The Calgary Stampeders have added American quarterback Rocky Lombardi to their negotiation list.
The native of Ann Arbor, Mich. most recently played for the Michigan Panthers of the United Football League, dressing for two games in 2025. He completed 44.4 percent of his passes for 61 yards and one interception with the team and rushed three times for 30 yards.
The 27-year-old spent the first four seasons of his collegiate career at Michigan State University where he completed 47.9 percent of his passes for 1,902 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions over 22 games.
Lombardi transferred to Northern Illinois University in 2021 and spent three seasons with the team, completing 58.9 percent of his passes for 5,516 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. He also rushed for 602 yards and 17 scores.
The six-foot-three, 230-pound passer signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2024 but was released by the team at the conclusion of training camp.
CFL teams can claim the rights to up to 45 players via the negotiation list on a first-come, first-served basis, provided that they are not eligible for the Canadian or Global Drafts, and have never played in the league before. These players can be added, traded, or removed from the list at any time.
Being added to a negotiation list does not mean that the player has expressed interest in the CFL, and some are unaware that their rights have even been claimed. Players can only force their removal from the list if the team does not provide them with a minimum contract offer at their request.
The Calgary Stampeders finished third in the West Division standings in 2025 with an 11-7 record but lost the West Semi-Final to the B.C. Lions. Vernon Adams Jr. threw for 4,247 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions over 17 regular-season starts, posting a 11-6 record as the team’s starting quarterback.
The Stampeders ranked fourth in net offence, seventh in net defence, and second with a turnover differential of plus-nine. Dedrick Mills won the CFL’s rushing title with 1,409 yards, while the team’s leading receiver was Dominique Rhymes with 886 yards, and 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.
