Ottawa Redblacks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ottawa Redblacks

Founded	2014
Based in	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Home field	TD Place
Head coach	Ryan Dinwiddie
General manager	Ryan Dinwiddie
Owner(s)	Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group
League	Canadian Football League
Division	East Division
Colours	Red, black, white
Mascot(s)	Big Joe/Grand Jos
Grey Cup win(s)	(2016)
Current uniform
2026 Ottawa Redblacks season

The Ottawa Redblacks (officially known as REDBLACKS) are a team that plays professional Canadian football in Ottawa, Canada. They are part of the East Division in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

The Redblacks started playing in 2014. They are the third CFL team to represent the city of Ottawa. The first team, the Ottawa Rough Riders, played from 1876 to 1996. Another team, the Ottawa Renegades, played from 2002 to 2005. The Redblacks brought a championship back to Ottawa. They won the Grey Cup in 2016. This victory ended a 40-year wait for a Grey Cup title in Ottawa.

Team History

After the 1996 season, the Ottawa Rough Riders team stopped playing. This happened after 120 years of football in Ottawa. There were problems with how the team was run. For five years, Ottawa did not have a CFL team. Then, in 2002, football returned with a new team, the Ottawa Renegades. But this team also faced problems with its management. The Renegades stopped playing before the 2006 CFL season. The league then shared the Renegades' players with other teams. They hoped to bring a team back to Ottawa later.

Building a New Stadium

On March 25, 2008, a group led by Jeff Hunt was given the chance to start a new team. Hunt also owned the Ontario Hockey League's Ottawa 67's. The new team planned to start playing in 2010. However, there were issues with the old stadium, Frank Clair Stadium. Parts of the stadium needed to be torn down and rebuilt. This caused delays for the team's start.

The league then aimed for the team to debut in 2013. But more legal challenges pushed back the stadium's reconstruction. The team and league then announced plans to play at the renovated stadium by 2014. The stadium was renamed TD Place Stadium. In 2008, the new team was also given the right to host the 2014 Grey Cup game. However, the owners wanted to wait a few years to host it. They hoped the team would be strong enough to play in the championship game by then. The stadium renovations were finally finished in 2014. Hosting the Grey Cup was part of the agreement for owning the team. The team paid about $7 million (CAD) to join the CFL.

At the same time, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk had plans for a Major League Soccer team in Ottawa. He wanted to build a new stadium for soccer. People wondered if Ottawa could support both a CFL and an MLS team. The CFL and MLS groups could not agree on their stadium plans. City officials also questioned if Ottawa needed two new sports teams.

The north-side stands of TD Place at Lansdowne Park

In April 2009, Ottawa city staff looked at the different stadium ideas. They presented a report to the city council. The report suggested that the plan to redevelop Lansdowne Park was slightly better. The city held public meetings to discuss these plans. On April 22, 2009, the city council chose the Lansdowne Park plan. This plan included a new outdoor stadium.

After more discussions, the city council voted on November 16, 2009. They approved the plans to redevelop Lansdowne Park for a CFL team. The team's ownership group had until June 2010 to finalize the details. Construction was planned to start in the spring of 2011.

On June 28, 2010, the city council again approved the Lansdowne Park redevelopment plan. This decision almost guaranteed a CFL team for Ottawa. Construction was delayed until 2013 due to legal challenges. The stadium was expected to be ready by the summer of 2015. However, there were hopes it could open for football as early as 2014. The team's debut had to wait until the stadium was ready.

On October 10, 2012, the new team passed its final political step. The city council voted 21–3 in favor of the Lansdowne project. Construction on the stadium's north and south stands began in October 2012.

Starting Football Operations (2013)

On January 30, 2013, Marcel Desjardins became the first general manager for the Redblacks. He was in charge of building the team. In May 2013, he hired Brock Sunderland as his assistant. On December 6, 2013, Desjardins chose Rick Campbell as the team's first head coach. Rick Campbell's father, Hugh Campbell, was a famous coach for the Edmonton Eskimos.

One year before the Redblacks played their first game in the 2014 CFL season, they could draft some college players. This happened during the 2013 CFL draft on May 6, 2013. The team picked players like Nolan MacMillan and Connor Williams.

The 2013 CFL Expansion Draft was held on December 16, 2013. This draft allowed the new Ottawa team to pick players from other CFL teams. The Redblacks selected 24 players in total. They picked three players from each of the eight existing teams. This helped them build their first roster.

First Season (2014)

Construction progress at TD Place Stadium on September 27, 2013

On July 3, 2014, the Ottawa Redblacks played their first regular-season game. It was an away game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Redblacks scored three touchdowns early on but lost 36–28. On July 18, 2014, they won their first home game. They beat the Toronto Argonauts 18–17. Like many new teams, the Redblacks had a tough first season. They finished last in their division with a record of 2 wins and 16 losses.

Becoming Strong Contenders (2015–2018)

In their second season, the Redblacks added many talented players to their offense. This made the team much better. They won eight of their last 10 games. They finished with 12 wins and 6 losses, placing first in the East Division. This was the first time an Ottawa team won a division title since 1978. On November 22, 2015, the Redblacks beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 35–28. This win sent them to the 103rd Grey Cup. They were the first Ottawa CFL team to reach the Grey Cup since 1981. In their first Grey Cup appearance, the Redblacks lost 26–20 to the Edmonton Eskimos.

The Redblacks had a slightly tougher next season. They finished with 8 wins, 9 losses, and 1 tie. However, the East Division was not very strong that year. So, the Redblacks still won their second division title in a row. This gave them a direct spot in the East Final. Ottawa played against the Edmonton Eskimos from the Western Division. They won 35–23. In the Grey Cup, the Redblacks won their first championship. This was also the first for an Ottawa team in 40 years. They defeated the strong Calgary Stampeders 39–33 in an overtime game. This was only the third Grey Cup game ever to go into overtime.

The Redblacks started the 2017 season as defending champions. They lost some key players, like Henry Burris who retired. Still, they finished the season with another 8 wins, 9 losses, and 1 tie. This placed them second in the East Division. The team faced injuries and played inconsistently. Their goal for a second Grey Cup win ended when they lost to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Roughriders had crossed over from the West to play in the East Division semifinal. The Redblacks played well again in 2018. They won their third division title in four years. After beating the Tiger-Cats in the East Final, they reached the 106th Grey Cup game. There, they were defeated by the Calgary Stampeders.

Changes in Leadership (2019–2021)

The 2019 season was a difficult one for the Redblacks. They lost important offensive players like Trevor Harris and Greg Ellingson. Both players signed with the Edmonton Eskimos. The team's offensive coordinator, Jaime Elizondo, also left in April. He was replaced by former Renegades coach Joe Paopao. The team used several quarterbacks during the season, including Jonathon Jennings, Dominique Davis, and Will Arndt.

The team started with 2 wins but then lost four games in a row. They ended the season by losing 11 consecutive games. Their final record was 3 wins and 15 losses. This placed them last in the East Division and ninth overall in the CFL. After the season, coach Rick Campbell and the Redblacks decided to go separate ways.

On December 7, 2019, the Redblacks hired Paul LaPolice as their second head coach. He had previously coached the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. After a tough 2019 season and being out of playoff contention in 2021, the Redblacks made another change. They fired general manager Marcel Desjardins on October 25, 2021.

Choosing the Team Name

At first, Jeff Hunt hoped to bring back the "Rough Riders" name. This name was very popular with fans and former players in Ottawa. The Rough Riders had played for 120 years and won nine Grey Cups. However, in July 2010, the ownership group announced a problem. They had bought the rights to the Rough Riders name. But the Saskatchewan Roughriders team objected to it. So, the "Rough Riders" name would likely not return.

On December 6, 2012, the CFL started a public vote for the new team name. People could vote online for six days. Some thought the team might be called the "Rush." But this was not true. A focus group later considered names like Nationals, Voyageurs, Redblacks, and Raftsmen.

On May 30, 2013, news came out that the team had protected the name "Redblacks." They also protected its French version, Rouge et Noir. On June 8, 2013, the team officially confirmed its name: the Ottawa Redblacks. On the same day, they showed their new logo. It was a slanted "R" like the one on the old Rough Riders' helmets. This "R" was inside a black saw blade with a red outline. The home uniforms were mostly black with white numbers and red and white trim. The away uniforms were white with red numbers and red and black trim.

For official records, the CFL now sees all three Ottawa teams as one history. This includes the Rough Riders, the Renegades, and the Redblacks. Their history goes back to 1876, with breaks in between.

Team Rivals

The Redblacks have a traditional rivalry with the Montreal Alouettes. This is because they are geographically close. They often play in the Labour Day Classic. Montreal is also part of their division rivalry with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts. Even though they are far apart, the Calgary Stampeders have also become a main rival. This is due to their Grey Cup matchups.

Honored Players

Retired Jersey Numbers

On July 18, 2014, during their first home game, the Redblacks made an announcement. They would retire all 10 jersey numbers that the old Ottawa Rough Riders had retired. This means no future Redblacks players will wear these numbers. The club has said they will not retire more numbers in the future. This is because there are not enough numbers available for all positions.

Wall of Honour

All 10 retired numbers are also shown on the club's Wall of Honour at the stadium. In addition, Henry Burris was added to the Wall on September 9, 2017. This happened during halftime of a game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. On September 10, 2019, the CFL Ottawa Alumni Association announced a committee. This group would choose more former Ottawa players to add to the Wall of Honour in future years. In that same announcement, the club revealed that Kaye Vaughan would be the 12th member added to the Wall of Honour.

Team Roster

Team Staff

Team Awards

• Grey Cup
  • Champions (1): 2016
• East Division
  • Champions (3): 2015, 2016, 2018

Team Mascot

The Redblacks' mascot is a lumberjack. His original name, "Big Joe Mufferaw," was announced on March 28, 2014. This name came from online suggestions. It honored the Big Joe Mufferaw folk legend. This legend was made popular by Ottawa writer Bernie Bedore and singer Stompin' Tom Connors. After some people criticized the "Mufferaw" part of the name, the team changed it. On March 31, the team announced the mascot would simply be called "Big Joe" (or "Grand Jos" in French).

Cheer and Dance Team

The Ottawa Redblacks Cheer and Dance Team first performed on July 17, 2014. This was at the Redblacks' first home game at TD Place Stadium. The team has both men and women aged 18 to 35. There are two spirit teams: 25 cheerleaders and 25 dancers. The coed cheerleading team includes athletes with experience in various cheerleading styles. During games, the cheerleading team performs stunts and acrobatics on the field. The dance team is made up of women from different dance backgrounds. They also perform on the field during game breaks and before games. Lisa Aucoin and Kenny Feeley are the program directors. Melany Morrison is the head coach for the dance team.

On game days, team members cheer, dance, and perform at halftime. They also take part in pregame shows and promotions. Members are involved in many community events, charity functions, and corporate appearances in the Ottawa area.

The team also has a junior program for cheerleaders and dancers. This program is for kids aged six to 16. It is a four-week program that includes lessons and coaching from team members.

See also

In Spanish: Ottawa Redblacks para niños

• Canadian football
• Comparison of American and Canadian football