The Ottawa Redblacks have set a new record for the longest losing streak in the CFL’s modern era. Their 15th consecutive defeat came at the hands of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday night, extending their losing streak back to last season. This surpasses the previous record held by the Shreveport Pirates, who lost 14 straight games in 1994, as confirmed by CFL historian Steve Daniel.
Expressing his disappointment, passionate Redblacks fan Jimmy Fata, who witnessed the record-setting loss in Winnipeg, highlighted the team’s struggle to pinpoint the root cause of their poor performance. Fata, known for his involvement in the tradition of cutting a “wood cookie” for every home touchdown, noted the lack of recent celebrations due to the team’s ongoing losses.
In addition to claiming the modern-day CFL record, the Redblacks now hold the third-longest losing streak in the entire CFL record book dating back to 1907. Another defeat in their upcoming match against the Montreal Alouettes would tie them with the Hamilton Wildcats for the second spot, with the Wildcats having lost 16 consecutive games between 1948 and 1949.
Looking ahead, Daniel emphasized the need for the Redblacks to continue rebuilding their roster, particularly on defense. Despite recent changes made by head coach Ryan Dinwiddie after the eighth loss, improvements were noted in the team’s performance during the record-setting game against the Blue Bombers.
Discussing the team’s struggles in the red zone, Daniel highlighted the Redblacks’ challenges in converting scoring opportunities and emphasized the importance of fan support during tough times. Fata echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the role of fans in standing by their team through thick and thin, stating, “They got nowhere else to go but up… It is a tough pill to swallow, watching them lose game after game, but [I’m] still a football fan.”
