The Calgary Stampeders rewarded reigning CFL king Dedrick Mills by making him the team's top player. highest paid American runner.
The five-foot-10, 238-pound RB received a $55,000 signing bonus to sign a two-year contract extension with the Stamps. He has a base salary of $85,000, $15,000 in housing, $15,000 in marketing and travel allowance of $3,000, which equates to $173,000 in hard money. The 29-year-old also has $23,000 in statistical, star and award incentives, which could push his salary cap to $196,500 in 2026. This includes:
- $5000 for 1000 yards
- $5,000 for 1,750 rushing and receiving yards.
- $3000 for 750 yards
- $2,000 for 1,500 rushing and receiving yards.
- $2,000 for making the CFL All-Star list.
- $2000 for MOP league title
- $1,000 for becoming a Western Division All-Star
- $1,000 for being named Team MOP.
- $1000 for 500 yards
- $1,000 for 1,250 rushing and receiving yards.
Mills won the league's three-down title in 2025 with 250 carries for 1,409 yards, 5.6 per carry, with 11 touchdowns in 18 regular-season starts. He caught 33 passes for 292 yards for a total of 1,701 yards from scrimmage. This production earned him the Calgary Most Outstanding Player award.
For his efforts, Mills earned $121,450 last year. General manager and head coach Dave Dickenson gave him a $50,000 raise for 2026, which could increase depending on how many bonuses he unlocks.
Waycross, Georgia native also ran 14 times for 111 yards and recorded three receptions for 25 yards in the Stampeders 2025 West semifinal loss to the BC Lions, 33–30.
The four-year CFL veteran ran the football 622 times for 3,593 yards, 5.8 per carry, 18 touchdowns and recorded 98 catches for 847 yards in 51 regular-season games.
After five seasons at Georgia Tech, Garden City Community College and Nebraska, Mills went undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft. However, he signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Detroit Lions but did not make the team after training camp.
The Calgary Stampeders finished third in the West Division in 2025 with an 11–7 record. Vernon Adams Jr. threw for 4,247 yards, 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 17 regular season starts, posting an 11-6 record.
The Stampeders ranked fourth in net offense, seventh in net defense and second with a plus-nine turnover margin. The team's leading receiver was Dominic Rhymes with 886 yards, and the team's leading tackler was Jacob Roberts with 102 tackles. Calgary ranked fifth in attendance with an average attendance of 22,295, up 3.5 per cent from the previous year.
