Hamilton Tiger-Cats extend Olympic bobsledder Keaton Bruggeling, sign one other

Photo courtesy: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography

Hamilton Tiger-Cats have re-signed Canadian receiver Keaton Bruggeling and signed American receiver and return specialist Xavier Malone.

Bruggeling signed with the Tiger-Cats as a free agent in 2025 and dressed for nine regular-season game, making seven catches for 63 yards.

The native of St. Catharines, Ont. was originally selected in the third round of the 2022 CFL Draft out of Carleton University by the Ottawa Redblacks. Over 40 career regular-season CFL games, he has caught 15 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown.

The six-foot-three, 205-pounder is competing in the bobsleigh at the upcoming Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games. Other bobsledders with CFL connections include Jay Dearborn, Shaq Murray-Lawrence, and Luka Stoikos.

Malone played for the Michigan Panthers of the UFL in 2025, recording one catch for 24 yards. The five-foot-seven, 182-pound speedster was previously a member of the Atlanta Falcons and Toronto Argonauts.

The native of Mound Bayou, Miss. played collegiately at Northeast Mississippi Community College and Henderson State University, recording 175 receptions for 3,045 yards and 23 touchdowns over 36 games.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats finished first in the East Division standings in 2025 with an 11-7 record, though the team lost the East Final to the Montreal Alouettes. Bo Levi Mitchell led the CFL with 5,296 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions after starting all 18 regular-season games, earning the East Division’s nomination for Most Outstanding Player.

The Tiger-Cats ranked third in net offence, eighth in net defence, and first with a turnover differential of plus-ten. The club’s leading rusher was Greg Bell with 1,038 yards, leading receiver was Kenny Lawler with 1,443 yards, and leading tackler was Stavros Katsantonis with 69 tackles. Hamilton ranked fourth in attendance with average crowds of 22,858, which was a 3.9 percent increase from the previous year.