Ottawa Redblacks tie Shreveport Pirates for worst start to season in CFL history

Photo courtesy: CFL.ca

The Ottawa Redblacks have surpassed another milestone in their historic losing streak.

With a 45-31 loss to the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday afternoon, the Redblacks have officially dropped to 0-14 for the season. That ties the 1994 Shreveport Pirates for the worst start in CFL history.

The US expansion franchise lost 14 consecutive games to begin its inaugural season after firing head coach John Huard in training camp after a clash with the team’s training staff. Pro Football Hall of Famer Forrest Gregg was hired as his replacement but did not record a victory until October 16, when they upset the Sacramento Gold Miners. Shreveport would go on to finish 3-15.

The Pirates were owned by Bernard and Lonie Glieberman, who previously owned the Ottawa Rough Riders and later launched the Ottawa Renegades. The franchise folded following the 1995 season with an all-time record of 8-28.

The Redblacks had already officially broken Shreveport’s record for the longest consecutive losing streak in modern CFL history on August 14, a mark that has since grown to 19 straight games. The team has not won since September 3, 2025, when they defeated the B.C. Lions by a single point.

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.

The team’s latest defeat came despite a late push to come within seven points of the Stampeders, before Clark Barnes broke a tackle on a short pass outside and ran 60 yards for the deciding touchdown. Redblacks starting quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson finished 30-of-47 for 418 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, but couldn’t overcome his defence surrendering 520 net yards without a single takeaway.

Ottawa has four games remaining to record their first win of the season. No team in CFL history has finished winless.

The Redblacks (0-14) will have one more opportunity to avoid surpassing Shreveport and taking sole possession of the worst start ever. They are slated to host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday, October 2, at 7:00 p.m. EDT.