Samwise CFL Newsletter
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Season Ticket Cancellations Tied to CFL Rule Changes Remain Minimal, Survey Finds
A 3DownNation survey of all nine CFL teams found that season ticket cancellations tied to announced rule changes have been limited. The B.C. Lions said 84 tickets — 8 percent — cited rule changes, though 400 others blamed World Cup-related stadium displacement. The Saskatchewan Roughriders reported single-digit rule-related cancellations. The Montreal Alouettes said zero tickets were cancelled over the rules. The Calgary Stampeders reported net growth in their season ticket base for the first time since 2019. Half the league declined to comment. The 2026 rule package includes a modified rouge, 35-second play clock, and elimination of ties. A shortened 100-yard field and expanded eight-team playoffs take effect in 2027.
Sources: 3DownNation
O’Shea Calls Collaros Still the Best Quarterback in the CFL
Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea has pushed back against the narrative that quarterback Zach Collaros is in decline. “I see a guy who is the best quarterback in the league,” O’Shea told reporters on Tuesday. Collaros, who turns 38 in August, threw 34 touchdowns and 31 interceptions across 2024 and 2025 combined, went 6-7 as a starter last season, and took a $50,000 pay cut this offseason. New offensive coordinator Tommy Condell, a former Hamilton colleague, has been reunited with the veteran pivot. Collaros completed three of four passes for 57 yards in Winnipeg’s preseason opener against Saskatchewan, with new receiver Tim White catching all three completions.
Sources: 3DownNation
Argonauts Receiver Coxie Embraces Life as CFL Road Warriors in 2026
The Toronto Argonauts have only six true home games in 2026 as the FIFA World Cup has occupied BMO Field for the first half of summer. Receiver Damonte Coxie says the team is embracing the situation. MLSE president Keith Pelley chose road games over a small-venue alternative, saying the club did not want to host with 5,000 to 7,000 fans. The first two “home” games are in Regina on June 26 and Winnipeg on July 10, with Toronto’s first BMO Field game against Calgary on August 6. Coxie caught 48 passes for 854 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games in 2025. Toronto went 2-7 on the road that season.
Sources: 3DownNation
Dustin Crum Chose Montreal Over B.C. Despite Six Teams Inquiring
Quarterback Dustin Crum said as many as six CFL teams inquired about his services in February, with Montreal and B.C. emerging as the final two contenders. The 27-year-old chose the Alouettes, signing a one-year deal worth $140,000 in hard money to back up starter Davis Alexander. Crum cited head coach Jason Maas and the winning culture the organization has built as the primary draw. Former Ottawa Redblacks general manager Marcel Desjardins, now with Montreal, also played a role in attracting Crum. Entering his fourth CFL season, Crum started 14 games as a rookie with Ottawa in 2023 and says the gap between who he was then and now is significant.
Sources: 3DownNation
Hamilton Tiger-Cats to Induct Running Back Troy Davis into Wall of Honour
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Wednesday that former running back Troy Davis will be inducted into the team’s Wall of Honour at Hamilton Stadium on October 9. Davis played five seasons with Hamilton from 2001 to 2005, rushing for 5,296 yards and 30 touchdowns on 1,053 carries — franchise records for both categories. His best individual performance came in the 2004 Labour Day Classic, when he set a single-game franchise record with 233 rushing yards against Toronto. Davis later won the 2005 Grey Cup with Edmonton. Over 97 CFL regular-season games, he accumulated 6,739 rushing yards, 221 receptions, and 37 touchdowns. Davis will become the 31st Wall of Honour inductee.
Sources: 3DownNation
Seven Personal Milestones to Watch During the 2026 CFL Season
CFL.ca contributor Don Landry has identified seven milestones to watch in 2026. Willie Jefferson of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers enters the year with 94 career pass knockdowns, six from the century mark — unprecedented territory for a defensive lineman. Quarterbacks Zach Collaros (35,983 passing yards) and Trevor Harris (37,697) are both within reach of 40,000 career yards, achieved by only 11 players in league history. Calgary kicker René Paredes needs 43 points to reach 2,500 for his career. Receiver Nic Demski enters with 494 catches, six short of 500. T.J. Lee (615 career tackles) and Alexandre Gagné (129 special teams tackles) are also chasing personal records.
Sources: CFL.ca
B.C. Lions Re-Sign Canadian Linebacker Dawson Pierre Weeks After Releasing Him
The B.C. Lions have re-signed Canadian linebacker Dawson Pierre, the team announced Wednesday, just weeks after releasing him from training camp. The 25-year-old from Longueuil, Que. spent the previous two seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks, dressing for 15 regular-season games and recording five special teams tackles. Ottawa released him in February before the Lions claimed him and later cut him earlier this month. Pierre was selected in the third round of the 2024 CFL Draft out of Concordia University, where he earned RSEQ all-star recognition at safety in 2022. The six-foot-two, 219-pound defender has been utilized primarily as a linebacker since turning professional.
Sources: 3DownNation
Eastern Conference
Eastern Division
1. Montreal Alouettes — 0 pts (0-0-0)
2. Toronto Argonauts — 0 pts (0-0-0)
3. Hamilton Tiger-Cats — 0 pts (0-0-0)
4. Ottawa Redblacks — 0 pts (0-0-0)
Season opens June 4, 2026
Western Conference
Western Division
1. Winnipeg Blue Bombers — 0 pts (0-0-0)
2. Saskatchewan Roughriders — 0 pts (0-0-0)
3. Calgary Stampeders — 0 pts (0-0-0)
4. Edmonton Elks — 0 pts (0-0-0)
5. B.C. Lions — 0 pts (0-0-0)
Season opens June 4, 2026
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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