The
Ottawa Rough Riders were a
Canadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located entirely in Canada.Its eight teams, which are located in eight cities, are divided into two divisions of four teams each . The league's nineteen-week regular season runs from mid-June to early November. Each team plays...
team based in
OttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada and a municipality within the Province of Ontario. Located in the Ottawa Valley in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, the city lies on the southern banks of the Ottawa River, a major waterway forming the local boundary between the Provinces of Ontario and...
,
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the
Grey CupThe Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 4 million.Like the Stanley Cup used in the...
championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a period in which they won five Grey Cups. The team's fortunes waned in the 1980s and 1990s and they ultimately ceased operations following the
1996 seasonThe 1996 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 43rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 39th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1996:...
. Five years later, a new CFL team known as the
Ottawa RenegadesOttawa Renegades was the most recent name of a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario founded in 2002, seven years after the storied Ottawa Rough Riders folded...
was founded.
Team facts
- Founded: 1876
- Folded: 1996
- Formerly known as: Ottawa Football Club 1876 to 1897, Ottawa Senators 1925 to 1926.
- Home stadium: Frank Clair Stadium, formerly called Lansdowne Park
- Uniform colours: Black, red, and white
- Helmet design: Black background with a face of a Rough Rider with a log driver's (rough rider's) pike in the background.
- Eastern regular season championships: 15—1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978
- Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 4 million.Like the Stanley Cup used in the...
finals appearances: 15—1925 (won), 1926 (won), 1936 (lost), 1939 (lost), 1940 (won), 1941 (lost), 1948 (lost), 1951 (won), 1960The 48th Grey Cup was the Canadian Football League's championship game of the 1960 season on November 26, 1960.The Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Edmonton Eskimos 16 to 6 at Vancouver's Empire Stadium before a crowd of 38,102 fans- Box Score :...
(won), 1966The 54th Grey Cup was hosted at Empire Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia on November 26, 1966. The Saskatchewan Roughriders won their first Grey Cup, defeating the Ottawa Rough Riders 29-14....
(lost), 196856th Grey Cup was played November 30, 1968, and the Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Calgary Stampeders 24 to 21 before 32,655 fans at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium.- Box Score :First QuarterOttawa – Single – Don Sutherin 00 yard kick...
(won), 196957th Grey Cup, the Canadian Football League's championship game, was played November 30, 1969 and the Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 28 to 9 before 33,172 fans at Montreal's Autostade.- Box Score :First Quarter...
(won), 1973The 61st Grey Cup game was the Canadian Football Championship in November 25, 1973. Ottawa Rough Riders defeated Edmonton Eskimos 22-18 in the CNE Stadium in Toronto before a crowd of 36,653.-Game Summary:...
(won), 1976The 64th Grey Cup was played on November 28, 1976, before 53,467 fans at the Exhibition Stadium at Toronto. The Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders by the score 23 to 20 in what is considered one of the most thrilling Grey Cup games and with perhaps the most exciting plays in...
(won), 1981The 69th Grey Cup was played on November 22, 1981 at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec in front of 52,487 fans. The 1981 Grey Cup game is considered to be one of the ten best Grey Cup games of all time....
(lost)
History
The team was organized in 1876 as the Ottawa Football Club. The club absorbed the Ottawa St. Pats when the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union formed in 1907. It adopted the name Rough Riders in 1898. Although in later years the name was said to derive from logging, the team played from 1925 on in the colours of Teddy Roosevelt's
regimentThe "Rough Riders" was the name bestowed on the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish-American War and the only one of the three to see action. The United States army was weakened and left with little manpower after the Civil War roughly 30...
in the
Spanish-American WarThe Spanish–American War was an armed military conflict between Spain and the United States that took place between April and August 1898, over the issues of the liberation of Cuba. The war began after American demands for the resolution of the Cuban fight for independence were rejected by Spain...
, which, with the date of the renaming, suggests that the name comes from the war. The team did change its nickname to Senators in 1925 and 1926.
For much of the team's history it played in the same league as the
Saskatchewan RoughridersThe Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan, founded in 1910. They play their home games at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field. The team draws fans from across Saskatchewan and Canada who are affectionately known as the "Rider Nation"...
, confusing many, and also attracting general ridicule to the CFL for being a league with only eight or nine teams but two of them being named "rough riders" (although spelled differently). The teams historically belonged to separate leagues ('unions'), which were not truly merged until the late 1950s; they were allowed to keep their long-standing nicknames. On four occasions, the two teams met in the
Grey CupThe Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 4 million.Like the Stanley Cup used in the...
, prompting joking predictions that "the 'riders" would win.
The Rough Riders were pioneers in international play in the 1950s. In
1950The 1950 NFL season was the 31st regular season of the National Football League. The merger with the All-America Football Conference expanded the league to 13 teams. Meanwhile, television brought a new era to the game. The Los Angeles Rams became the first NFL team to have all of its games - both...
and
1951The 1951 NFL season was the 32nd regular season of the National Football League. Prior to the season, Baltimore Colts owner Abraham Watner faced financial difficulties, and thus gave his team and its player contracts back to the league for $50,000. However, many Baltimore fans started to protest...
, Ottawa hosted the
New York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The team plays its home games at Giants Stadium, which also serves as its headquarters, and trains at an adjacent practice facility within the Meadowlands Sports Complex...
in exhibition games; the Giants won both times, and NFL-CFL matches would not be attempted again until 1959. In the
first season of the CFLThe 1958 CFL season was the fifth season in modern Canadian professional football, although officially it would become known as the inaugural season of the Canadian Football League .-CFL news in 1958:...
, the Ottawa Rough Riders and the
Hamilton Tiger-CatsThe Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Flying Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
made history when they played the first regular season
CFLThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located entirely in Canada.Its eight teams, which are located in eight cities, are divided into two divisions of four teams each . The league's nineteen-week regular season runs from mid-June to early November. Each team plays...
game at Philadelphia's
Franklin FieldFranklin Field is the University of Pennsylvania's stadium for football, field hockey, lacrosse, sprint football, and track and field . It is also used by Penn students for recreation, and for intramural and club sports, including touch football and cricket, and is the site of Penn's graduation...
on August 23, 1958. This was the only time that two Canadian football teams would play a regular-season game on
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soil.
HamiltonHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
defeated
OttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada and a municipality within the Province of Ontario. Located in the Ottawa Valley in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, the city lies on the southern banks of the Ottawa River, a major waterway forming the local boundary between the Provinces of Ontario and...
, 13-7. (The
Toronto ArgonautsThe Toronto Argonauts are a Canadian Football League team based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1873, they are one of the oldest extant professional sports teams in North America. The Argonauts have won the Grey Cup championship a record fifteen times, most recently in 2004...
and the
Calgary StampedersThe Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
played an exhibition game in
Portland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the state of Oregon. As of July 2008, it has an estimated population of 575,930, making it the 29th most populous in the United States. It has been referred to as the most...
in 1992, and several CFL games with at least one Canadian team occurred in the United States during the
CFL USAThe term CFL USA refers to the abortive expansion of the Canadian Football League into the United States in the early-to-mid 1990s. The 1993 CFL season saw the addition of the first American team to the league, the Sacramento Gold Miners...
era.)
The 1960s and 1970s were the Rough Riders' glory years. With coach and general manager
Frank ClairFrank James Clair was a coach in the Canadian Football League, nicknamed "the Professor" for his ability to recognize and develop talent.-Playing career:...
at the helm along with players
Russ JacksonRussell Stanley "Russ" Jackson is a former professional Canadian football quarterback. Jackson spent his entire 12-year professional football career with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League...
,
Whit TuckerWhitman Tucker was an all star receiver in the Canadian Football League.Tucker was an all star high school athlete in Windsor, Ontario. He received a track scholarship to the University of Southern California upon graduation, but ultimately decided to attend the University of Western Ontario,...
,
Ron StewartRonald L. Stewart is a former Canadian running back for Queen's University and the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League.-Playing career:...
,
Tom ClementsThomas Albert Clements was a Canadian Football League quarterback. Currently, he is the quarterbacks coach of the National Football League’s Green Bay Packers.-High School career:...
, and
Tony GabrielTony Gabriel is a former professional Canadian football pass receiver who played in the Canadian Football League from 1971 to 1981.-Early life:...
, the Riders were one of the
CFL'sThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located entirely in Canada.Its eight teams, which are located in eight cities, are divided into two divisions of four teams each . The league's nineteen-week regular season runs from mid-June to early November. Each team plays...
best teams, winning the Grey Cup five times in that span and including their last victory in 1976, where Tony Gabriel made the game-winning touchdown catch in the end zone in a 23–20 win over the
Saskatchewan RoughridersThe Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan, founded in 1910. They play their home games at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field. The team draws fans from across Saskatchewan and Canada who are affectionately known as the "Rider Nation"...
. The Rough Riders' last and final appearance in the Grey Cup game was 1981 against the heavily favoured
Edmonton EskimosThe Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian Football League team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The Eskimos are the most successful CFL franchise of the modern era , having won the league's Grey Cup championship thirteen times, including an unmatched five consecutive wins between 1978 and 1982, and most...
. The game started out as a shocker when the Riders jumped out to a 20–1 halftime lead over the Eskimos. But a controversial double interference call against Riders receiver Tony Gabriel in the second half proved to be costly, as the Eskimos, led by backup quarterback
Tom WilkinsonTom Wilkinson was a football quarterback for several teams in the Canadian Football League.He was born in Iowa on January 4, 1943 but moved to Wyoming with his parents in 1945. Tom Wilkinson played high school football in the small town of Greybull, Wyoming. He is the second of three professional...
, came from behind to beat the Riders 26–23 on a game-winning field goal by kicker
Dave CutlerDave Cutler is a former all-star place kicker with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Cutler is considered by many to be one of the best field goal kicker in CFL history....
.
Throughout most of the 1980s and 1990s, despite having two even (0.500) records (8–8 in 1983 and 9–9 in 1992) along with hosting the
1988 Grey CupThe 76th Grey Cup was the 1988 Canadian Football League championship game that was played at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa, between the BC Lions and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Blue Bombers defeated the favoured Lions 22-21...
, the Riders struggled with losing seasons, poor ownership, mismanagement, and decreased fan support. In 1988, Jo-Anne Polak was named the co-General Manager of the Rough Riders. She became the first woman in CFL history to be appointed to an executive post. The bottom fell out in 1992, when then-owner
Bernard GliebermanBernard "Bernie" Glieberman is an American real estate mogul and the president of Crosswinds Communities. Despite having made his fortune in real estate, Glieberman was perhaps best known for, with his son Lonie, making several unsuccessful and controversial forays into sports team ownership and...
actually began making noise about actually moving the Rough Riders
out of Canada, and to the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The CFL, obviously, did not take kindly to Glieberman's suggestion, but allowed him to split the Rough Riders apart into a Canadian franchise (which he would sell off, and which would retain the
Rough Riders name and history) and an
American franchiseThe term CFL USA refers to the abortive expansion of the Canadian Football League into the United States in the early-to-mid 1990s. The 1993 CFL season saw the addition of the first American team to the league, the Sacramento Gold Miners...
that Glieberman would own, known as the
Shreveport PiratesThe Shreveport Pirates were a Canadian Football League team, playing at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, in 1994 and 1995.The Pirates were known to be one of the least successful of the CFL's American franchises on and off the field...
(this arrangement is similar to the arrangement made by
Art ModellArthur B. Modell is an American businessman, entrepreneur and former National Football League team owner. He owned the Cleveland Browns franchise from 1961–1995 and the Baltimore Ravens franchise from 1996–2004. Modell is the grandson of the late Morris Modell who founded the northeast...
and the
Cleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are an American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They play in the AFC North division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . The original Cleveland Browns began play in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
). Neither team played well. In 1995, Ottawa management showed its quality by drafting Derrell Robertson, who had died the previous December. Falling attendance ultimately led to the team folding in 1996.
Football fans in Ottawa lived without CFL football for the next five years until 2002, when the city regained a CFL team, this one called the
RenegadesOttawa Renegades was the most recent name of a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario founded in 2002, seven years after the storied Ottawa Rough Riders folded...
. Although there was sentiment toward resurrecting the Rough Riders name, the final owner of the previous franchise expected payment for the rights to it; the new franchise declined the request, and went with a 'fresh' name for the new team. Since the suspension of the Renegades for the 2006 season, and the tentative awarding of
a new franchiseThe Ottawa Canadian Football League team is an unnamed conditional CFL franchise that has been awarded in the city of Ottawa. On March 25, 2008, an ownership group led by Ottawa 67's owner Jeff Hunt was awarded the franchise...
for 2012, owner
Jeff HuntJeff Hunt is a Canadian businessman who currently owns the Ottawa 67's hockey club of the Ontario Hockey League. He started a carpet-cleaning firm called Canway. His firm was in the Profit Magazine 100 seven times in the 1990s.-OHL Hockey:...
has shown some interest in purchasing the rights to the Rough Riders name.
Seasons
| Season |
W |
L |
T |
PF |
PA |
Pts |
Finish |
Playoffs |
| 1935 |
5 |
4 |
0 |
104 |
98 |
10 |
3rd, IRFU |
Lost in playoffs |
| 1936 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
49 |
63 |
6 |
2nd, IRFU |
Lost Grey Cup game |
| 1937 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
52 |
46 |
6 |
2nd, IRFU |
Lost IRFU Finals |
| 1938 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
141 |
41 |
10 |
1st, IRFU |
Lost IRFU Finals |
| 1939 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
145 |
44 |
10 |
1st, IRFU |
Lost Grey Cup game |
| 1940 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
116 |
40 |
10 |
1st, IRFU |
Won Grey Cup |
| 1941 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
72 |
21 |
10 |
1st, IRFU |
Lost Grey Cup game |
| 1945 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
105 |
40 |
10 |
1st, IRFU |
Lost IRFU Finals |
| 1946 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
175 |
128 |
14 |
3rd, IRFU |
Missed playoffs |
| 1947 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
170 |
103 |
16 |
1st, IRFU |
Lost IRFU Finals |
| 1948 |
10 |
2 |
0 |
264 |
130 |
20 |
1st, IRFU |
Lost Grey Cup game |
| 1949 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
261 |
170 |
22 |
1st, IRFU |
Lost IRFU Finals |
| 1950 |
4 |
7 |
1 |
182 |
231 |
9 |
4th, IRFU |
Missed playoffs |
| 1951 |
7 |
5 |
0 |
218 |
197 |
14 |
1st, IRFU |
Won Grey Cup |
| 1952 |
5 |
7 |
0 |
200 |
238 |
10 |
3rd, IRFU |
Missed playoffs |
| 1953 |
7 |
7 |
0 |
266 |
238 |
14 |
3rd, IRFU |
Missed playoffs |
| 1954 |
2 |
12 |
0 |
129 |
337 |
4 |
4th, IRFU |
Missed playoffs |
| 1955 |
3 |
9 |
0 |
174 |
337 |
6 |
4th, IRFU |
Missed playoffs |
| 1956 |
7 |
7 |
0 |
326 |
359 |
14 |
3rd, IRFU |
Lost IRFU Semi-final |
| 1957 |
8 |
6 |
0 |
326 |
237 |
16 |
2nd, IRFU |
Lost IRFU Semi-final |
| 1958 |
6 |
8 |
0 |
233 |
243 |
12 |
3rd, IRFU |
Lost Eastern Finals |
| 1959 |
8 |
6 |
0 |
275 |
217 |
16 |
2nd, IRFU |
Lost Eastern Finals |
| 1960 |
9 |
5 |
0 |
400 |
283 |
18 |
2nd, EFC |
Won Grey Cup The 48th Grey Cup was the Canadian Football League's championship game of the 1960 season on November 26, 1960.The Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Edmonton Eskimos 16 to 6 at Vancouver's Empire Stadium before a crowd of 38,102 fans- Box Score :...
|
| 1961 |
8 |
6 |
0 |
359 |
285 |
16 |
2nd, EFC |
Lost Eastern Semi-final |
| 1962 |
6 |
7 |
1 |
339 |
302 |
13 |
2nd, EFC |
Lost Eastern Semi-final |
| 1963 |
9 |
5 |
0 |
326 |
284 |
18 |
2nd, EFC |
Lost Eastern Finals |
| 1964 |
8 |
5 |
1 |
313 |
228 |
17 |
2nd, EFC |
Lost Eastern Finals |
| 1965 |
7 |
7 |
0 |
300 |
234 |
14 |
2nd, EFC |
Lost Eastern Finals |
| 1966 |
11 |
3 |
0 |
278 |
177 |
22 |
1st, EFC |
Lost Grey Cup The 54th Grey Cup was hosted at Empire Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia on November 26, 1966. The Saskatchewan Roughriders won their first Grey Cup, defeating the Ottawa Rough Riders 29-14....
game |
| 1967 |
9 |
4 |
1 |
337 |
209 |
19 |
2nd, EFC |
Lost Eastern Finals |
| 1968 |
9 |
3 |
2 |
416 |
271 |
20 |
1st, EFC |
Won Grey Cup 56th Grey Cup was played November 30, 1968, and the Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Calgary Stampeders 24 to 21 before 32,655 fans at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium.- Box Score :First QuarterOttawa – Single – Don Sutherin 00 yard kick...
|
| 1969 |
11 |
3 |
0 |
399 |
298 |
22 |
1st, EFC |
Won Grey Cup 57th Grey Cup, the Canadian Football League's championship game, was played November 30, 1969 and the Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 28 to 9 before 33,172 fans at Montreal's Autostade.- Box Score :First Quarter...
|
| 1970 From 1970 to 1979, the Ottawa Rough Riders won two Grey Cups. During the decade, the Rough Riders compiled a regular season record of 83 wins, 65 losses, and 4 ties. One of the highlights of the decade was the formation of Touch of Class in 1975. Touch of Class was comprised of Notre Dame...
|
4 |
10 |
0 |
255 |
279 |
8 |
4th, EFC |
Missed playoffs |
| 1971 From 1970 to 1979, the Ottawa Rough Riders won two Grey Cups. During the decade, the Rough Riders compiled a regular season record of 83 wins, 65 losses, and 4 ties. One of the highlights of the decade was the formation of Touch of Class in 1975. Touch of Class was comprised of Notre Dame...
|
6 |
8 |
0 |
291 |
277 |
12 |
3rd, EFC |
Lost Eastern Semi-final |
| 1972 From 1970 to 1979, the Ottawa Rough Riders won two Grey Cups. During the decade, the Rough Riders compiled a regular season record of 83 wins, 65 losses, and 4 ties. One of the highlights of the decade was the formation of Touch of Class in 1975. Touch of Class was comprised of Notre Dame...
|
11 |
3 |
0 |
298 |
228 |
22 |
2nd, EFC |
Lost Eastern Finals |
| 1973 |
9 |
5 |
0 |
275 |
234 |
18 |
1st, EFC |
Won Grey Cup The 61st Grey Cup game was the Canadian Football Championship in November 25, 1973. Ottawa Rough Riders defeated Edmonton Eskimos 22-18 in the CNE Stadium in Toronto before a crowd of 36,653.-Game Summary:...
|
| 1974 From 1970 to 1979, the Ottawa Rough Riders won two Grey Cups. During the decade, the Rough Riders compiled a regular season record of 83 wins, 65 losses, and 4 ties. One of the highlights of the decade was the formation of Touch of Class in 1975. Touch of Class was comprised of Notre Dame...
|
7 |
9 |
0 |
261 |
271 |
14 |
2nd, EFC |
Lost Eastern Final |
| 1975 From 1970 to 1979, the Ottawa Rough Riders won two Grey Cups. During the decade, the Rough Riders compiled a regular season record of 83 wins, 65 losses, and 4 ties. One of the highlights of the decade was the formation of Touch of Class in 1975. Touch of Class was comprised of Notre Dame...
|
10 |
5 |
1 |
394 |
280 |
21 |
1st, EFC |
Lost Eastern Final |
| 1976 |
9 |
6 |
1 |
411 |
346 |
19 |
1st, EFC |
Won Grey Cup The 64th Grey Cup was played on November 28, 1976, before 53,467 fans at the Exhibition Stadium at Toronto. The Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders by the score 23 to 20 in what is considered one of the most thrilling Grey Cup games and with perhaps the most exciting plays in...
|
| 1977 From 1970 to 1979, the Ottawa Rough Riders won two Grey Cups. During the decade, the Rough Riders compiled a regular season record of 83 wins, 65 losses, and 4 ties. One of the highlights of the decade was the formation of Touch of Class in 1975. Touch of Class was comprised of Notre Dame...
|
8 |
8 |
0 |
368 |
344 |
16 |
2nd, EFC |
Lost Eastern Final |
| 1978 From 1970 to 1979, the Ottawa Rough Riders won two Grey Cups. During the decade, the Rough Riders compiled a regular season record of 83 wins, 65 losses, and 4 ties. One of the highlights of the decade was the formation of Touch of Class in 1975. Touch of Class was comprised of Notre Dame...
|
11 |
5 |
0 |
395 |
261 |
22 |
1st, EFC |
Lost Eastern Final |
| 1979 From 1970 to 1979, the Ottawa Rough Riders won two Grey Cups. During the decade, the Rough Riders compiled a regular season record of 83 wins, 65 losses, and 4 ties. One of the highlights of the decade was the formation of Touch of Class in 1975. Touch of Class was comprised of Notre Dame...
|
8 |
6 |
2 |
349 |
315 |
18 |
2nd, EFC |
Lost Eastern Final |
| 1980 |
7 |
9 |
0 |
353 |
393 |
14 |
3rd, EFC |
Lost Eastern Semi-final |
| 1981 The 1981 Ottawa Rough Riders finished the season in 2nd place in the East Division with a 5-11-0 record. They appeared in the Grey Cup game, in which will be their last Grey Cup appearance in franchise history.-Standings:-Schedule:...
|
5 |
11 |
0 |
306 |
446 |
10 |
2nd, East |
Lost Grey Cup The 69th Grey Cup was played on November 22, 1981 at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec in front of 52,487 fans. The 1981 Grey Cup game is considered to be one of the ten best Grey Cup games of all time....
game |
| 1982 |
5 |
11 |
0 |
376 |
462 |
10 |
3rd, East |
Lost East Final |
| 1983 |
8 |
8 |
0 |
384 |
424 |
16 |
2nd, East |
Lost East Semi-final |
| 1984 |
4 |
12 |
0 |
354 |
507 |
8 |
4th, East |
Missed playoffs |
| 1985 |
7 |
9 |
0 |
272 |
404 |
14 |
3rd, East |
Lost East Semi-final |
| 1986 |
3 |
14 |
1 |
346 |
415 |
7 |
4th, East |
Missed playoffs |
| 1987 |
3 |
15 |
0 |
377 |
598 |
6 |
4th, East |
Missed playoffs |
| 1988 |
2 |
16 |
0 |
278 |
618 |
4 |
4th, East |
Missed playoffs |
| 1989 |
4 |
14 |
0 |
426 |
630 |
8 |
4th, East |
Missed playoffs |
| 1990 The 1990 Ottawa Rough Riders finished 3rd place in the East division with a 7-11-0 record. They were defeated in the East Semi-Final by the Toronto Argonauts.- CFL Draft :- Preseason :- Season Standings :-Schedule:-Postseason:...
|
7 |
11 |
0 |
540 |
602 |
14 |
3rd, East |
Lost East Semi-final |
| 1991 The 1991 Ottawa Rough Riders finished 3rd place in the East division with a 7-11-0 record. They were defeated in the East Semi-Final by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.- CFL Draft :- Preseason :- Season Standings :-Schedule:-Postseason:...
|
7 |
11 |
0 |
522 |
577 |
14 |
3rd, East |
Lost East Semi-final |
| 1992 The 1992 Ottawa Rough Riders finished 3rd place in the East division with a 9-9-0 record. They were defeated in the East Semi-Final by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.- CFL Draft :- Preseason :- Season Standings :-Schedule:-Postseason:...
|
9 |
9 |
0 |
484 |
439 |
18 |
3rd, East |
Lost East Semi-final |
| 1993 The 1993 Ottawa Rough Riders finished 3rd place in the East division with a 4-14-0 record. They were defeated in the East Semi-Final by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.- CFL Draft :- Preseason :- Season Standings :-Schedule:-Postseason:...
|
4 |
14 |
0 |
387 |
517 |
8 |
3rd, East |
Lost East Semi-final |
| 1994 The 1994 Ottawa Rough Riders finished 4th place in the East division with a 4-14-0 record. They were defeated in the East Semi-Final by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.- CFL Draft :- Preseason :- Season Standings :-Schedule:-Postseason:...
|
4 |
14 |
0 |
480 |
647 |
8 |
4th, East |
Lost East Semi-final |
| 1995 The 1995 Ottawa Rough Riders finished 8th place in the North division with a 3-15-0 record and failed to make the playoffs.- CFL Draft :- Preseason :- Season Standings :-Schedule:-Northern All-Stars:*DT - John Kropke, CFL Eastern All-Star...
|
3 |
15 |
0 |
348 |
685 |
6 |
8th, North |
Missed playoffs |
| 1996 The 1996 Ottawa Rough Riders finished 4th place in the East division with a 3-15-0 record and failed to make the playoffs. This was the final season in Ottawa Rough Riders franchise history, they folded after the season ended.- CFL Draft :- Preseason :...
|
3 |
15 |
0 |
352 |
524 |
6 |
4th, East |
Missed playoffs |
Players of note
Canadian Football Hall of FameThe Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation located in Hamilton, Ontario that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian junior...
rs:
- Less Browne
Less Browne was a Canadian Football League defensive back for the Hamilton Tigercats, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Ottawa Rough Riders and the British Columbia Lions....
- Jerry "Soupy" Campbell
Jerry "Soupy" Campbell is a former Canadian Football League linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders and the Ottawa Rough Riders. He was a CFL All-Star for seven straight years and played in three Grey Cup championship teams for Ottawa. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1996....
- Tom Clements
Thomas Albert Clements was a Canadian Football League quarterback. Currently, he is the quarterbacks coach of the National Football League’s Green Bay Packers.-High School career:...
- Abe Eliowitz
Abe Eliowitz, was a star football player in American college football and in the days before the Canadian Football League. He was born in New York and died at Livonia, Michigan....
- Eddie Emerson
Edward Kramer Emerson was a star football player in the Canadian Football League for twenty two seasons for the Ottawa Rough Riders. Fondly known as the "Iron Man" of football, Emerson led his team to two Grey Cup wins, in 1925 and 1926...
- Tony Gabriel
Tony Gabriel is a former professional Canadian football pass receiver who played in the Canadian Football League from 1971 to 1981.-Early life:...
- Tony Golab
Anthony Charles Golab, CM is a retired Canadian football player.Born in Windsor, Ontario, he played with the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1939 to 1950. He was part of the 1941 and 1948 Grey Cup finalists teams and was part of the winning 1940 Grey Cup champions.In 1985, he was made a Member of the...
- Condredge Holloway
Condredge Holloway was a star quarterback for the University of Tennessee and later in the Canadian Football League.Surprisingly, football wasn't Holloway's favourite sport; he preferred baseball...
- Russ Jackson
Russell Stanley "Russ" Jackson is a former professional Canadian football quarterback. Jackson spent his entire 12-year professional football career with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League...
- Ron Lancaster
Ronald "Ron" Lancaster was one of the pre-eminent quarterbacks of the Canadian Football League during his playing career; after his retirement as a player, he was also coach and general manager in the same league, and a sports announcer for CBC Television...
- Dave McCann (player, coach)
- Rudy Phillips
Rudy Phillips is a former professional Canadian football offensive lineman who played seven seasons in the Canadian Football League, mainly for the Ottawa Rough Riders. He played college football at North Texas University. He won the CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award in 1982 and 1983....
- Bob Simpson
Robert Simpson was an all-star Canadian football player for the Ottawa Rough Riders, and is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, where he was elected in 1976. Simpson helped Ottawa to win the 1951 and 1960 Grey Cups...
- David Sprague
- Ron Stewart
Ronald L. Stewart is a former Canadian running back for Queen's University and the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League.-Playing career:...
- Andrew Tommy
Andy Tommy was a star professional Canadian football player for eleven seasons for the Ottawa Rough Riders and one season for the Toronto Argonauts. Tommy led his team to two Grey Cup wins, in 1940 and 1945...
- Joe Tubman
Robert Joseph "Joe" Tubman was a star football player in the Canadian Football League for thirteen seasons for the Ottawa Rough Riders. Tubman led his team to two Grey Cup wins, in 1925 and 1926. After retiring from the field, Tubman worked as a referee for 15 years...
- Whit Tucker
Whitman Tucker was an all star receiver in the Canadian Football League.Tucker was an all star high school athlete in Windsor, Ontario. He received a track scholarship to the University of Southern California upon graduation, but ultimately decided to attend the University of Western Ontario,...
- Kaye Vaughan
Charles Kaye Vaughan is a former Canadian Football League and Hall of Fame player with the Ottawa Rough Riders who won the CFL's Outstanding Lineman Award in 1956 and 1957....
Other stars
- Margene Adkins
Margene Adkins is a former American college football, National Football League, and Canadian Football League player....
- Billy Joe Booth
Billy Joe Booth played professionally with the Ottawa Rough Riders in the Canadian Football League from 1962-1970. He also played for his alma maters, Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and Minden High School in Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, where he was born...
- Edward M. Joyner Jr.
- Marc Lewis
- Rohan Marley
Rohan Anthony Marley is the son of late reggae artist Bob Marley and Janet Hunt.A 1991 graduate of Miami Palmetto Senior High School, Marley played linebacker for the University of Miami football team. He played pro football in Canada for the now defunct Ottawa Rough Riders.Marley and musician...
- James A. McGee
James Aloysius McGee was a Canadian athlete. He played rugby football for and was captain of the Ottawa Football Club football team in the early 1900s. He was also an ice hockey player for the Ottawa Silver Seven, a member of the Silver Seven 1903–04 Stanley Cup championship team, and a member of...
- James A. McKinstry
James A. McKinstry was listed on the New York Jets 1963 team roster and included in a Life Magazine photo of the team....
- Moe 'the Toe' Racine
Moe "The Toe" Racine is a former placekicker and offensive lineman for the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1958-1974 of the Canadian Football League. He was a part of four Grey Cup winning teams with the Rough Riders.Born in Cornwall, Ontario, Moe Racine attended St. Lawrence High School and joined...
- Bo Scott
Bo Scott was a former running back for the Cleveland Browns American football team in the National Football League. He also played for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the CFL....
- Ron Simmons
Ron Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He was the first of only three African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, along with Booker T and The Rock...
- Vic Washington
Victor Arnold Washington is a former American football running back/safety...