“I’m beyond thrilled to be signing back in Toronto long term,” Kelly said in a statement. “Before I ever came up here, I knew this was where I wanted to be—and when the time comes, this is where I want to finish my career. This city and this community mean so much to me. Toronto is where I met my wife, where I became a father to my son and daughter, and where my family and I have built a life together.

“This city gives me energy every single day—the energy to chase records, compete for championships, and keep pushing myself to be better. It’s also the city where I’ve chosen to start my foundation and continue giving back to the community that has given so much to me. I’m incredibly thankful and blessed to have this opportunity. I can’t wait to keep running out there, giving everything I have to the city I’m proud to call Toronto my home. Go Argos.”

The 32-year-old was slated to become a CFL free agent this offseason and announced in mid-September that he had halted contract talks with the Argos until the end of the 2026 season. His agent, Chris Lambiris, later revealed that he was seeking a deal that would pay Kelly based on a percentage of the salary cap, a contract structure that had been previously vetoed by the CFL.

The native of Buffalo, N.Y., is scheduled to earn $625,000 this season, making him the second-highest-paid player in the league behind only B.C.’s Nathan Rourke. His first contract extension with the Argonauts three years ago was a market-setting deal worth $1.865 million over three seasons, though he was not able to cash in on the full value of that deal.

“When you get a chance to sign a player like Chad Kelly for the foreseeable future, you make it happen,” said general manager Mike ‘Pinball’ Clemons. “What he brings to the football field has no bounds. His indomitable spirit, dedication, preparation, work ethic, and drive to win extend far beyond what we see on game day. These are the qualities that make him so special.

“We are excited to commit to Chad, and equally excited for Chad to commit to us. Championships are what we play for, and securing Chad’s future positions the team to be a consistent contender. We look forward to continuing to build alongside Chad and the entire Kelly family. Players win games, but the relationships made along the way are what truly make winning worthwhile.”

Kelly has completed 70.9 percent of his passes for 5,067 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions over 16 starts this season. He finished third in the CFL in passing yardage and touchdowns, while throwing the most interceptions in the league. He is currently recovering from a knee injury suffered in Week 20, which may put his status for the playoffs in jeopardy.

The Ole Miss product first signed with the Argonauts in 2022, following four seasons in the NFL with the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts. He was selected with the final pick in the 2017 NFL Draft due to off-the-field concerns, which continued into his professional career when he pleaded guilty to misdemeanour second-degree criminal trespassing in 2018. He gained notoriety as the nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly.

After arriving in Toronto, Kelly served as the primary backup behind McLeod Bethel-Thompson and came off the bench late in the Grey Cup to secure a championship victory as a rookie. The following season, he was named the team’s full-time starter, throwing for 4,123 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions while rushing for eight majors en route to being named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.

That offseason, Kelly was the subject of a civil lawsuit from a former team athletic trainer alleging workplace sexual harassment. That lawsuit was settled out of court to the satisfaction of both parties, but the CFL suspended him for nine games after an independent investigation found that he violated the league’s gender-based violence and harassment policy. None of the allegations against Kelly were ever proven in court.

Kelly was reinstated following his suspension and returned to the helm of the Argonauts for the final nine games of that season, but later suffered a broken leg in the 2024 Eastern Final. Toronto overcame his absence to win the Grey Cup, but the injury required surgery and forced Kelly to miss the entirety of the 2025 season after a series of setbacks.

The Toronto Argonauts (9-9) will host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (9-9) for the East Semi-Final at BMO Field on Saturday, October 31 with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET. The teams met twice during the regular-season and split the meetings 1-1.

The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS in Canada and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 680 CJOB in Winnipeg and TSN 1050 in Toronto.

According to official data, which has been compiled by 3DownNation, an average of 22,578 fans attended regular-season games this year, which is down from 22,942 in 2025. Attendance figures are self-reported by teams across the league and cannot be independently verified.

There would likely have been a larger drop-off in attendance had three Toronto Argonauts games not been moved to alternate locations amid the FIFA World Cup. These games were played in Winnipeg, Regina, and Hamilton, respectively, and far outdrew Toronto’s average crowds.

The Ottawa Redblacks experienced the CFL’s largest year-over-year attendance decrease at 16.4 percent. The team’s average crowds of 15,167 were the lowest in franchise history since at least 1970, with the exception of 2021 when some COVID-19 restrictions were in place.

For context, the Rough Riders averaged crowds of 16,847 in their final year of operations in 1996, while the ill-fated Renegades never averaged attendance below 18,489.

Ownership remains committed to the Redblacks despite poor on and off-field results, though they admitted last week they are losing more money than they anticipated.

The Edmonton Elks enjoyed by far the biggest year-over-year attendance increase in the CFL with average crowds of 22,421 — a 17.7 percent boost. The club earned its first playoff berth since 2019, and finished atop the West Division for the first time in over a decade.

Once the league’s perennial attendance leaders, Edmonton saw fan support collapse in recent years due to a variety of reasons, including a record 22-game home losing streak. The team averaged crowds of 35,000 as recently as 2010, 30,000 in 2018, and nearly 25,000 in 2023.

There’s still plenty of room for the Elks to grow their ticket sales, but the club is undoubtedly heading in the right direction after arguably the darkest chapter in franchise history.

The B.C. Lions experienced a 13.9 percent decrease in attendance this year, which is due at least in part to the two games it hosted at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna during the FIFA World Cup. With that said, the team’s best-attended game at the Apple Bowl slightly outdrew is worst-attended game at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats saw a 10.4 percent attendance decline to 20,482 fans per game. Other than 2021 when some COVID-19 restrictions were in place, this was the lowest average attendance the Tabbies have experienced since Hamilton Stadium opened just over a decade ago.

The Calgary Stampeders averaged crowds of 20,227 in 2026, a 9.3 percent decrease from 2025. Team president Jay McNeil recently addressed this in an interview with 3DownNation, citing the World Cup in Vancouver, poor weather, and the aging nature of McMahon Stadium as the primary reasons for the decline.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders saw a 2.1 percent attendance increase this season, which likely came as a result of last year’s Grey Cup victory. Attendance in Regina has grown slightly each year since 2022, though it remains below pre-pandemic levels. The Roughriders led the CFL in attendance in each year from 2016 to 2021, save for 2020 when there was no season.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers led the league in attendance for the fifth-straight year with average crowds of 32,136. After selling out their entire season in 2025, the team came close to doing so again in 2026, though there was a year-over-year attendance decline of 0.6 percent.

The Montreal Alouettes saw a 0.5 percent attendance increase in 2026 with average crowds of 21,238. After a lull in June, crowds picked up in late-summer as the team was at near-capacity for each of its last five games, including two sellouts. The club has also already sold out the East Final.

The Toronto Argonauts experienced virtually no change to their attendance this season. This marks the third consecutive year in which Toronto’s average attendance has remained essentially flat — 15,127 in 2024, 15,109 in 2025, and 15,110 in 2026.

2026 CFL attendance averages

Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 32,136 (-0.6 percent)
Saskatchewan Roughriders, 29,024 (+2.1 percent)
B.C. Lions, 23,366 (-13.9 percent)
League average, 22,578 (-1.6 percent)
Edmonton Elks, 22,421 (+17.7 percent)
Montreal Alouettes, 21,238 (+0.5 percent)
Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 20,482 (-10.4 percent)
Calgary Stampeders, 20,227 (-9.3 percent)
Ottawa Redblacks, 15,167 (-16.4 percent)
Toronto Argonauts, 15,110 (flat)

It remains unclear what level of organizational change will accompany this year’s disappointment, but hard choices will need to be made. That goes for the roster as well, with more than 30 players currently in need of new contracts. That includes several marquee names, at least one of whom has already suggested they are on the fence.

Free agency won’t officially get underway until February, but for now, these are the players currently set to hit the open market. This list is unofficial and was compiled using anonymous 3DownNation sourcing.

Please note that “N” denotes nationals (ie. Canadians), “A” denotes Americans, and “G” denotes Globals.

Quarterback

Josh Love (A)

Running back

Tyreik McAllister (A)
Deonta McMahon (A)

Fullback

None

Photo: Blair Takahashi/COACHTAK/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

Receiver

Clark Barnes (N)
Reggie Begelton (A)
Tevin Jones (A)
Jalen Philpot (N)

Offensive line

William Barnes (A)
Bryce Bell (N)
Preston Nichols (A)
Christy Nkanu (N)

Defensive line

Miles Brown (A)
Daniel Joseph (N)
Collin Kornelson (N)
Folarin Orimolade (A)
Justin Sambu (N)
Kelon Thomas (N)
Charles Wiley (A)

Photo: Blair Takahashi/COACHTAK/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

Linebacker

Kelechi Anyalebechi (A)
Terrence Ganyi (N)
Marquel Lee (A)
Micah Teitz (N)
Kyle Wilson (A)

Defensive back

Sheldon Arnold II (A)
Jaydon Grant (A)
Anthony Johnson (A)
Ben Labrosse (N)
Derrick Moncrief (A)
Godfrey Onyeka (N)
Jacob Taylor (N)
Damon Webb (A)

Specialist

None

It should be noted that players who finish the season on the practice roster automatically become free agents. This means that running back Tre Stewart (A), receivers Shawn Bane Jr. (A) and Jeremiah Hunter (A), offensive linemen Tyler Packer (N) and Bakyne Coly (A), defensive linemen Savio Frazier (A), Khairi Manns (A), Elijah Hills (A), Daniel Grzesiak (A), and Tristan Marois (N), and defensive backs BoPete Keyes (A) and Jackson Sombach (N) are free to join any other team unless they sign new contracts.

These awards are selected by 3DownNation’s contributors and will be presented weekly throughout the 2026 season. Enjoy.

Offensive player of the week: RB Brady Oliveira, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

The 29-year-old saved his best for last, as he carried the ball 15 times for 149 yards and two touchdowns to help power his team to victory in a must-win game. The Winnipeg native’s 63-yard score marked the longest run of his career, and it turned out to be the game-winning score. The performance also saw Oliveira surpass Jon Cornish for third all-time among Canadian rushers in CFL history.

Honourable mention: REC Dymere Miller, Toronto Argonauts

Defensive player of the week: DL Elijah Alston, Edmonton Elks

The 25-year-old terrorized the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, recording four defensive tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and one interception. The six-foot-two, 256-pound defender dressed for only a handful of game this year due to Edmonton’s strong depth at defensive end, but he’s made a solid case for more playing time into the playoffs and in 2027.

Honourable mention: LB Wynton McManis, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Special teams player of the week: DB Nick Hallett, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

The 32-year-old made four special teams tackles this week, helping Jamieson Sheahan average a sparkling 46.8 net yards on six punts. He also recovered a fumble from Seven McGee, which gave Winnipeg possession deep in B.C. territory midway through the second quarter. This was an elite special teams performance from Hallett, who rose to the occasion in a key game.

Honourable mention: K Marc Liegghio, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Breakout player of the week: DL Elijah Alston, Edmonton Elks

Do we need to reiterate how good this performance was? Alston made four defensive tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and one interception. Enough said.

Honourable mention: REC Kaseem Ferdinand, Montreal Alouettes

Offensive line of the week: Winnipeg Blue Bombers

The unit of Stanley Bryant, Gabe Wallace, Tui Eli, Patrick Neufeld, and Jarell Broxton shook off a shaky start to command the line of scrimmage late against B.C. The big men up front allowed only one sack and helped Brady Oliveira enjoy his big day. This marks the second time Winnipeg’s offensive line has won this award this season.

Honourable mention: Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Coach of the week: HC Jason Maas, Montreal Alouettes

Despite having already clinched first place in the East Division weeks ago, the Alouettes still looked polished and motivated on their trip to BMO Field. Montreal has officially completed the regular-season with the best record in the league at 14-4, which is also the team’s best year since 2009 when they went 15-3 en route to a Grey Cup win.

Honourable mention: HC Scott Milanovich, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

HOW DID HE HOLD ONTO THAT ONE?! 🤯

📺: TSN and CFL+
📱: Download the official CFL App and follow along LIVE: https://t.co/AVJPELoxln

#CFLGameDay https://t.co/EX2yikyOcJ

— CFL (@CFL) October 24, 2026

Best play of the week: Dorian Singer’s deep catch

In the dying seconds of the first half, Singer elevated in the middle of B.C.’s defence to make a 24-yard grab and give his team a chance to add a 54-yard field goal before the break. The rookie receiver made an unbelievable play to hold onto the ball, as a hit from Robert Carter Jr. caused him to flip in the air and land on his head and shoulder.

Honourable mention: Tucker Horn’s touchdown pass to Dymere Miller

Worst play of the week: Trey Vaval’s muffed punt return

The 26-year-old has been arguably the best special teams player in the CFL this year, but he made a critical mistake at an inopportune time. Midway through the first quarter, Vaval was unable to corral a punt and Kieran Poissant recovered for the Lions. The turnover gave B.C. possession in Winnipeg territory and a chance to extend its lead.

Honourable mention: Kaidon Salter’s end zone interception

Best game of the week: Montreal Alouettes at Toronto Argonauts

This was far from an elite game, but it was the best of a weak bunch. Dustin Crum and Caleb Evans were solid under centre for the Alouettes, while Tucker Horn hit a dime to Dymere Miller on Toronto’s first offensive snap of the game. This was a one-score game for most of the fourth quarter until Montreal finally pulled away.

Honourable mention: Ottawa Redblacks at Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Worst game of the week: Winnipeg Blue Bombers at B.C. Lions

The first three quarters of this game were unbelievably sloppy, especially given how many veterans Winnipeg had in the lineup. Though the Blue Bombers eventually pulled away in the fourth quarter, it was a shockingly poor performance for a team that had to win in order to clinch a playoff berth.

Honourable mention: Edmonton Elks at Saskatchewan Roughriders

His reason? He wasn’t performing those duties anyway.

“(Shawn Burke) was vice-president (of football operations), but he was still doing the GM stuff. I came in with the GM title, and I got to have final say on who we played on the game-day roster,” Dinwiddie told the media on Sunday.

“Offensively, I’ve been a coordinator and head coach for years, and I’ve been pretty darn good at it, so I believe in that, but the GM title? If they’ve gotta change that, it’s not gonna change my workload at all.”

CFL rules stipulate that coaches and personnel people with term remaining on their contracts cannot make lateral moves to other teams, and can only interview for a job if it constitutes a promotion.

When the Redblacks hired Dinwiddie last offseason, he was under contract with the Argonauts as their head coach through 2027. He was given the GM title in Ottawa, and Burke moved up from general manager to vice-president of football operations.

Dinwiddie has now seemingly said the quiet part out loud: his added title was merely a way to circumvent the rules.

Is this the first time a CFL team has “promoted” someone in order to hire them away from a rival? Of course not, but it’s rare to hear someone admit it on the record.

Dinwiddie doesn’t know if he’ll be brought back for 2027, though he has two years left on his contract. He indicated that new team president Mike Morreale plans to hire someone to replace Burke, who was fired in August, giving the Redblacks a new de facto GM.

In an interview with 3DownNation last week, Morreale said he’d like to have the team’s new football operations department settled by the end of November.

“Me and Mike went and had lunch the day before we left to go to Hamilton, so it was just more catching up on a personal level,” said Dinwiddie.

“We did talk a little bit of ball, but right now he said he wants to evaluate everything including myself, and that’s fair. You go 1-17, everything should be evaluated. I plan on being here. I want to turn this thing around. I don’t want to be out of here and not have the opportunity to give one more shot at it.”

The 45-year-old acknowledged his team’s shortcomings. If he’s back next year, Dinwiddie indicated that he’d like to get better along the offensive and defensive lines, and wants to bring in a defensive coordinator who can “give these guys opportunities to be successful.”

With that said, it seems he regrets being so active in free agency, wanting instead to rely on in-house options.

“You come into a new organization, you don’t know the ins and outs — you’re brand new. Thinking about our approach in how we built the roster, I think we should probably have been a little bit less aggressive in free agency, and been more vocal on getting some rookies in here, and scouting,” he said.

“You can’t build a whole roster through free agency. I think that was one thing that we learned the hard way from last year.”

The Redblacks suffered more injuries than any other team in the CFL in 2026, as Dinwiddie indicated the club went through 141 different players. This made it challenging to create continuity and build familiarity within different units.

The one position at which the team stayed healthy all year was quarterback. Jake Maier made 12 starts, McLeod Bethel-Thompson made four, and Bryson Barnes made two. Though none had particularly bad statistics, the Redblacks clearly weren’t good enough at the game’s most important position.

When asked about his plans at the position for next year, Dinwiddie was non-committal, though it seems there could be significant changes.

“Who knows what the free agent market is going to look like, right? We’ve got some guys on the (negotiation) list, guys we’re scouting,” he said. “Once (the new vice-president of football operations and I) sit down together and put a plan together, I’ll have a better answer for you.”

Editor’s note: since Dinwiddie spoke to the media, Chad Kelly has reportedly agreed to a long-term contract extension with the Toronto Argonauts.

While Mitchell will be back next year, other players will not be. There are currently 20 pending free agents in The Hammer, which should mean a busy offseason for Orlondo Steinauer and company.

Free agency won’t officially get underway until February, but for now, these are the players currently set to hit the open market. This list is unofficial and was compiled using anonymous 3DownNation sourcing.

Please note that “N” denotes nationals (ie. Canadians), “A” denotes Americans, and “G” denotes Globals.

Quarterback

Harrison Frost (A)

Running back

Johnny Augustine (N)

Photo: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography / 3DownNation. All rights reserved.

Fullback

Daniel Bell (N)
Ante Milanovic-Litre (N)

Receiver

Tyson Middlemost (N)
Tyler Ternowski (N)

Offensive line

Quinton Barrow (A)
Nathaniel Dumoulin-Duguay (N)
Jakub Szott (N)

Photo: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography / 3DownNation. All rights reserved.

Defensive line

Charbel Dabire (N)
Miles Fox (A)
Owen Hubert (N)
Mario Kendricks Jr. (A)

Linebacker

Braxton Hill (A)
Wynton McManis (A)

Defensive back

Devodric Bynum (A)
Robert Panabaker (N)
Quavian White (A)

Specialist

Nik Constantinou (G)
Marc Liegghio (N)

It should be noted that players who finish the season on the practice roster automatically become free agents. This means that running back Nahree Biggins (A), receivers Hakeem Harris (N) and Blayne Taylor (A), offensive linemen Noah Henderson (A) and Reuben Unije (A), linebackers Jayden Griffiths (N) and Daveren Rayner (A), defensive backs Kaleb Hayes (A) and Robert McDaniel (A), and punter Mitch McCarthy (G) are free to join any other team unless they sign new contracts.

The six-foot-three, 288-pound defender had a stint on the practice roster with the Calgary Stampeders earlier this year, though he didn’t see any regular-season action, and was released earlier this month.

The native of Riverside, Calif. made nine starts with the Lions in 2025 and recorded 10 defensive tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and one forced fumble.

The 31-year-old has previously been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, and several spring league teams. He never played a regular-season NFL game.

Laulile played 33 collegiate games at BYU, where he recorded 47 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six sacks, two fumble recoveries, and one interception.

The B.C. Lions (10-8) will host the Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-8) for the West Semi-Final at BC Place Stadium on Saturday, October 31 with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET. The teams met three times during the regular-season, with Saskatchewan winning the matchup in Regina, and B.C. winning both games in Vancouver.

The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS in Canada and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 620 CKRM in Regina and 730 CKNW (English) or Sher-E-Punjab Radio AM 600 (Punjabi) in Vancouver.

The five-foot-eleven, 200-pound defender has recorded 61 defensive tackles, 17 pass knockdowns, one forced fumble, and two interceptions over 16 regular-season games this year. He is Montreal’s full-time starter at boundary cornerback.

“Lorenzo brings a great deal of stability to our defence,” said general manager Danny Maciocia in a statement. “Without making too much noise, he is extremely effective at shutting down our opponents. You only have to look at his statistics to see that he has consistently put up good numbers since joining us.”

The native of Murrieta, Calif. joined the Alouettes in 2024. Over 36 career regular-season CFL games, he has tallied 144 defensive tackles, four special teams tackles, two tackles for loss, four interceptions, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.

The 29-year-old was previously a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns, but didn’t record any regular-season statistics with either NFL team. He played nine career UFL games as a member of the Birmingham Stallions, making 34 total tackles and two interceptions.

Burns was a two-time Pac-12 honourable mention at the University of Arizona, where he recorded 192 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, nine interceptions, 35 pass knockdowns, and two fumble recoveries over 42 collegiate games.

The Montreal Alouettes (14-4) are on bye until the East Final, which is scheduled for Saturday, November 7. The team will host the winner of the East Semi-Final between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts.

The Stampeders, Tiger-Cats, and Redblacks have already turned the page to next year, while the Bombers, Riders, Argos, Lions, Elks, and Alouettes battle for Earl Grey’s coveted chalice. We’ll be back once the elimination bracket has concluded.

3DownNation’s power rankings are created by having our contributors rank each team from No. 1 to No. 9 independently, then averaging out the scores. Each team’s most recent ranking is listed in brackets.

Enjoy the rankings and feel free to roast us on social media for anything you think we got wrong.

Photo: Jordan Collacutt/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

1) Montreal Alouettes (1)

The Alouettes didn’t need Davis Alexander, Tyson Philpot, or Tyler Snead to end their season in the win column. Dustin Crum and Caleb Evans both saw action under centre, Stevie Scott III and Shomari Lawrence split reps in the backfield, while Charleston Rambo and Kaseem Ferdinand cashed in receiving touchdowns. With a first-round bye next week, Montreal’s offensive big three will have had three weeks off before a sold-out Eastern Final.

Photo courtesy: Saskatchewan Roughriders.

2) Edmonton Elks (2)

The Green and Gold skewed green in their regular-season finale, playing mostly backups in a narrow loss to Saskatchewan. ShunDerrick Powell continued to impress amongst the crew of youngsters, though the best news was the return of both Javon Leake and T.J. Luther from injury. The result doesn’t detract from Edmonton’s remarkable turnaround, as they added six victories to their total from last season.

Photo courtesy: Steven Chang/B.C. Lions

3) B.C. Lions (3)

The Lions may have lost their second straight meaningless game to end the season, but their B and C teams had Winnipeg on the ropes for three quarters. Kaidon Salter had an inconsistent outing but connected on some deep shots down the field, including an early touchdown pass to first-round pick Nate Demontagnac. Jermaine Jackson, who was cut by the team in training camp, officially surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in the game, though Zander Horvath was held short of the single-season rushing and total touchdown records held by Mike Pringle and Milt Stegall, respectively.

Photo: Jordan Collacutt/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

4) Toronto Argonauts (5)

Tucker Horn kicked off his first career CFL start with a 71-yard touchdown pass to Dymere Miller, but couldn’t quite keep the momentum going as Toronto ended the year with a loss. The focus now shifts to the Eastern Semi-Final, where Chad Kelly’s status is still up in the air after a knee injury suffered against Ottawa. With Nick Arbuckle getting a week off against Montreal, you have to wonder if that was motivated by a desire for evaluation or preservation.

Photo: Blair Takahashi/COACHTAK/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

5) Calgary Stampeders (4)

The Stampeders were forced to sit idle as their playoff fate was decided for them in the final week of the season. Despite finishing with nine wins and leading the CFL in scoring, Calgary will miss the postseason for the second time in three years. Head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson is already evaluating his coaching staff in anticipation of being back next year, though it is unclear whether a decision has been made on his future. Star receiver Jalen Philpot also has a decision to make, as he seems on the fence about re-signing with the team.

Photo courtesy: Saskatchewan Roughriders.

6) Saskatchewan Roughriders (6)

The Riders secured the rights to stay in the West Division for the postseason, as Jack Coan and Brayden Schager pushed through extremely windy conditions to combine for a victory in their first significant CFL action. The defence had a strong outing, while Tommy Stevens punched in two rushing touchdowns to break George Reed’s single-season franchise record. Not a bad way to bid goodbye to the 55-yard line at Mosaic Stadium.

Photo courtesy: Steven Chang/B.C. Lions

7) Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7)

The Bombers managed to clinch the final CFL playoff spot with a 24-point win in B.C., but their performance left much to be desired. Winnipeg mustered just three points through 43 minutes and trailed a Lions team comprised primarily of backups. It wasn’t until Zach Collaros exited the game with an injury that the switch flipped, as Dru Brown was a perfect 11-of-11 in relief for 185 yards and two touchdowns. The quarterback situation will be a storyline to watch as the team gets ready to crossover for the second year in a row.

Photo: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography / 3DownNation. All rights reserved.

8) Hamilton Tiger-Cats (9)

The Tabbies ended their lost season on a winning note, as Tre Ford got to make one more start and displayed his typical array of athletic flashes. Hamilton has already been busy ensuring the QB carousel ends once Bo Levi Mitchell gets healthy, locking him up for two more years and extending a pair of key offensive linemen. However, maybe they didn’t need to go through so much trouble, as the Ticats would be preparing for the playoffs under next year’s format.

Photo: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography / 3DownNation. All rights reserved.

9) Ottawa Redblacks (8)

Well, it was nice while it lasted. Bryson Barnes fell back to earth, and the Redblacks returned to their losing ways on Saturday, tying the 2003 Hamilton Tiger-Cats for the worst record in CFL history. The focus has already shifted off the field, as Mike Morreale was named the new team president and will be in charge of determining the future of head coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie. Only time will tell if his choices will be enough to turn around the fortunes of the ailing franchise, both on and off the field.

The managing partner and executive chairman of the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) watched his football team for the final time in 2026 on Saturday afternoon, when the Redblacks fell 35-22 to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

The result dropped Ottawa to 1-17, tying them for the worst record in CFL history and completing a trajectory that their ownership group has been grappling with for months.

“(To say it has been difficult) would be an understatement. This would be the worst summer of my life, without a doubt,” Greenberg told the media earlier this week. “I think people stopped talking to me because they didn’t know what to say. They just knew that all three of us — John (Ruddy) and John (Pugh) and I — it just sucked the joy out of going out afterwards. I wouldn’t go out. It was a really, really difficult season.”

The Redblacks set a CFL record with 16 consecutive losses to begin the 2026 season, reaching depths of despair never before seen in Canadian professional football. That was part of a longer streak of 22 straight defeats, a run of ineptitude unequalled since the Great Depression.

Embarrassment has been compounded at the box office, where average attendance at TD Place Stadium dropped to 15,617. That marked a 16.4 percent year-over-year decrease and the lowest number for a CFL team in Ottawa since 1970, excluding the 2021 season where COVID-19 restrictions were in place.

The dramatic drop-off has had both financial and emotional ramifications for those in the owners’ box.

“The money’s one thing. We were never in it for the money. We’ve said that since day one. Didn’t think we’d be losing quite this much money,” Greenberg acknowledged.

“We’ve lost a lot of fans over the past five years. I get it. I understand it. To me, if winning isn’t number one or number two for fan engagement, you’ve got to have a competitive team. I don’t blame the fans. We’ve been unlucky with the weather at times. It just seemed like everything was conspiring against us. We’ve got to get a competitive team.”

The Redblacks began play as an expansion franchise in 2014. After reaching the Grey Cup three times in their first five years and winning the CFL title in 2016, they have qualified for the playoffs just once over the last seven seasons. Since 2019, they have gone a combined 28-93-1, firing three head coaches in the process.

Pinpointing the root of the difference between the franchise’s contradictory eras is challenging. Some have suggested that the departure of quarterback Trevor Harris following the 2018 season jump-started the decline. The lack of a definitive franchise pivot has certainly proven devastating, though so too have other penny-pinching roster decisions.

More recently, the Redblacks have wildly overspent at non-premium positions, such as interior offensive line, running back, and linebacker. The river of incoming American talent has dried up to a trickle, and those who have cracked the roster have struggled to stay healthy. After losing 281 man-games to injury in 2025, Ottawa finished 2026 with 18 individuals on their six-game injured list and eight more on the one-game.

All of those issues culminated in arguably the darkest chapter in the football history of the nation’s capital this year, with only a single positive scoreline providing solace.

“I call last Friday night’s win the most improbable win I think I’ve ever seen us do. I thought for sure we had figured out another way to lose a game that I thought we should have won,” Greenberg said, referencing the improbable 40-39 upset of Toronto in Week 20. “We’ve been competitive in some games. I do look back and see that there were bits and pieces of almost every game where we had some absolutely brilliant plays by some of the players. We just couldn’t bring it consistently for the four quarters. Having a perfect season the wrong way is not a record that I relished.”

For Ottawa football fans — at least those that are still around — the vibes surrounding their team feel disturbingly familiar. This is a city that saw the Rough Riders succumb to incompetence on and off the field in 1996, and witnessed the Renegades go up in smoke after just four fitful seasons.

While OSEG have invested long-term in the form of the upcoming Landsdowne 2.0 renovation, that will come at a substantial financial price for a team that is already bleeding at the turnstile. That has led to a growing worry that the Redblacks might be on a path to mirroring their predecessors.

However, Greenberg has publicly insisted that whatever the current losses, the demise of the franchise is not a serious possibility.

“I also wanna be clear about our commitment as owners. We believe in the Redblacks. We believe in Ottawa. We believe this city can support a perpetually competitive football club. We have invested a great deal in building this organization, and our commitment to this team, this city, and its fans has not wavered. We want to win, and we are committed to doing what it takes to give this club the best opportunity to succeed. We know how much this team means to the people of this city,” he emphasized.

“We actually had that argument thrown at us when we were starting the team. Why would we wanna start a team when (two teams before have failed)? I remember on the radio before we actually started, the CFRA early morning show, I said, ‘We have passionate fans here. We just have to produce a winner.’ I’m confident that with all the work that we’ve done with our friends at City Hall in terms of creating facilities for people and all of the good things that we’re doing here, we have to create a winner. As long as we create a winner, and we think we’ve got a winner between us here, we’re gonna figure this out. We did last time when we started; we had it from an expansion team. We’ll figure this out, and we’ll get a team, and the fans will come back. I’m not worried about where we’re going.”

Change has already begun in earnest towards resetting the direction of the franchise. Vice president of football operations Shawn Burke was fired mid-season, and team president Adrian Sciarra stepped down from his role. On Tuesday, the club announced the hiring of Mike Morreale as their new president, touting his previous experience as commissioner of the burgeoning Canadian Elite Basketball League. It will be up to the former Ticats and Argonauts receiver to determine the fate of head coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie, as well as Jim Popp, who was brought in as a temporary consultant to salvage the season.

Greenberg emphasized his faith in Morreale, promising that ownership would not meddle in the direction he chooses for the team.

“As owners, we’re interested. I ask a ton of questions, but as I’ve said to each of the general managers and the coaches that we’ve had, the day that I start telling them who to put on the field, what play to call, that’s the day they should be handing in their resignation because it means I’ve lost confidence in them, and that’s not a good thing,” he explained.

“He’s a football guy. What could I possibly tell him as a football guy? I’m here to support him in everything that he does. We have to reconnect with our fans. We have to reconnect with our sponsors. There’s so much that we need to do, and my comment to Mike is, ‘Tell me what I can do to help out.’ That’s our role. I don’t tell him; he tells me.”

Greenberg understands that Redblacks represent more to the people of Ottawa than just a football team. However, sentimentality won’t get you very far in professional sports, and he knows the novelty of the return of the franchise can no longer cover all the warts.

“I don’t really quite believe what Ted Lasso says when he says he doesn’t care about wins and losses. He just cares about how he treats the players, whatever, and that’ll follow,” he said, referencing the popular Apple TV show. “I sort of understand that. But I do believe at the end of the day, the fans want to see wins. They want to see us in the playoffs.”

No matter how much he wants to forget this year, 1-17 is beyond what even a goldfish is capable of purging.