List of Canadian Football League mascots explained

The following is a list of the mascots of each Canadian Football League team.

Current mascots

style=background:#C00712 colspan=4
TeamMascot(s)IntroducedRef.
BC LionsLeo the Lionn/a[1]
Calgary StampedersRalph the Dog1975[2]
Edmonton ElksPunter and Spike2004, 2021[3]
Saskatchewan RoughridersGainer the Gopher1977[4]
Winnipeg Blue BombersBuzz and Boomer1984[5]
style=background:#06407C colspan=4
TeamMascot(s)IntroducedRef.
Hamilton Tiger-CatsT.C. and Stripes1984, 2004
Montreal AlouettesTouché and Blitz1996, 1999[6]
Ottawa RedblacksBig Joe2014[7]
Toronto ArgonautsJason2005[8]

Other and former mascots

In 2003, the Calgary Stampeders introduced another mascot of sorts, "Quick Six," which is an actual horse. Quick Six continues a Stampeders tradition, which began in 1993, of having a horse charge down the east sidelines of a field, after Calgary scores a touchdown.

Out of the nine current CFL teams, only one has replaced their mascot, the Toronto Argonauts. Prior to Jason, the Argonauts had a mascot named "Scully," who was "traded" by the team, for Jason, in 2003. Jason was later, "promoted to starting mascot," in 2005.[9] The now defunct franchise, the Ottawa Renegades' mascot was Ruffy the Beaver.The Edmonton Eskimos first introduced costumed mascots in 1972 as part of the Eskimos CHQT "QT's" Cheerleader team. The original gorilla-like mascots were redesigned in 1976 as two cartoon-like gorillas, custom made in Salt Lake City. Green and gold, respectively, the two were called Eski and Mo. Nanook was the Edmonton Eskimos' only mascot from 1997–2003. Punter was introduced in 2004, as a secondary mascot. They were together from 2004–2020. When the Eskimos' name changed to the Elks, Nanook was retired in 2021. While Nanook was replaced by an elk named Spike, Punter remains the secondary mascot.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers original mascot was Captain Blue, who was introduced in the early 1970s. Since 1984 with the introduction of Buzz and Boomer, Captain Blue was made the secondary mascot. Captain Blue is always seen driving his full scale Blue Bomber biplane, which is a life like cartoon replica of the WWI biplane flown under the British Royal Air Force. After every touchdown and field goal scored by the Blue Bombers, Captain Blue drifts his biplane around the end zones.

Before Ottawa's mascot Big Joe, the city had a very prominent history of mascots.[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Leo the Lion.
  2. Web site: Ralph the Dog. Calgary Stampeders. 6 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141018224237/http://stampeders.com/ralph. 18 October 2014. dead.
  3. Web site: Meet the Mascots. Edmonton Eskimos. 6 November 2014.
  4. Web site: Gainer the Gopher. Riderville.com. August 20, 2022.
  5. Web site: Mascots. Winnipeg Blue Bombers. 6 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20101120054125/http://bluebombers.com/page/mascots. 20 November 2010. dead.
  6. Web site: Touché and Blitz.
  7. Web site: Big Joe. Ottawa Redblacks. 6 November 2014.
  8. Web site: Jason the Mascot - Toronto Argonauts. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151212063314/http://www.argonauts.ca/jason-the-mascot/. 2015-12-12.
  9. Web site: Jason the Mascot - Toronto Argonauts. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151212063314/http://www.argonauts.ca/jason-the-mascot/. 2015-12-12.
  10. Web site: The colourful history of Ottawa's CFL mascots 3DownNation. 12 July 2020. 2022-02-18. en-US.