Calgary Stampeders hire longtime CFL player Dakota Prukop as QB coach

Photo courtesy: Steven Chang/B.C. Lions

The Calgary Stampeders have named Dakota Prukop as their new quarterbacks coach.

“We only had a short time together when Dakota was at our camp but he impressed me with his work ethic and knowledge of the game,” said head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson in a statement. “I know he will enhance our QB room and we look forward to seeing him develop in his new coaching role.”

The six-foot-one, 212-pound passer played for the Edmonton Elks in 2024, serving as their short-yardage quarterback. He played seven seasons in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts, Elks, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, throwing for 676 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions and rushing for 626 yards and 24 touchdowns. He won a Grey Cup with the Boatmen in 2017 and attended training camp with Calgary in 2021 and B.C. in 2024.

“My family and I are thrilled to embark on this exciting new chapter with the Stampeders,” said Prukop. “I’m looking forward to working with Dave, Pat DelMonaco, and the entire Stamps organization. Many of the CFL’s well-respected coaches had a chance to learn here and it is an opportunity that I am extremely grateful to have.”

The 31-year-old native of Newport, Calif. threw for 1,214 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions during his final collegiate season at the University of Oregon in 2016. He previously played at Montana State, where he threw for 5,584 yards, 46 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions, earning a first-team FCS All-American selection in 2015.

Beau Baldwin, who served as the quarterbacks coach in Calgary last season, has stepped down. This team indicated this was due to personal health reasons.

The 52-year-old native of Santa Barbara, Calif. spent 13 seasons at Eastern Washington University, including four as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and nine as head coach. He helped the Eagles go 85-32, capture five Big Sky Conference championships, and win one FCS national title.

Among the quarterbacks he coached at Eastern Washington were Bo Levi Mitchell, Vernon Adams Jr., and Matt Nichols, all of whom went on to achieve success in the CFL. He previously coached Michael Reilly, who won Most Outstanding Player with Edmonton in 2017, at Central Washington University.

The Calgary Stampeders finished fifth in the West Division in 2024 with a record of 5-12-1, missing the postseason for the first time since 2004. The team will open its 2025 regular season by hosting the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at McMahon Stadium on Saturday, June 7 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT.