Greg Ellingson retires from CFL with Ottawa Redblacks

Photo courtesy: Scott Grant/CFLPhotoArchive.com

Canadian Football League receiver Greg Ellingson has announced his retirement with the Ottawa Redblacks.

“From the moment Danny McManus started to warm up to throw me routes for a tryout in St. Petersburg, Florida, I had no idea how my CFL journey would play out. After my start with Hamilton, coming to Ottawa with ‘Smilin’ Hank’ was a no-brainer,” Ellingson said in a statement. 

“Henry Burris, along with Rick Campbell, Jason Maas, Marcel Desjardins, and so many others saw in me what I didn’t yet see in myself. The bonds in the locker room with guys like Brad Sinopoli, Ernest Jackson, Jonathan Rose, Sherrod Baltimore, and Jon Gott were part of a transformative four years in the nation’s capital. Bringing the Grey Cup back to Ottawa for the parade, and delivering the city its first championship in 40 years is a life achievement that can’t even be put into words, but I will forever be honoured to have those memories.”

“Although I left, Ottawa was still always in my heart, and I feel connected to it forever. I’m honoured to retire as a REDBLACK after hanging up my cleats, though I still put them on every week to coach and train the next generation of athletes. I hope they can taste the joy I did while playing in the CFL.

One last ‘Aye there bud!’ to all the Ottawa boys I got to take the field with.

To the fans, and all the teammates I had the honour to play for and with, the love in my heart and the memories in my head will last in me forever.”

The 36-year-old Ellingson spent 10 seasons on the CFL, while enjoying his most productive years in the nation’s capital. He suited up for Ottawa from 2015 to 2018, recording 332 receptions for 4,866 yards with 30 touchdowns in 70 games. The six-foot-three, 197-pound pass catcher went over 1,000 yards in all four seasons with the Redblacks, including single-season career-highs with 96 catches for 1,459 yards and 12 touchdowns 2017.

“Over his four seasons in Ottawa, Greg truly emerged as one of our league’s top receivers, and as a player who thrived when the lights were brightest,” head coach Bob Dyce said in a statement. “His contributions made an indelible mark on our club, including helping to deliver our first Grey Cup, and we wish him a happy and fulfilling retirement as we celebrate his career achievements.”

Ellingson helped Ottawa reach three Grey Cups and capture the team’s first championship in 2016. He owns one of the most iconic moments in both Redblacks and CFL playoff history with his 93-yard catch-and-run touchdown on second-and-25 to clinch a win in the 2015 East Final at TD Place. That play became known as the ‘Miracle on Bank Street.’

“Greg holds a special place in the history of our franchise, demonstrated by our fans voting him into our top 10 all-time players list last year,” president Adrian Sciarra said in a statement. “We are very proud to be a highlighted chapter in his outstanding career.”

The Tampa, Florida native broke into the CFL in 2013, spending two seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Following his four seasons in the nation’s capital, he moved to Edmonton, where he again broke the 1,000-yard mark in 2019. The Florida International University graduate suited up for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2022 and the Montreal Alouettes in 2023, where he won one final Grey Cup.

Ellingson appeared in 126 CFL games, registering 588 grabs for 8,560 yards and 45 touchdowns. He earned three East all-star nods, one West all-star designation, and earned CFL all-star status in 2017.

In 2024, Ellingson was named to the Redblacks all-decade team.