Happy holidays, CFL fans. Here’s hoping all your gifts make you giddy and not groany.
As we celebrate the season, here are some appropriate gifts for all nine teams.
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BC LIONS
A return to form for Nathan Rourke.
Now that Vernon Adams Jr. is in Calgary, the Lions no longer have the headache of trying to juggle two starters, nor do they have the problem of trying to delicately balance a locker room with loyalties divided between said starters.
It’s all so very clear now. Fall in behind Rourke because he’s the man.
Now they just need him to be the quarterback he was in 2022, when he stormed through the league on the way to being named Most Outstanding Canadian.
Stocking stuffer: Josh Woods back blowing things up in the linebacking corps.
CALGARY STAMPEDERS
A stable of dynamic receivers for Vernon.
After acquiring Vernon Adams Jr. to raise their game at the quarterback position, the Stampeders could now use a fleet of impressive pass-catchers to ensure that Big Play VA can air it out again and again and again in 2025.
Reggie Begelton’s under contract and that sure is nice.
Potentially, there’s a whole hell of a lot of receiving star power that could be available in free agency and landing one or two of them for 2025 would be holly jolly for the Stampeders indeed.
Stocking stuffer: The road not being so unfriendly in 2025.
EDMONTON ELKS
It’s nice to really surprise someone with a gift. You get to watch their eyes light up with joy and giddy amazement.
But sometimes, you just need to go ahead and get them what they’ve been asking for. Anticlimactic, sure.
All they want for Christmas is the fully-formed emergence of the franchise quarterback they believe they have in Tre Ford.
Stocking stuffer: A return to the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
Trevor Harris all year long.
Saskatchewan’s starting quarterback just signed an extension for 2025 and what the Riders most want is the gift of Harris playing the entire season without any injuries to remove him from the line-up for great stretches, the way they have in the previous two seasons.
An entire year of “The Sheriff” would be a whole lot better than a box of chocolates, that’s for sure.
Stocking stuffer: AJ Ouellette all year long.
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
Peace on earth. Goodwill towards all men.
After a third straight loss in the Grey Cup game, the Blue Bombers got pelted by criticism and second-guessing from just about every direction; disgruntled fans, sharp-tongued media. And from themselves, as well. It was apparent in the aftermath of the team’s loss to Toronto that the likes of head coach Mike O’Shea were grappling with some internal dialogue of a disappointing nature.
So my Christmas wish for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers is comfort and some measure of joy.
Stocking stuffer: A slinger to back up Zach.
HAMILTON TICATS
An espresso maker. One with a timer that can be set to just prior to the 2025 season beginning.
The Ticats can then all down some freshly-ground, caffeinated bolts of lightning in order to ward off what’s been dogging them so much the past few seasons and that is the sluggishness of “oh-fer” starts.
A “hot to go” opening to the campaign would go a long way towards their goal of sipping something cold from the you-know-what in November.
Stocking stuffer: Brent Monson leading a tenacious D.
TORONTO ARGONAUTS
They got theirs already, in November. So they’re good.
Actually, wait.
A little more credit for that Grey Cup win would be nice. By far and away the majority of the comments I heard and read about that game were about how Winnipeg blew it. But the Argos played a hell of a game that day. Put that in a greeting card for them.
Stocking stuffer: Kevin Brown in 2023 form.
OTTAWA REDBLACKS
A star running back.
First choice for a gift would be for the return to full form and health of Devonte Williams, who rushed for a grand for the REDBLACKS in 2023 but missed all of 2024 with an Achilles injury.
Be it he, or somebody else, Ottawa’s gift would be that of a balanced attack, a return to a strong ground game to augment a very good air offensive. Stocking stuffer: Will Fields emerging as the CFL’s next great DC.
MONTREAL ALOUETTES
A healthy return for an important offensive star.
Receiver Tyson Philpot was looking to build off his 2023 Grey Cup heroics and was doing just that in 2024, when he went down with a season-ending injury. Philpot had 779 yards in catches in nine games when his year ended after he suffered ligament damage in his right foot. The Als’ offence really missed Philpot’s Yards-After-Catch and second down conversion dominance, ending the season as the unit with the fewest plays (933) from scrimmage.
He’s said he aims to be ready for training camp this coming May and if that’s the case, that’d be a treasured gift in Montreal.
Stocking stuffer: Davis Alexander is as advertised.