Ottawa's QB Picture Heading Into the 2026 Season
Ottawa football fans, there's a question worth asking before the RedBlacks kick off their regular season on June 6 at TD Place against the Edmonton Elks: do the RedBlacks have a quarterback controversy on their hands?
It's a loaded word in football — "controversy" — but it doesn't take much to earn the label. All it requires is genuine competition at the position, enough talent on both sides to make the decision difficult, and a coaching staff that isn't quite ready to commit publicly. Sound familiar?
Why the Question Is Fair
Heading into the preseason, the RedBlacks have been careful not to hand anyone the keys outright. That kind of deliberate ambiguity at the most important position on the field is exactly the kind of thing that gets fans and analysts talking.
In the CFL, quarterback stability is everything. Teams that have a clear starter going into Week 1 tend to build chemistry faster, develop consistent timing with receivers, and execute the offence with the kind of confidence that wins close games. When that clarity is missing — or at least not loudly announced — it creates questions.
To be fair, competition at QB in training camp isn't inherently a bad thing. Coaches will tell you it raises the level of the whole room. But Ottawa fans have seen enough transition at the position in recent years to know that uncertainty can spiral quickly if the right guy isn't identified early.
The June 6 Opener Adds Pressure
The home opener against Edmonton is circled on a lot of calendars at TD Place. Ottawa football fans are hungry for a strong start — the kind that sets a tone and gets the city buzzing about the team. A shaky QB situation heading into that game doesn't help.
Edmonton isn't a pushover. They'll come into Ottawa with something to prove too, and the RedBlacks will need their offence to be clicking from the first series. Whoever lines up under centre on June 6 needs to look like the guy — not like a placeholder while the real decision gets sorted out.
What to Watch For
Between now and kickoff, pay attention to which quarterback is taking the majority of first-team reps in practice. That's usually the clearest signal. Coaches talk a good game about open competition, but reps with the starters tell the real story.
Also watch the comfort level of the receivers. Ottawa's skill position players will start to show who they trust to put the ball where they want it — and that kind of subtle vote of confidence from your teammates is hard to fake.
The Bottom Line
Is it too early to call it a controversy? Maybe. But it's not too early to ask the question. The RedBlacks have a big home opener on June 6, a fanbase that's ready to get excited, and a quarterback situation that's worth watching closely between now and then.
Ottawa football has had its share of QB drama over the years. Here's hoping this one resolves itself cleanly — and early.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
