second time at Princess Auto Stadium. The venue previously hosted the 2015 Grey Cup, when the Edmonton Football Team defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 26-20, with Michael Reilly named the game’s MVP.