Playing in Hamilton felt right for Reggie Stubblefield and the Tiger-Cats like his versatility on defence, which brought both sides together.
The 26-year-old signed a three-year contract worth $500,000 total. There were five teams pursuing the five-foot-11, 192-pound defender in CFL free agency.
“Even with all the other teams that were seeking out and offering deals to me, the pros in Hamilton fit me so well. Hamilton wasn’t even the highest offer,” Stubblefield said.
“I love Montreal so much — teammates, coaches, support staff, everybody in there. When I told them I was going to be taking the offer, it was heartbreaking, it was sad, it was really tough. When I finally said those goodbyes, I felt good with the decision I made.”
Stubblefield helped the Alouettes win the 110th Grey Cup in November 2023, which was played in Hamilton. He started 13 games for Montreal during the regular season while recording 38 tackles, three special teams tackles, three sacks, two interceptions and one forced fumble. The Arlington, Tex. native posted 23 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack and one interception during the Als run to a CFL championship.
“We did a lot of background with Reggie. He’s competitive. He’s played field halfback and strong-side linebacker. The fact that he was able to do that in Montreal, play a key part of that defence at a young age — he’s won, that’s a big part of it,” Ticats’ general manager Ted Goveia said.
“Reggie’s recovering from a knee injury. The three-year term, that was important for me, I’m not big on mercenaries or one-year deals — I’m trying to build a football team. Great fit for us.”
“That’s my plan. The recovery’s been going well,” Stubblefield said. “I’m training in a facility in Texas called APEC, it’s where [Patrick] Mahomes and a lot of the Chiefs players train.”
