Graphic: 3DownNation (Photos: Bob Butrym | Jeff Vinnick)

The 2025 CFL season has offered plenty of surprises and dramatic moments on the field, but arguably the year’s biggest storyline has been a man with a smartphone on the sidelines.

Newly minted CFL on TSN analyst Luke Willson has stirred up more than his fair share of controversies since he was added to the Friday Night Football broadcasts. The former NFL tight end has paired sharp television commentary with a take-no-prisoners approach on social media, speaking truth to the powers-that-be on what he believes are the fundamental problems within the league he covers.

“Certainly a lot of conversation has been created, there’s no doubt about that,” first-year CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston admitted to 620 CKRM‘s Rider Nation Pre-Game Show on Sunday.

Willson first made waves in Canadian football circles over the offseason, when he proclaimed himself the “people’s commissioner” via X and tabled several proposals for making 2025 the “year of the CFL.” The posting intensified after he officially began covering the league, and the Windsor, Ont. product has gleefully taken on the role of social media disruptor.

Over the first half of the season, Willson has openly feuded with veteran media members and traditionalist fans, dubbing those with opposing opinions “numpties.” He has also called out the professionalism of the CFL product at times, going so far as to deem a Week 3 game between Saskatchewan and Toronto that ended on a return touchdown “hot garbage.” Along the way, he has gained as many enemies as he has vocal supporters, sparking major debates amongst CFL viewers almost weekly.

Cryptic tweets and since-deleted posts suggest that Willson has sometimes pushed the envelope further than his employer would like. He has previously compared himself to the notoriously difficult-to-kill cockroach, and implied that some members of the CFL and its board of governors were utilizing connections within TSN to silence him.

For his part, the man in charge of the league doesn’t feel that the Super Bowl champion needs to be muzzled.

“On social media, sometimes you walk the line. I have no problem with anyone having an opinion and expressing opinions. Sometimes I’d prefer different language when they do express that opinion, but that’s fine,” Johnston insisted. “I want people talking about the CFL, and it comes from a place of passion. As long as we’re doing it with respect, I really enjoy it.”

Detractors claim that Willson hasn’t always demonstrated that requisite level of respect, but you can’t deny the level of conversation that he has created around the league. By regularly stirring the pot and tweeting to his over 146,900 followers, he has generated millions of impressions, including many from people who weren’t already die-hard CFL supporters. While his approach is unconventional, the longtime Seattle Seahawk has remained adamant that his intentions are altruistic and focused on addressing major issues that traditional media coverage has ignored.

If nothing else, Willson has provided a breath of fresh air to TSN’s coverage, breaking down film and addressing in-game trends from field level in a way that was sorely missing. Johnston, who served as the president of the CFL’s exclusive broadcast partner from 2010 until he joined the league this offseason, knows firsthand how valuable that skillset can be and spoke glowingly of Willson’s on-camera work.

“I come from a background working at TSN, so I’ve known Luke for a long time. I think that he developed from his first time on TSN airwaves as an NFL broadcaster or commentator, to where he was the last NFL season — I think he’s one of the best I’ve seen,” the commissioner stated.

“He really is a great X’s and O’s analyst, but he breaks it down in a way that I think the audiences really appreciate. He’s very relatable, and I think that comes across in his sideline work, which brings another element to the game. The way he’s analyzing the game is fantastic, and it brings a real football perspective, an X’s and O’s perspective, from field level. I’ve really enjoyed his work on Friday nights.”

As long as that stamp of approval remains equally strong behind closed doors, it would seem that the CFL office won’t push their most important business partner to handcuff Willson’s coverage — or lop off his active thumbs — going forward.