Former UND wide receiver Weston Dressler to be inducted in Canadian Football League Hall of Fame

May 3—GRAND FORKS — Former UND wide receiver Weston Dressler hasn't spent a lot of time pondering his Canadian Football League legacy.

But two years ago, while being inducted in the Saskatchewan Roughriders Plaza of Honour, a CFL official brought up the possibility of CFL Hall of Fame enshrinement.

"They brought the Cup out and a CFL member said maybe see you at this (hall of fame) next time," Dressler recalled. "That caught me off guard. I was, like, 'I don't know about that.'

"But here we are."

On Friday, the CFL publicly announced Dressler as a member of the 2024 CFL Hall of Fame class.

Amid a six-hour drive to Regina Friday afternoon to attend the funeral of former Saskatchewan Roughriders President Jim Hopson, the 38-year-old Dressler pulled to the side of the road to speak with the Herald.

Dressler was informed of his induction a couple of weeks ago while out with family and friends in his hometown of Bismarck.

"It was a surreal moment, and I'm trying to soak it all in and understand what it all means," Dressler said.

Dressler said former UND teammates have sent messages Friday including a phone call from his former college quarterback Danny Freund, now an assistant at South Dakota State.

"It's fun to be able to share it with people I played with and coaches I played for," Dressler said. "I hope those people all understand that everyone shapes a player in one way or another."

At just 5-foot-7, Dressler had more than 10,000 receiving yards and 65 touchdowns during an 11-year CFL career.

The Class of 2024 will be officially inducted in an evening ceremony on Friday, Sept. 13, in Hamilton, Ontario. The Hall of Fame Game will be played the following day between Hamilton and Ottawa.

Dressler's athletic domination dates back more than 20 years.

At Bismarck High School, he was a first-team all-state selection and was named the Gatorade North Dakota Player of the Year in 2003. He rushed for 2,100 yards and 40 touchdowns as a senior. He was also the state champion in the 100, 200 and 400, setting state records in the 100 and 200 and was named the Gatorade North Dakota track athlete of the year.

He finished his career at UND (2004-08) with 19 school records. The All-American was the first player to be all-North Central Conference at three positions (wide receiver, returner, utility) in the same season. He was a first-team all-NCC pick four times for the Sioux.

Dressler signed with the Roughriders in 2008 and became a fan favorite in the CFL. He helped the Roughriders win a Grey Cup title in 2013 and was a CFL West all-star four times and a CFL all-star in 2012 and 2013.

"Winning the Grey Cup in 2013 is one of the big (memories) that will always stand out," Dressler said. "Having lost a couple before that, we had a couple of heart breaks and went through the ups and downs. That core group of guys ... to be able to win one with that group was pretty special."

Dressler made an immediate impact in the CFL, taking home Most Outstanding Rookie honors with 56 receptions for 1,128 yards, and 1,014 punt return yards.

Overall, his 715 catches rank No. 13 all-time and his 10,026 yards rank No. 17 in league history.

Over 11 seasons (2008-2018), Dressler played in 161 games for Saskatchewan and Winnipeg. The four-time West Division All-Star and two-time CFL All-Star appeared in two Grey Cup championships, capturing Canadian football's ultimate prize in 2013 in front of his Roughriders' home crowd.

In 2014, he signed a free agent contract and went to training camp with the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.

After playing with Saskatchewan from 2008-2015, he finished his CFL career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 2016-2018.

Dressler is joined in the 2024 Hall of Fame class by S.J. Green, Chad Owens, Marvin Coleman and Vince Goldsmith in the player category.

The Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum, located on the fourth floor of Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, has been open since 1963.