Every city has stories that define it.
In Ottawa, football is one of them.
For 150 years, generations of players, coaches, volunteers, and fans have built something that has endured through championships, heartbreak, changing franchises and changing generations. The names may have changed, from the Rough Riders to the Renegades to today’s REDBLACKS, but the connection between the city and its football team has never disappeared.
On Friday night, that story comes full circle.
As the Ottawa REDBLACKS host the Montreal Alouettes at TD Place, the organization will celebrate 150 years of football in Ottawa, welcoming alumni from every era back to where so many unforgettable moments have unfolded.
“Football has always had a special place in Ottawa and the hearts of the local community, and we’re incredibly proud to honour that history this Friday night at TD Place,” said Adrian Sciarra, President of the Ottawa REDBLACKS. “The night will be a celebration of the city’s rich football history and the people, the moments and the traditions that have helped build that deep connection between the sport and this great city. We’re excited for our fans to enjoy everything we have planned, including autograph sessions, plenty of alumni on hand and a recognition of the 2016 and 1976 Grey Cup championship teams.”
The Foundation
Every football tradition begins somewhere.
For Ottawa, few people embody that foundation more than Russ Jackson.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in Canadian football history, Jackson spent his entire 12-year CFL career with the Ottawa Rough Riders, leading the club to three Grey Cup championships while earning three CFL Most Outstanding Player awards and four Most Outstanding Canadian honours. His impact extended well beyond the football field, eventually earning him appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Although Jackson will not be in attendance Friday, his legacy remains a lasting symbol of everything football has meant to Ottawa for generations.
His influence can still be seen in every generation of players who followed.
The Championship Years
Every era has its defining moment.
For the Rough Riders, it came in the closing seconds of the 64th Grey Cup.
Tony Gabriel’s game-winning touchdown catch remains one of the most iconic plays in Ottawa football history, helping secure the franchise’s most recent Grey Cup championship and cementing his place among the city’s football legends.
Gabriel will return to TD Place on Friday night alongside fellow members of that championship team, including Jeff Avery, Art Green, Bill Hatanaka, Paul Moses and John Kruspe.
Joining them will be fellow Rough Riders Jim Cain, Roger Cattelan, Michael Collymore, Dan Dever, Ken Evraire, Randy Fournier, Mike Graffi, Larry Mohr, Steph Jones, Bob McKewon, Warner Miles, Tom Pullen, Pat Stoqua, Brad Tierney, Bruce Walker, Gord Weber, Terry Wellesley and Chuck Wood.
A New Chapter
Forty years later, another quarterback gave Ottawa football fans a championship they would never forget.
Henry Burris led the REDBLACKS to the club’s historic Grey Cup victory in 2016, completing one of the greatest championship runs in franchise history while helping usher professional football’s newest era in Ottawa. Over three seasons with the club, Burris earned CFL Most Outstanding Player honours after leading the league in passing yards in 2015.
Joining Burris will be fan favourite Antoine Pruneau, whose passion, leadership, and connection to the city made him one of the defining faces of the early REDBLACKS years.
Current REDBLACKS defensive lineman Cleyon Laing and linebackers coach Damaso Munoz will also return alongside fellow members of the 2016 Grey Cup championship team: Imoan Claiborne, Arnaud Gascon-Nadon, Brendan Gillanders, Jon Gott, Forrest Hightower, Moton Hopkins, Tristan Jackson, Abdul Kanneh, Scott Macdonnell, Nolan MacMillan, Alex Mateas, Christopher Milo, Kienan LaFrance, Ettore Lattanzio, Patrick Lavoie, Nigel Romick, Jonathan Rose, Brad Sinopoli, Jamill Smith, Jordan Verone, Dan West, Connor Williams, and Mitchell White.
Sherrod Baltimore, Dontae Bull, Kalonji Kashama, Justin Phillips, and Dominique Rhymes round out the REDBLACKS alumni returning for Friday’s celebration.
Keeping Football Alive
The story of football in Ottawa wasn’t written by championships alone.
Between the Rough Riders and today’s REDBLACKS came the Renegades, a chapter that helped keep professional football alive in the nation’s capital.
Representing that era will be Ottawa’s own Mike Sutherland. The former offensive lineman played three seasons with the Renegades from 2003-05 and remains a familiar voice to today’s fans as the REDBLACKS’ PA announcer at TD Place and an occasional colour commentator on TSN 1200.
Sutherland will be joined by former Renegades teammates Dave Azzi, Val St. Germain, and Darryl Ray.
One Story. One City.
Friday night’s Legacy Game isn’t simply a reunion.
It’s a celebration of the generations who built football in Ottawa, from the legends who laid the foundation, to the champions who created unforgettable moments, to the players who carried the game forward through every era.
For 150 years, football has been woven into the fabric of this city.
On Friday night, Ottawa gets to celebrate that story together.
Fans can secure their seats for the Legacy Game by visiting this link and ensuring they have the opportunity to join this celebration of Ottawa’s rich football history.
