As the 2026 season approaches, CFL.ca has a new series making the case for every team as a contender to win the 113th Grey Cup, highlighting three reasons why each club has a path to the championship. The series is not intended to make predictions, but to showcase the strengths and potential routes for each team entering the new campaign.
CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders took a meaningful step forward in 2025 by returning to the playoffs, but 2026 offers a bigger opportunity.
With dreams of a home Grey Cup on the horizon and a roster still on the rise, the Stampeders enter the new season with the tools to take another leap.
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1. A SECOND SEASON OF VERNON ADAMS JR.
The Stampeders traded for Vernon Adams Jr. after missing the playoffs in 2024, banking on his ability to elevate the offence. He delivered in Year 1, throwing for 4,247 yards and guiding Calgary to a top-four finish in both points and total offence.
Now comes the next step: consistency.
Adams showed exactly what the ceiling looks like last season. His 428-yard, three-touchdown performance in Week 6 against the eventual 113th Grey Cup champions, the Roughriders, ranked among the CFL’s most explosive single-game outings.
The challenge was the variance. Five multi-interception games cost Calgary in tight matchups, but there were signs of stabilization late in the year. Over his final four games, including the Western Semi-Final, Adams completed 72 per cent of his passes while averaging nearly 275 yards per game without an interception.
“Year two in an offence with the same players, the same coaches… that’s going to help me grow as a quarterback, as a player, and as a leader,” said Adams during the CFL’s off-season content capture in April.
With a full season in the system behind him, Adams is positioned to turn flashes into something more sustainable.
VA with 20k 🍾🍾🍾
With that TD throw, Vernon Adams Jr. now has 20,000+ CFL passing yards!#CFLGameday
📅: Argos vs. @calstampeders LIVE NOW
🇨🇦: TSN
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/qLUVzjmB1i— CFL (@CFL) October 19, 2025
2. A DEFENCE BUILT ON DISRUPTION
The Stamps’ defence finished 2025 with 42 takeaways, second-most in the CFL, along with 40 sacks and a league-best 39 tackles for loss.
Their disruptive identity starts in the trenches, where Clarence Hicks emerged last season as one of the league’s top pass rushers with 12 sacks.
“Hicks is super physical. He’s a nuisance. Even if he’s not making the play, he’s just a problem,” said Edmonton running back Justin Rankin.
That pressure up front fuels a secondary built to capitalize. Adrian Greene’s six interceptions were tied for the league lead, while Damon Webb continued to provide timely impact on the back end.
“They can bring only four and make you try to beat eight guys in coverage,” said Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros. “It makes it difficult for a quarterback.”
When those two levels are in sync, Calgary can dictate games. That was evident in two wins over Saskatchewan, where the Stamps held the Roughriders to just 12.5 points per game.
If that pressure-and-coverage formula peaks at the right time, Calgary has a defence capable of carrying a playoff run.
Clarence Hicks brings the heat with another sack!#CFLGameday
📅: @calstampeders vs. Lions LIVE NOW
🇨🇦: TSN
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/vDUZ8oYnJX— CFL (@CFL) October 5, 2025
3. A CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDER
Calgary doesn’t need outside motivation, but it has it anyway.
The Stampeders’ season ended on a walk-off field goal in the Western Semi-Final. The Lions, who advanced, pushed the eventual champion Roughriders to the brink the following week.
Despite an 11-win season and how close they were to a road playoff win, Calgary slotted near the bottom of the Way-Too-Early AMSOIL Power Rankings. Inside the locker room, the belief is different.
“We’re motivated. Last year, no one really believed in us at all,” said receiver Jalen Philpot. “Clearly, people didn’t see enough, but we know what we have in the locker room.”
Calgary’s ability to develop talent adds to that confidence. Several young contributors earned NFL opportunities last season, while players like Philpot and Clark Barnes are poised to take on even larger roles.
“Mixing the talent that we had last year with this motivation… it’s a recipe for us to just go crazy this year,” said Philpot.
The Stampeders didn’t need a reset. They were close in 2025, and with continuity, growth and motivation on their side, the next step is within reach.
