Photo courtesy: Ottawa Redblacks

The Ottawa Redblacks have signed American receiver Eugene Lewis to a contract extension through the 2027 season.

Lewis was already under contract for 2026, but will now remain with the team for an additional year.

The 32-year-old played all 18 games last season for Ottawa, registering 75 receptions for 1,012 yards and six touchdowns. He was named an East Division All-CFL selection after recording his fourth career 1,000-yard campaign.

“Geno is a player who I’ve enjoyed watching from afar for a long time,” Redblacks head coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie said in a statement. “I’m excited for the opportunity to get to work with him, and we’re thrilled to have him in Ottawa through the 2027 season.”

Lewis first came to the CFL in 2017 with the Montreal Alouettes and played five seasons in Quebec, before spending time with the Edmonton Elks and Redblacks. In 116 CFL games,  the Wilkes-Barre, Penn., native has caught 473 passes for 7,273 yards and 47 touchdowns — making him the league’s active receiving yardage leader. He was named the East Division’s Most Outstanding Player in 2022 and has been named All-CFL three times (2021, ’22, ’24), while earning divisional All-CFL honours on five occasions (2019-22, ’24, ’25).

The Ottawa Redblacks finished fourth in the East Division standings in 2025 with a 4-14 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Dru Brown went 2-7 over nine starts at quarterback, throwing for 2,389 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Dustin Crum went 2-4 over six starts, throwing for 1,771 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions.

The Redblacks ranked sixth in net offence, fifth in net defence, and ninth with a turnover differential of minus-16. The club’s leading rusher was William Stanback with 698 yards, the leading receiver was Justin Hardy with 1,019 yards, and the leading tackler was Adarius Pickett with 84 tackles. Ottawa finished eighth in attendance with average crowds of 18,136, which was a 4.2 percent decrease from the previous year.