Ed Learn passed away earlier this month at the age of 90.
The native of Welland, Ont. played for the Montreal Alouettes from 1958 to 1966 and the Toronto Argonauts from 1967 to 1969. He was a one-time CFL all-star and four-time East Division all-star.
The six-foot, 170-pound speedster led the CFL in punt return average in 1981 and punt return yardage in 1967. He remains fourth all-time in Alouettes team history in punt return yardage (Stefan Logan, Dickie Harris, and Randy Rhino) and interceptions (Chip Cox, Harris, Tom Hugo).
“The Toronto Argonauts mourn the passing of Ed Learn,” the team wrote in a statement. “Our thoughts are with his family and many friends.”
In total, Learn played 162 regular-season CFL games and recorded 51 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries. He had eight multi-interception games, including at least one in which he had three interceptions. The CFL did not record tackles as an official statistic during the time of Learn’s career.
According to his obituary, Learn is survived by his wife Bernadee. The couple had five children, 12 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
The Toronto Argonauts added several key free agents this winter, including offensive lineman Dakoda Shepley, defensive lineman DeWayne Hendrix, strong-side linebacker Adarius Pickett, and defensive back DaShaun Amos. The team’s key losses included receiver Dejon Brissett (Calgary Stampeders) and linebacker Wynton McManis (Hamilton Tiger-Cats).
The Argonauts hold the second overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. Toronto will play its first preseason game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday, May 23, then its first regular-season game against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday, June 12.
In 2025, Toronto finished third in the East Division standings with a 5-13 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Mike Miller was promoted to the role of head coach following the departure of Ryan Dinwiddie.
