REDBLACKS lean on Ottawa’s rich football legacy ahead of meeting with Alouettes

It will be a celebration of Ottawa’s illustrious football history this Friday night when the REDBLACKS host the Alouettes at TD Place.

The team will be celebrating 150 years of football in the city and welcoming back some of the greatest players ever to take the field in the nation’s capital, including members of the 2016 and 1976 championship teams.

The 2026 Ottawa football team will be looking to draw on the inspiration from the icons of years gone by, hoping to channel that energy towards picking up the club’s first victory of the season. They lost a heartbreaker in overtime to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers two weeks ago.

Despite the difficult start, there have been positives for building throughout the season, and now coming off a bye week, Ottawa will line up against the top team in the CFL with lots of inspiration and even more to prove.

It’s only fitting that on a day where Ottawa is recognizing some of the legends of yesteryear, local kicker Lewis Ward finds his way back in the fold after Brett Lauther landed on the six-game injured list with a quad injury. Ward spent seven seasons with the REDBLACKS between 2018 and 2025, set a professional football record with 69 consecutive field goals and captured the league’s Most Outstanding Rookie and Special Teams Player awards before being let go from the club earlier this year. Ironically, he spent a little bit of time on Montreal’s practice roster earlier this year before landing in Ottawa this week.

“It’s obviously unfortunate for Brett, you hate to see any guy get injured, but for me it’s about just doing whatever I can help to get the team the first win.” Said Ward.

Among the other changes for the REDBLACKS is the debut of rookie American right tackle Julian Pearl, who will make his CFL debut, the return of former second overall pick Nick Mardner and the REDBLACKS debut of newly-acquired Tight End Jevoni Robinson, who arrived from Hamilton in exchange for an eighth-round pick this weekend. Rookie fullback Émeric Boutin will also suit up in his first career CFL contest after starting the season on the six-game injured list. Nationals Daniel Okpoko and King Ambers round out the six additions to the Ottawa lineup.

“We’re going to get (Jevoni Robinson) involved. We haven’t really had a tight end type body, and that’s what he brings. He’ll add a little bit in terms of the run game and allows us to not have our receivers do some of the dirty work,” said Coach Dinwiddie. “I think Pearl is a great athlete. We’re probably going to have some growing pains, it’s his first game, and Montreal is going to bring a lot of pressure. I think he’s a good player with a bright future and we’ll need his best football tomorrow.”

Scouting the opposition

It was a tale of two halves the last time these two teams matched up in Montreal last month. Ottawa struggled out of the gate, falling behind 21-6 going into the half, but stormed out after the intermission and nearly came all the way back, ultimately falling 37-35.

Justin Hardy led the way for Ottawa in that one with 119 receiving yards, only outdone by Montreal’s Tyson Philpot, who had 198 yards on the opposite side.

Montreal comes into this game sitting at 6-1 and tied with Edmonton for first place in the league. Ottawa might be catching them at the perfect time, though. The Al’s are coming off a short week, beating Hamilton 31-18 on Sunday, and are heading into a showdown with the Elks next week.

Montreal is led by the dynamic duo of quarterback Davis Alexander, who leads the league in passing yards, and Philpot, who leads the league in receiving yards and receptions.

On the defensive end, Mustafa Johnson currently sits one sack off the league’s leaders (four tied with five), and the Al’s should get a boost to the secondary with premier defensive back Kabion Ento slotting back into the starting field corner spot.

In their words

“We know it’s going to be a physical brand of football that they are going to bring to us… We have to make sure we handle that pressure.”

Head Coach and General Manager Ryan Dinwiddie on what to expect from Montreal this week.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for me to pick up where I left off. It’s a great organization, and the team has let me in seamlessly. I know a few guys, Greg Bell and Ayden Eberhardt, from my playing days, so, so far it’s been a great transition and I’m hoping to be an asset to this organization.”

Jevoni Robinson on his first few days in Ottawa.

“We definitely understand that it’s an 18-game season, so it’s not like everything’s out the window or anything like that. It’s definitely a tough spot to be in, but you know, it’s the CFL so a lot can happen.”

Ayden Eberhardt on the team’s positive approach at this point of the season.