Injuries play a key role in all sports, but especially in professional football given the brutal nature of the game. They could be the difference between contending for the Gray Cup or missing the playoffs altogether.
3DownNation took the liberty of ranking all nine CFL teams based on the number of injuries they suffered in 2025. The “games lost” unit is exactly what it sounds like – the number of games players were unable to play due to injury. Healthy scratches do not count toward this total, even if the player(s) in question were placed on the injured list for one game (as allowed under CFL rules).
These numbers are not official, although they were obtained through independent tracking of official injury reports through the 2025 season.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats – 138 man matches lost
The Tabbies were without guards TyJuan Garbutt, Luke Brubacher, Isaiah Bagna and Lawrence Woods III for most of the season, but were otherwise generally healthy. Beau Levi Mitchell, Kenny Lawler, Tim White, Kiondre Smith and Shemar Bridges played every game, the team started only six different offensive linemen, and six supporting players missed just six combined games.
Montreal Alouettes – 147 man-games lost
Standout defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson missed most of the season with a knee injury he suffered late last year, and Davis Alexander missed 10 games with a hamstring injury. Aside from those two key players, the Alouettes haven't had many long-term injuries, although Travis Theis, Justin Lawrence, Nick Callender, Dylan Wynn, Diontae Raffin and Marc-Antoine Dequoy missed games for about a month.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers – 150 man-games lost
The receiving corps has suffered in Bomberland this year, with Dalton Schoen, Nick Demski, Kerik Whitfall, Jerret Stearns and Cody Case missing a combined 33 games. Zach Collaros missed three games with head and neck problems, and guard Terrell Bonds suffered a torn ACL in August. Otherwise, Winnipeg remained relatively healthy in 2025, with their starting offensive and defensive linemen missing just three games.
BC Lions – 170 man-games lost
Offensive linemen Dejon Allen, Michael Couture, David Foucault and Tyler Packer missed 52 games, putting pressure on the team's defense up front. Elsewhere in the lineup, however, the Lions remained fairly clean, as Nathan Rourke, James Butler and the team's starting receivers missed just five combined games. Christophe Beaulieu's torn cruciate ligament was a significant loss last month, although Jackson Findlay played well in his place.
Edmonton Elks – 188 man-games lost
Skyler Griffith, Noah Curtis and Olivier Muembi missed the entire season for the Moose, while starting receivers Zach Mathis and Stephen Dunbar Jr. missed a combined 20 games. Key defenders Jake Ceresna, Robbie Smith and Nick Anderson, the league's reigning Most Outstanding Rookie, missed a combined 24 games, although Tyreke Johnson, Noah Taylor and Joel Dublanco performed well in their absence.
Toronto Argonauts – 231 down in game
Franchise quarterback Chad Kelly hasn't played all year. he suffered a broken leg in the 2024 East finale, while veteran defensive linemen DeMarcus Christmas and Brian Cox Jr. played just two games and top receivers Davaris Daniels and Damonte Coxie missed 16 combined contests. The team also started with four different running backs due to injuries to Mian Williams and Deonta McMahon.
Saskatchewan Roughriders – 249 man-games lost
Trevor Harris, AJ Ouellette and Jermarcus Hardrick remained healthy for nearly the entire season after years of injury in Reederville, although the club suffered greatly elsewhere. Samuel Emilus and Kian Shaffer-Baker missed most of the year, offensive linemen Sean McEwen, Philippe Gagnon, Daniel Johnson and Trevon Tate missed a combined 55 games, and four different players started at safety.
Ottawa Redblacks – 281 down in game
Ottawa has dealt with a disproportionate number of injuries to its Canadians, with projected starters Alonzo Adda and Nick Mardner missing the entire year, while Zach Pelejos, Dariusz Bladek, Erik Starczala, Samuel Carson, Peter Godber, Aidan John, Clayon Lang, Lucas Cormier and Justin Howell have all missed at least a third of the season. Drew Brown missed nine starts at center, although he still dressed in the two games he didn't start.
Calgary Stampeders – 285 man-games lost
The Stampeders didn't lose many standout players to injury, with the exception of Reggie Begelton and Folarin Orimolade, although they were the least healthy team in the league overall. Malik Henry missed a second straight season, and opening day starters Bryce Bell and Markel Lee missed a combined 28 games. Adrian Green, which was named All-West Division After a breakout year, he missed five games and Vernon Adams Jr. missed one.
