The Calgary Stampeders rewarded the CFL’s reigning rushing king, Dedrick Mills, by making him the highest-paid American running back.
The five-foot-10, 238-pound RB received a $55,000 signing bonus to ink his two-year extension with the Stamps. He has an $85,000 base salary, $15,000 in housing, $15,000 in marketing, and a $3,000 travel allowance to equal $173,000 in hard money. The 29-year-old also has $23,000 available in statistical, all-star and award incentives, which can take his maximum earnings to $196,500 in 2026. That includes:
- $5,000 for 1,000 rushing yards
- $5,000 for 1,750 rushing and receiving yards
- $3,000 for 750 rushing yards
- $2,000 for 1,500 rushing and receiving yards
- $2,000 for being named a CFL all-star
- $2,000 for being named league MOP
- $1,000 for being named a West Division all-star
- $1,000 for being named team MOP
- $1,000 for 500 rushing yards
- $1,000 for 1,250 rushing and receiving yards
Mills won the three-down league’s rushing title in 2025 after recording 250 carries for 1,409 yards, 5.6 per carry, with 11 touchdowns over 18 regular-season starts. He caught 33 passes for 292 yards to total 1,701 yards from scrimmage. That production earned him Calgary’s Most Outstanding Player award.
For his efforts, Mills earned $121,450 last year. General manager and head coach Dave Dickenson gave him a $50,000-plus raise for 2026, which could grow depending on how many bonuses he unlocks.
The Waycross, Ga., native also ran 14 times for 111 yards and recorded three receptions for 25 yards in the Stampeders 2025 West Semi-Final 33-30 loss to the B.C. Lions.
The four-year CFL veteran has carried the football 622 times for 3,593 yards, 5.8 per carry, with 18 touchdowns while registering 98 catches for 847 yards in 51 career regular-season games.
After five seasons between Georgia Tech, Garden City Community College, and Nebraska, Mills went unselected in the 2021 NFL Draft. However, he signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Detroit Lions, but did not make the team following training camp.
Calgary Stampeders were third in the West Division in 2025 with an 11-7 record. Vernon Adams Jr. threw for 4,247 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions over 17 regular-season starts, posting an 11-6 record.
The Stampeders ranked fourth in net offence, seventh in net defence, and second with a turnover differential of plus-nine. The team’s leading receiver was Dominique Rhymes with 886 yards, and the leading tackler was Jacob Roberts with 102 tackles. Calgary finished fifth in attendance with average crowds of 22,295, which was a 3.5 percent increase from the previous year.
