CALGARY \u2014 After snapping a 20-year playoff streak in 2024, the Calgary Stampeders wasted little time re-establishing themselves as a contender in 2025.<\/p>\n
An 11\u20137 record marked a significant jump from the previous season\u2019s 5\u201312\u20131 finish, and the Stampeders\u2019 decision to trade for quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. before the 2025 season helped steady the offence and push Calgary back into the post-season, even if the year ultimately ended with a Western Semi-Final loss to the BC Lions.<\/p>\n
For head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson, the improvement was meaningful, but it was never the finish line.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a lot of job openings in 2025. We felt like we needed to change,\u201d Dickenson said in a conversation with CFL.ca during the 2026 Winter Meetings in Calgary. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t mean it was necessarily a better player, just a different player. What we found is we had some good young talent, and we let them grow. We built them, we coached them.\u201d<\/p>\n
RELATED That willingness to turn over parts of the roster and trust younger players became a defining trait of Calgary\u2019s season. The Stampeders leaned into development, and Dickenson believes that investment showed up in the standings, even as he\u2019s quick to point out how much more there is to prove.<\/p>\n \u201cWe actually had a better year than we did the previous year, but we feel like we\u2019ve got a lot more to prove and a lot more improving to do,\u201d he said. \u201cThe hope is that we can keep the majority of these guys together and keep the right mix.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00bb\u00a0More 2026 free agency news and analysis<\/a>
\u00bb Stamps sign defensive lineman Clarence Hicks to three-year extension<\/a>
\u00bb\u00a0Stampeders extend Erik Brooks<\/a>
\u00bb\u00a0Stampeders extend National linebacker Micah Teitz<\/a>
\u00bb\u00a0Subscribe to the CFL\u2019s newsletter for exclusive offers and league updates<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n