Ottawa Redblacks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ottawa Redblacks
Rouge et Noir d'Ottawa

Founded	2014
Based in	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Home field	TD Place
Head coach	Bob Dyce
General manager	Shawn Burke
Owner(s)	Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group
League	Canadian Football League
Division	East
Colours	Red, black, white
Mascot(s)	Big Joe/Grand Jos
Grey Cup win(s)	1 (2016)
Current uniform
2025 Ottawa Redblacks season

The Ottawa Redblacks are a professional Canadian football team. They are based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The team plays in the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

The Redblacks started playing in 2014. They are the third CFL team to play in 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 won the Grey Cup championship in 2016. This win ended a 40-year championship wait for Ottawa.

History of Ottawa Football Teams

After the 1996 season, the Ottawa Rough Riders team stopped playing. This was due to problems with its owners. Football was absent from Ottawa for five years. In 2002, a new team, the Ottawa Renegades, started playing. However, this team also faced ownership issues. The Renegades stopped playing before the 2006 CFL season. The league then sold off the Renegades' players. They hoped to bring a team back to Ottawa later.

Challenges to Starting a New Team

In 2008, a group led by Jeff Hunt was given a new team. They planned to start playing in 2010. But the stadium, Frank Clair Stadium, had problems. Parts of it needed to be torn down. This delayed the team's start. The league then aimed for 2013. However, lawsuits caused more delays. The stadium renovations were not finished until 2014. The stadium was renamed TD Place Stadium.

The new team also had to pay a fee to the CFL. This fee was reported to be $7 million. There were also discussions about building a new soccer stadium. This stadium would be for a Major League Soccer team. But the CFL and MLS groups could not agree. City officials also wondered if Ottawa could support both teams.

In April 2009, Ottawa city council chose the Lansdowne Park plan. This plan included renovating the stadium for the CFL team. On November 16, the council voted to redevelop Lansdowne Park. This vote was 15–9 in favor. The team owners had until June 2010 to finalize details. Construction was set to begin in spring 2011.

On June 28, 2010, the city council approved the redevelopment plan. The vote was again 15–9. This made sure Ottawa would get a CFL team. Construction was delayed until 2013 due to legal challenges. The stadium was expected to be ready by summer 2015. But there were hopes it could open for football in 2014. Without a stadium, the team's debut was pushed back. Finally, on October 10, 2012, the city council voted 21–3. This vote cleared the last hurdle for Lansdowne Park. Construction on the stadium began in October 2012.

Building the Team (2013)

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

Before their first season, the Redblacks drafted four college players. This happened during the 2013 CFL Draft on May 6, 2013. The team picked Nolan MacMillan, Connor Williams, Kalonji Kashama, and Tyler Digby.

The 2013 CFL Expansion Draft was held on December 16, 2013. In this draft, the Redblacks picked players from other CFL teams. They selected 24 players in total. This included eight international players and 16 Canadian players. The selections were announced live online.

First Season and Early Success (2014–2018)

The progress of construction at TD Place Stadium, September 27, 2013

The Ottawa Redblacks played their first regular-season game on July 3, 2014. They lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 36–28. On July 18, 2014, the Redblacks won their first home game. They beat the Toronto Argonauts 18–17. Like most new teams, the Redblacks struggled that season. They finished with a 2–16 record.

In their second season (2015), the Redblacks improved a lot. They won eight of their last 10 games. They finished first in the East Division with a 12–6 record. This was the first division title for an Ottawa team since 1978. On November 22, 2015, the Redblacks beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 35–28. This sent them to the 103rd Grey Cup. They were the second-youngest team to reach the Grey Cup. In their first Grey Cup, they lost 26–20 to the Edmonton Eskimos.

The Redblacks had a tough season in 2016. They finished with an 8–9–1 record. But the East Division was weak that year. So, the Redblacks won their second straight division title. They beat the Edmonton Eskimos 35–23 in the East Final. In the Grey Cup, the Redblacks won their first championship. They beat the Calgary Stampeders 39–33 in overtime. This was Ottawa's first Grey Cup in 40 years.

In 2017, the Redblacks aimed for another Grey Cup. They lost some key players. They finished second in the East Division with an 8–9–1 record. They lost to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the East Division semifinal. In 2018, the Redblacks returned to form. They won their third division title in four years. They beat the Tiger-Cats in the East Final. But they lost to the Calgary Stampeders in the 106th Grey Cup game.

Changes in Leadership (2019–2021)

The 2019 season was difficult for the Redblacks. They lost important offensive players like Trevor Harris and Greg Ellingson. Their offensive coordinator also left. The team struggled with different quarterbacks playing. After a 2–0 start, they lost 11 games in a row. They finished the season with a 3–15 record. After the season, coach Rick Campbell left the team.

On December 7, 2019, the Redblacks hired Paul LaPolice as their new head coach. The team continued to struggle. After a 3–15 record in 2019 and a 2–9 record in 2021, general manager Marcel Desjardins was fired on October 25, 2021.

Team Name

The team owners first wanted to use the old "Rough Riders" name. They even bought the rights to it. The Rough Riders name was very popular in Ottawa. The Rough Riders played for 120 years and won nine Grey Cups. However, the Saskatchewan Roughriders objected to the name. So, the Ottawa team decided not to use it.

On December 6, 2012, the CFL started a public vote for the new name. People could vote online. There was talk that the name would be "Rush." But this was not true. Other names considered were Nationals, Voyageurs, Redblacks, and Raftsmen.

On May 30, 2013, it was reported that the team had protected the name "Redblacks." Its French name is "Rouge et Noir." On June 8, 2013, the team confirmed its name: the Ottawa Redblacks. They also showed their logo. It was an "R" like the old Rough Riders' helmets. But it was inside a black saw blade. The team's home uniforms are black with red and white. The away uniforms are white with red and black.

The CFL now sees all Ottawa football teams as one history. This includes the Rough Riders, Renegades, and Redblacks. This history goes back to 1876.

Rivals

The Redblacks have a traditional rivalry with the Montreal Alouettes. They often play each other in the Labour Day Classic. They also have rivalries with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts. Even though they are in a different division, the Calgary Stampeders have also become a main rival.

Honoured Players

Retired Numbers

On July 18, 2014, the Redblacks announced they would retire 10 jersey numbers. These numbers were previously retired by the Ottawa Rough Riders. The team has said they will not retire more numbers in the future. This is because there are not enough numbers for all positions.

Wall of Honour

All 10 retired numbers are shown on the team's Wall of Honour at the stadium. Henry Burris was also added to the Wall on September 9, 2017. On September 10, 2019, Kaye Vaughan became the 12th member added to the Wall of Honour. More players are planned to be added in the future.

Roster

Staff

Awards

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

Season-by-season results

Mascot

The Redblacks' mascot is a lumberjack named "Big Joe." His original name was "Big Joe Mufferaw." This name came from a folk legend. But after some criticism, the team changed it to "Big Joe" (or "Grand Jos" in French).

Cheerleaders

The Ottawa Redblacks Cheer and Dance Team started in 2014. They perform at home games at TD Place Stadium. The team has both men and women aged 18 to 35. There are two groups: 25 cheerleaders and 25 dancers. The cheerleading team does stunts and acrobatics. The dance team performs routines during games.

Team members also take part in community events. They help with charity functions and corporate appearances. The team also has a junior program. This program is for cheerleaders and dancers aged six to 16. It includes coaching from the team members.

See also

In Spanish: Ottawa Redblacks para niños

• Ottawa Redblacks all-time records and statistics
• Ottawa Football Clubs all-time records and statistics
• Canadian football
• Comparison of American and Canadian football
• List of Canadian Football League seasons