Ottawa Redblacks add Mark Milton to retired list

Photo courtesy: David Friedrich/B.C. Lions

The Ottawa Redblacks have added American defensive back Mark Milton to their retired list.

The 26-year-old was acquired via trade from the Toronto Argonauts in August in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the upcoming 2026 CFL Draft. He played six games in Ottawa and nine with the Argos last season, making 37 defensive tackles, one special teams tackle, one interception, and a forced fumble.

Milton first arrived in the CFL in 2024 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, seeing action in one game before being released. He signed in Toronto and saw action in 10 additional contests, recording 27 defensive tackles, seven special teams tackles, a sack, and two forced fumbles.

The Houston, Tex., native played collegiately at Baylor University where he made 96 total tackles, three tackles for loss, eight pass knockdowns, one interceptions, one fumble recovery, and one forced fumble over 51 games. He had stints with the Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Birmingham Stallions, and San Antonio Brahmas prior to coming north.

The Ottawa Redblacks were the CFL’s most active team in free agency, adding players like quarterback Jake Maier, running back Greg Bell, offensive lineman Martez Ivey, defensive lineman Habakkuk Baldonado, linebacker A.J. Allen, strong-side linebacker C.J. Reavis, and defensive back Demerio Houston. The team also had a few key departures, including quarterback Dustin Crum (Montreal Alouettes), strong-side linebacker Adarius Pickett (Toronto Argonauts), and return specialist DeVonte Dedmon (Montreal Alouettes).

The Redblacks hold the first 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. The team will play its first preseason game against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday, May 22, and its first regular-season game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, June 6.

In 2025, Ottawa finished fourth in the East Division standings with a 4-14 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Ryan Dinwiddie was hired as the team’s head coach and general manager after the firing of Bob Dyce.