Ottawa Redblacks extend historic losing streak to 18 games despite QB change

Photo: Guang Quan/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

The Ottawa Redblacks’ historic losing streak has now reached the equivalent of an entire season

The longest winless drought in modern CFL history was extended to 18 games with a 26-23 defeat against the Toronto Argonauts. Ottawa has not won a game since September 3, 2025, when they defeated the B.C. Lions by a single point.

Notably, Redblacks head coach Ryan Dinwiddie also has not won a game in a full calendar year. His last victory came at the helm of the Argonauts on September 13, 2025.

The only team in the history of Canadian professional football to lose more games in a row than the Redblacks are their predecessors, the Ottawa Rough Riders, who were defeated in 25 consecutive games from 1928 to 1932. The CFL was not officially founded until 1958.

Not even a quarterback change could spark Ottawa to victory. Jake Maier, who recently became the first CFL pivot to start a season with 11 straight losses, was benched in the second quarter after completing seven-of-10 passes for just 42 yards. Veteran pivot McLeod Bethel-Thompson took over for the remainder, connecting on 16-of-23 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown.

Ottawa had a chance to steal a victory late after an 88-yard punt return from Kalil Pimpleton gave them the ball at the Toronto 17-yard line late in the fourth quarter. However, the offence mustered only a field goal to tie the game at 23. When they got the ball back in plus territory minutes later, Bethel-Thompson was sacked by Ralph Holley to force a punt. The Argonauts responded with a 12-play, 74-yard drive to set up a walk-off field goal from Lirim Hajrullahu.

The Redblacks are the fourth team in CFL history to start a season with 12 straight losses, joining the 2003 Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-12), 1979 Saskatchewan Roughriders (0-12), and the 1994 Shreveport Pirates (0-14). No CFL team has ever gone winless in a season.

Ottawa (0-12) will return to action on Saturday, September 19, when they visit the Calgary Stampeders.