Photo courtesy: Emma Pravechek/Packers.com
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have added former NFL quarterback Clayton Tune to their negotiation list.
The six-foot-three, 220-pound passer spent the majority of the 2025 season on the practice roster of the Green Bay Packers after he was signed after training camp to replace Canadian prospect Taylor Elgersma. He dressed for two games and made one start in Week 18, completing 7-of-15 passes for 42 yards and one interception on the season. He was waived by Green Bay in January.
Tune was originally selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He dressed for 13 regular-season games over two years with the team, completing 60.9 percent of his pass attempts for 70 yards and two interceptions to go 0-1 as a starter.
The 26-year-old was most recently under contract with the UFL’s Columbus Aviators, but was removed from the roster on February 9.
The native of Plano, Texas, played collegiately at the University of Houston, where he threw for 11,989 yards, 104 touchdowns, and 41 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,248 yards and 15 scores, earning a first-team All-AAC selection in 2022.
CFL teams can claim the rights to up to 45 players via the negotiation list on a first-come, first-served basis, provided that they are not eligible for the Canadian or Global Drafts, and have never played in the league before. These players can be added, traded, or removed from the list at any time.
Being added to a negotiation list does not mean that the player has expressed interest in the CFL, and some are unaware that their rights have even been claimed. Players can only force their removal from the list if the team does not provide them with a minimum contract offer at their request.
The Toronto Argonauts previously claimed Tune’s CFL rights in August, but he was later removed after signing an NFL contract. In 2022, his name was revealed as part of the B.C. Lions neg list.
In a corresponding move, Hamilton removed TCU quarterback Jaden Craig, who recently transferred from Harvard, from their negotiation list.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats added several talented players in free agency, including quarterback Tre 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.