2025 was a loaded year of CFL news, filled with fascinating storylines and unprecedented developments.
The league appointed its 15th commissioner, Stewart Johnston, to generally positive reviews, only to have his unilateral decision to modernize the game fuel controversy for months. Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke bounced back from his NFL hangover to win Most Outstanding Player, but not before going to war with that new commissioner. We mourned the loss of Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ general manager Ted Goveia, celebrated a U Sports quarterback reaching the NFL, witnessed a two-time Grey Cup-winning head coach jump to a division rival, and debated whether B.C. Lions’ owner Amar Doman circled a football or an elbow on a screenshot.
3DownNation covered all that and more, leading to our annual list of the top 10 stories of the year. Our loyal readers let us know with their clicks and comments what topics they truly cared about, and, like always, this year’s list was varied and contained plenty of surprises.
As we wait for the ball to drop at midnight tonight, let’s take a look back at the year that was through our most popular articles.
Photo courtesy: Electric Umbrella/Liam Richards/Saskatchewan Roughriders
10. All nine CFL teams respond to whether fans have cancelled tickets over rule changes by John Hodge
Randy Ambrosie was widely vilified during his tenure as CFL commissioner, but Stewart Johnston evoked levels of rage that his predecessor could have hardly imagined when he rolled out sweeping changes to the three-down game. For Canadian football traditionalists, the thought of a field sans 55-yard line was too much to bear, and social media was flooded with threats from long-time fans that they would be cancelling their season tickets as a result. 3DownNation set out to determine how many actually followed through in the aftermath by reaching out to all nine franchises, and the general consensus was that the bark was worse than the bite to their bottom lines. However, only time will tell whether ticket sales and TV ratings dip or blossom once all these changes are enacted in 2027.
To read the whole article, click here.
Courtesy: CFL
9. Commissioner Stewart Johnston to announce ‘significant changes’ to CFL game by Justin Dunk
The order of this list might provide a valuable lesson to the CFL front office, as their vague announcement that changes would be coming to the game generated more traffic than the press conference it teased or any of the ensuing debate. Speculation ran rampant, and while the actual changes weren’t as dramatic as many feared, the damage had already been done. Opinions vary dramatically on the rule changes, with players and fans sitting on both sides, but Johnston has admitted to flubbing the rollout by not being clear enough in the dismissal of four downs. With Americanization fears at an all-time high, it appears the league may have missed an opportunity to reassure the hardcores with more transparency.
To read the whole article, click here.
Photo courtesy: Paul Yates/B.C. Lions
8. The highest-paid CFL players at every position for 2025 by Justin Dunk
Money talks and fans listen, which is why our annual series highlighting the highest-paid players at every position consistently does numbers. This recap of the top American and Canadian at each spot topped the charts this year, and came amidst serious financial shifts for the league. The revenue-sharing model enshrined in the collective bargaining agreement resulted in the second-largest salary cap increase in league history, though problems with the late timing of that announcement and confusion about how new funds would be allocated led some teams to spend conservatively. That won’t be the case this season, and we have already seen eye-popping money doled out for stars like Brady Oliveira, Keon Hatcher, and Samuel Emilus. You can bet all of those players will make the next edition of this article in 2026.
To read the whole article, click here.
Photo courtesy: Scott Moe
7. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew refuses to hold Riders jersey, flashes Bombers hand gesture in first ministers meeting photo by J.C. Abbott
We don’t just cover sports at 3DownNation, we deliver the hard-hitting political goods as well! Wab Kinew’s refusal to don Rider green while other Premiers happily accepted their CFL-themed gift from Saskatchewan’s Scott Moe certainly won him points in Manitoba, though it wasn’t his first expression of love for the Bombers. The NDP politician was forced to apologize earlier this year after he was accused of a conflict of interest violation for using the team’s charter flight to the past two Grey Cups. He didn’t have to fly anywhere for the big game this year, as Winnipeg hosted the event the same week he was in meetings with Prime Minister Mark Carney, and both were in attendance.
To read the whole article, click here.
Photo: Reuben Polansky/3DownNation. All rights reserved.
6. How much every Saskatchewan Roughriders player was paid for winning the Grey Cup by J.C. Abbott
CFL fans are a special breed because instead of spending Christmas Day unplugged and surrounded by family, tens of thousands of you were scrolling our website to read about the finer details of playoff compensation. The Riders didn’t just make history and become local legends with their fifth-ever Grey Cup victory; they also received a nice payday. Those numbers are enshrined in the collective bargaining agreement and were not altered as part of the recent salary cap increase, although the CFLPA would like to see that change at some point in the future. That could be something the union considers as they weigh their ability to opt out of the current CBA after next season.
To read the whole article, click here.
Photo courtesy: CFL
5. Game between Saskatchewan Roughriders, Calgary Stampeders officially rescheduled due to poor air quality by J.C. Abbott
Games delayed or placed in jeopardy due to wildfire smoke have become commonplace in recent years, but things took a turn for the unprecedented in Week 6 when air quality conditions at Mosaic Stadium caused a game to be rescheduled for the first time. Riders’ QB Trevor Harris called for changes to the CFL’s weather protocol after teams were forced to wait around for nearly four hours before the plug was pulled, though the CFLPA praised the league’s decision to prioritize player safety. The game was played the following day, with fans allowed to bring their own food due to an inability to restock the venue, and the Stampeders handled the adversity best, winning 24-10.
To read the whole article, click here.
Courtesy: Football Canada/Matt Johnson
4. ‘This can’t be happening’: ESPN personality Pat McAfee appalled after Canada beats USA in flag football friendly by J.C. Abbott
We are 926 days away from the start of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, but the Canadian national flag football team has already made headlines on the road to qualification. After hiring longtime CFL coach Paul LaPolice to lead the men’s program, their defeat of the United States in an international friendly in June left ESPN shock-jock Pat McAfee flabbergasted. The USA got their revenge at the IFAF Americas Flag Football Continental Championship in Panama, but Canada captured bronze on the men’s side and silver on the women’s to qualify for the World Championships next year. That’s their first chance to officially punch a ticket to LA, where CFL players have been officially approved to compete — though it remains to be seen how many would actually make the team.
To read the whole article, click here.
Photo courtesy: Calgary Stampeders
3. ‘Never again’: Stampeders’ RB Dedrick Mills vows not to spend another offseason in Canada after frigid Calgary winter by J.C. Abbott
CFL players hail from across the continent and around the world, but many choose to put down permanent roots in the city where they play. Not so for Dedrick Mills, who found his stay in Calgary this offseason too chilly to repeat. His joking insistence during training camp that he wouldn’t endure another Canadian winter led to a thorough roasting on social media and rocketed this light-hearted article up our yearly charts. The native of Waycross, Ga., may have since reconsidered his stance as an offseason spent shivering resulted in undeniable results, as he led the league in rushing, earned All-CFL honours, and signed a multi-year contract extension in 2025.
To read the whole article, click here.
Photo: Bob Butrym/3DownNation. All rights reserved.
2. Matt Dunigan not returning to CFL on TSN: sources by John Hodge
The most talked about transaction of the 2025 CFL season wasn’t a free agent signing, a trade, or an NFL addition, but rather a change at TSN. The league’s television rights holder made moves to update their broadcasts this season, and that included saying goodbye to longtime panellist Matt Dunigan after 24 seasons at the desk. No explanation was given for moving on from the Canadian Football Hall of Famer, and many fans mourned his departure. Veteran coach and personnel executive Jim Barker also wasn’t retained by the network, though he has since landed on his feet as the new director of player personnel with the Toronto Argonauts.
To read the whole article, click here.
Graphic: 3DownNation (Photos: Reuben Polansky | Bob Butrym)
1. ‘Zach Collaros should never play football again’: Milt Stegall calls for Bombers’ QB to retire after Banjo Bowl exit by J.C. Abbott
When a legend like Milt Stegall speaks, people tend to listen. That was certainly the case when he weighed in after Zach Collaros was knocked out of the Banjo Bowl with a head injury — his third early exit of the season — and stated that the two-time Most Outstanding Player should hang up his cleats due to his history of concussions. Stegall framed the advice as what he would say to Collaros if he were his father, which carried extra emotional weight in light of the tragic passing of his son, Chase, before the season began. Not everyone appreciated the comments, particularly Bombers’ head coach Mike O’Shea, though the quarterback himself took them in stride upon his return three weeks later. Collaros has made clear that he does not intend to retire, and the disagreement over his future didn’t prevent the two Winnipeg icons from working together on the Grey Cup TV broadcast.
To read the whole article, click here.
