Screengrab courtesy: Calgary Stampeders
Ajou Ajou is slated to make his debut for the Calgary Stampeders on Thursday night, but the Canadian receiver wasn’t sure he’d ever get a second chance in the CFL.
“Of course. That was definitely a real thought in my brain.” Ajou told the Calgary media this week.
“I’m grateful. I’ve got to thank God first and foremost, but it’s awesome. I feel like a little kid again. Going back out there, get a shot with the pads, go to war with these boys, man. Oh, it’s going to be good.”
Ajou was suspended by the CFL in April after a third-party investigation determined he made what was termed “aggressive and unwelcome physical contact” with multiple women at a Regina restaurant. The alleged incident occurred shortly after the Roughriders won the Grey Cup, and led to his release from the team.
The allegations against Ajou have not been tested in court.
The native of Brooks, Alta., was reinstated in June after he met the conditions outlined by the league following his violation of the CFL’s gender-based violence and harassment policy. He promptly signed with the Stampeders, where he has since served his six-game suspension.
“Kind of like going to a new school, you know what I mean? Got to make new friends and learn a new playbook, but it’s been good,” Ajou said of his experience in Calgary. “The guys are awesome here. They welcomed me with open arms. It was super easy to fit in.”
The 24-year-old had to complete 15 counselling sessions conducted by a gender-based violence expert, a psychological assessment by another independent expert, and a meeting with CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston in order to be reinstated. That provided Stampeders head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson with the confidence he needed to offer Ajou a second chance, though he has made clear that the team will “move on” if the receiver doesn’t meet their expectations.
Ajou acknowledged that he has had to meet certain conditions to earn the right to play again, but didn’t get into further detail about the experience.
“I did. But I’m keeping the recipe simple; just doing what I’ve got to do,” he said. “Be a great teammate, be a great leader in the locker room, and just show these guys that I’m here to work.”
The six-foot-three, 218-pound target was a promising young prospect at Clemson University, but saw his collegiate career deteriorate due to injury and immaturity. He transferred to South Florida before winding up at Garden City Community College and eventually fell to the seventh round of the 2024 CFL Draft.
Ajou played 12 regular-season games as a rookie in Saskatchewan, making 20 catches for 307 yards and two touchdowns. That earned him an opportunity with the Indianapolis Colts, though he later returned to the Riders after his release and made 22 catches for 212 yards over eight regular-season games in 2025. He also started the Grey Cup, making two catches for 13 yards to help the Roughriders defeat the Montreal Alouettes.
For now, Ajou will serve as a backup in Calgary, and he is committed to providing whatever the team needs.
“Definitely energy. Just be a great teammate, whatever that is,” he said. “If they need me blocking, if they need me catching touchdowns, like wherever it is, just be a good teammate and give them all 100 percent.”
The Calgary Stampeders (4-5) will host the B.C. Lions (3-5) at McMahon Stadium on Thursday, August 13, with kickoff scheduled for 9:00 p.m. EDT. The Lions narrowly beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last week, while the Stampeders suffered a close loss to the Toronto Argonauts.
The weather forecast in Calgary calls for a high of 15 degrees and a 90 percent chance of rain. The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS2 in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the United States, and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune in on Sher-E-Punjab Radio AM 600 (Punjabi) in Vancouver or 770 CHQR in Calgary.
