CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie is gearing up for what could be a heated offseason debate over the league’s rouge rule following Toronto’s controversial victory in Week 12.
“I expect that we’ll end up having a lively, robust and sometimes entertaining conversation this offseason with a group of passionate CFL coaches and general managers who love this game,” Ambrosie told TSN 1050’s OverDrive this week.
“I expect that we will engage in that and that game will serve as an example of what some people think shouldn’t happen. It will be an example for some to say well, that’s what should happen. It’ll be lively, it’ll be intense, and ultimately, I will see where the group wants to take us.”
The rouge, the CFL’s iconic single point awarded when a kicked ball is not returned out of the end zone, became the subject of controversy last week after the Argonauts defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 20-19 on Thursday. Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu lined up for a 40-yard field goal attempt on the game’s final play and missed wide left, but still secured his team a victory when the ball went out the back of the end zone.
The ultra-rare missed field goal for the win scenario sparked backlash from fans and drew significant interest from American sports commentators, including a segment on ESPN’s hit show Pardon the Interruption. Even Canadian analysts well-versed in the three-down game spoke out against what they viewed as a “loser point,” with Hall of Fame receiver and popular CFL on TSN panellist Milt Stegall launching into an impassioned rant against the rule after the game.
“I saw Milt having that moment. I thought it was entertaining, as Milt always is. What I can say is this: it has been discussed not every offseason during the rules committee process, but it gets discussed a lot,” Ambrosie revealed.
“On one hand, you’ve got a very strong bias to that traditional view that this is a part of our league, it’s what helps to make us distinctive. That argument is almost always founded on that it’s about field position and defending field position, and that it’s not so much a giveaway of a point as it is that if you did a poor job of defending your field position, you gave up the point. The other side is if the ball can’t be returned, maybe there shouldn’t be a point.”
While some have gone so far as to advocate for the elimination of the rouge entirely, most simply want the rule tweaked to ensure that the ball must remain in the field of play for the single to be awarded — at least in the final three minutes. Ambrosie, who played nine seasons in the CFL prior to becoming commissioner, was coy about his personal feelings on the rule.
“If you want to have a little fun with it, I was totally in favour of it if it helped me win a game and I hated it if I lost one. As you know, I am very petite and I can perch on top of that fence as good as anybody,” the former offensive lineman chuckled, admitting that his post might be wobbling slightly.
“I’ve listened to both sides of it and on any given day, depending on how eloquent the argument is, I can be convinced one way or the other. If pressed, I think I’d be in favour of at the very least considering a small adjustment. I’d be in favour of at least considering it but there are a lot of steps that we’d have to go through, and there are a lot of people we have to convince of that. I’d be very interested in being part of that process and where it takes us, I don’t know. Again, the two sides both make very good arguments. You heard Milt’s and the other side, frankly, when they have their turn, they make their argument pretty well — almost as well as Milt does.”
Throughout his tenure, Ambrosie has not been afraid to butt up against traditionalists and toy with more Americanized concepts. During the cancelled 2020 season, he spearheaded unsuccessful conversations with the XFL about a potential merger and launched a full review of the rulebook following the 2021 campaign, which included discussions regarding the number of downs.
None of those major alterations to the Canadian game ever came to fruition, in part due to public backlash. On this issue, it appears that a strong contingent of fans are in favour of a change and the commissioner is happy to listen.
“I love it when our fans get involved in this. I think it’s one of the things that makes our league special. We’re very close to our fans,” he said. “They know that their voice matters and I like it when they feel comfortable sharing their opinions — and they share them quite vociferously.”
