The Toronto Argonauts are hiring longtime Calgary Stampeders coach and general manager John Hufnagel in a senior advisory role, sources have confirmed to 3DownNation. TSN was first to report the news.
The 74-year-old has been with the Stampeders since 2008 when he was introduced as their head coach and general manager following a nine-year stint in the NFL. Hufnagel served in both roles for eight seasons, posting a 102-41-1 regular-season record with two Grey Cup victories and two Coach of the Year awards. He relinquished head coaching duties after the 2015 season to take on the role of president.
Hufnagel remained the team’s general manager and president until 2022, when he gave up the former title to head coach Dave Dickenson. The Stampeders went 175-70-3 while Hufnagel held the title of general manager, winning three Grey Cups. He remained the team’s president through the 2023 season, after which he became a special advisor.
The native of Coraopolis, Pa. played 12 seasons at quarterback in the CFL from 1976 to 1987 as a member of the Stampeders, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He then spent eight years coaching in the league, including a seven-year stint with Calgary before departing for the New Jersey River Dogs of the Arena Football League.
Hufnagel got his first NFL coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1999, serving as their quarterbacks coach. He later held the same position with the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New England Patriots before serving as the offensive coordinator of the New York Giants from 2004 to 2006. He won Super Bowl XXXVIII with the Patriots.
John Murphy, Toronto’s current assistant general manager, worked under Hufnagel in Calgary for many years, serving as the team’s director of scouting, director of player personnel, and assistant general manager during that period of time.
The Toronto Argonauts finished third in the East Division standings in 2025 with a 5-13 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Franchise quarterback Chad Kelly was unable to play all season due to a fractured leg he suffered in the East Final the previous year, giving way to Nick Arbuckle, who threw for 4,370 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions to be named the team’s candidate for Most Outstanding Player.
The Argonauts ranked seventh in net offence, sixth in net defence, and seventh with a turnover differential of minus-eight. The club’s leading rusher was Spencer Brown with 314 yards, leading receiver was Dejon Brissett with 907 yards, and leading tackler was Cameron Judge with 79 tackles. Toronto ranked ninth in attendance with average crowds of 15,109, which was a 0.1 percent decrease from the previous year.
