The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are hoping to get the most out of Canadian quarterback Tre Ford, whose tenure with the Edmonton Elks ended with his unceremonious release last month.
“He’s an exceptional athlete, he’s dynamic,” president of football operations Orlondo Steinauer told the team’s website. “Sometimes a change of environment and coaching does great for players and we’re hoping this is one of those cases.”
The six-foot, 192-pound passer threw for 984 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions over the first five games of the regular-season in 2025 but was benched in favour of Cody Fajardo. He never saw the field again in Edmonton and said he wasn’t offered a chance to restructure his contract prior to being released.
The 27-year-old was originally selected in the first round of the 2022 CFL Draft out of the University of Waterloo. He spent four seasons with the Elks, playing under three different offensive coordinators and three different head coaches. Ford threw for a total of 4,651 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions, and rushed for 1,129 yards and four scores.
Earlier this month, the dual-threat passer told 3DownNation that he chose to sign with Hamilton after also speaking with the B.C. Lions and Montreal Alouettes.
It seems as though the deciding factor for Ford was opportunity. In B.C., he would have been stuck behind star quarterback Nathan Rourke, who, like Ford, will turn 28 this spring. With the Tiger-Cats, Ford will be behind Bo Levi Mitchell, who turns 36 next month and has contemplated retirement in the past.
Born in nearby Niagara Falls, Ont., Ford has already spent time with the Tiger-Cats as he begins preparations for the 2026 season. After being cast aside by the Elks, he’s looking to get back on track in Steeltown.
“It’s been great having him in the building so far and I know the community is welcoming him,” said Steinauer. “He’s coming to the facility with a smile on his face. I know that (head coach) Scott (Milanovich) is excited to work with him and really mold him into being a quarterback — at the same time, letting him excel in areas that he just does naturally.”
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats added several talented players in free agency, including Ford, receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr., linebacker Wynton McManis, and returner Mario Alford. The team’s key departures included running back Greg Bell (Ottawa Redblacks), receiver Tim White (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), offensive lineman Coulter Woodmansey (Edmonton Elks), and defensive back DaShaun Amos (Toronto Argonauts).
The Tiger-Cats hold the fifth overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. Hamilton will play its first preseason game against the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday, May 23 and its first regular-season game against the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday, June 4.
In 2025, Hamilton finished first in the East Division standings with an 11-7 record, though the team lost the East Final to the Montreal Alouettes.
