First win doesn’t change how historically challenging 2026 has been for Redblacks

A long-awaited win doesn’t change how historically challenging the season has been for the Ottawa Redblacks.

Ottawa (1-16) finishes its campaign to forget Saturday afternoon on the road against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-12). The Redblacks had lost 22 straight games dating back to last season before rallying to edge the Toronto Argonauts 40-39 on Friday night.

Much was expected of Ottawa this season. It signed a bevy of free agents _ again _ and brought in Ryan Dinwiddie to run the show, looking to change the fortunes of the team that went 4-14-0 in 2025.

Some of the newcomers have disappointed. The team’s lack of success has led to off-field changes.

It’s the latest chapter in a franchise starved for success.

Since Ottawa’s last Grey Cup appearance — a 27-16 loss to Calgary in 2018 with veteran quarterback Trevor Harris starting — the franchise has made the playoffs once (2024). It has managed just 28 regular-season wins (nine coming in ’24) and owns the league mark for most losses to start a season (16).

The ’18 campaign is also the last time Ottawa posted double-digit regular-season wins (11). The Redblacks have registered 92 regular-season losses since then, a span that’s been plagued by a rash of questionable player-personnel decisions, inconsistent drafting and changes in the front office and on the sidelines.

Rookie quarterback Bryson Barnes anchored last week’s win, completing 27-of-37 passes for 339 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 62 yards in his first CFL start.

Quarterback instability has long been an issue in Ottawa. 

Barnes is the Redblacks’ 15th different starter since Harris wasn’t re-signed following 2018. Harris, 40, is still playing and last year led Saskatchewan to a Grey Cup title.

Dinwiddie raised eyebrows when he named Jake Maier as the starter ahead of Dru Brown, who was dealt back to Winnipeg in June. The Redblacks acquired Brown’s rights from the Bombers in January 2024 and he led the franchise to the playoffs that season.

Maier, who served as a backup in Saskatchewan last season, went 0-12 and struggled to find any rhythm. He was replaced by veteran McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who was 0-4 before giving way to Barnes.

Following Barnes’s performance last week, the big question is: why hadn’t he started earlier?

Barnes injected much-needed life into a unit that was last overall in offensive points per game (22.9), rushing (53.9) and tied for last in offensive TDs (35).

Ottawa has also struggled mightily on defence, allowing 37.5 points, 486.6 net offensive yards, 134.1 rushing yards and 348.4 passing yards per game and 64 total touchdowns — all league highs.

Ottawa is paying the price for signing Canadian A.J. Allen to a lucrative free-agent deal and allowing veteran linebacker Adarius Pickett to return to Toronto. Pickett leads the CFL in total tackles (116) and defensive plays (134).

Other free agents brought in by Ottawa this season include running back Greg Bell, receiver Ayden Eberhardt, defensive lineman Habakkuk Baldonado, defensive back Demerio Houston and offensive lineman Martez Ivory.

Eberhardt has had a solid campaign with 86 catches for 1,097 yards and eight TDs — nine receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns coming against Toronto. But Bell, who ran for 1,038 yards (5.6-yard average, five touchdowns) last year with Hamilton, has just 316 yards (3.9-yard average, no TDs) in 11 games this season.

Allen, who had a career-high 91 total tackles last season with Saskatchewan, has just 36 total tackles in 16 games with Ottawa and is no longer starting. Baldonado, Houston and Ivory were released during the season, as was veteran receiver Eugene Lewis.

Dinwiddie, who led Toronto to two Grey Cups (2022, ’24) and was the ’23 CFL coach of the year, has had his hands full.

He’s one of two people in the CFL to hold down the dual role of head coach and general manager, the other being Calgary’s Dave Dickenson. Dinwiddie also serves as Ottawa’s offensive co-ordinator.

Defensive co-ordinator Will Fields was fired after Ottawa’s 0-7 start and replaced by special-teams co-ordinator Jeff Reinebold. Nate Taylor assumed Reinebold’s former role.

President Adrian Sciarra stepped down Aug. 17. Six days later Shawn Burke was fired as vice-president of football operations.

Burke had served as Ottawa’s GM for four seasons before being promoted last November. During his tenure, the Redblacks were 21-60-1 and made the playoffs just once.

Following Burke’s departure, Ottawa hired former CFL GM Jim Popp as a senior football adviser until season’s end.

The 61-year-old from Elkin, N.C., arrived with a proven track record. Over his 28-year CFL tenure, Popp’s clubs have made 11 Grey Cup appearances, winning five times. They’ve amassed an overall 269-203-1 regular-season record and 27-17 playoff mark.

On Tuesday, Ottawa hired Mike Morreale as president. The 55-year-old Hamilton native played 12 seasons as a receiver with Toronto and the Ticats, winning two Grey Cups (1996, ’99) and the league’s top Canadian award in 1998.

He later served with the CFLPA as its marketing director and president. Morreale co-founded the Canadian Elite Basketball League in 2017 and served as its inaugural commissioner until 2025.

Morreale will review football operations and establish Ottawa’s permanent leadership structure. He’s also tasked with helping the club strengthen its approach to identifying, recruiting and developing players while leading the development of a longer-term football and business plan.

Once again, the Redblacks are starting all over. But this time, the man in charge not only has experience winning Grey Cups but also building a sustainable entity from the ground up.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.