Corey Mace, Jason Maas mum on incoming CFL rule changes

The Canadian Football League has announced major changes to its play in 2026 and 2027, but they have yet to be addressed by this year's Gray Cup head coaches.

“To be honest, I haven't thought about it too much yet. I'm just focused on what we have going on; we'll have a lot of time in the off-season,” Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Corey Mays said in Winnipeg on Tuesday.

“There will be some changes to it, and schematically I'm sure it will change a lot, but I just haven't had the time to sit down and diagnose it all yet.”

Maas' Gray Cup colleague this year, Montreal Alouettes head coach Jason Maas, echoes the same sentiments.

“I don’t have anything to say about this — about (the rule changes taking effect) in 2026 or 2027,” Maas said. “I’m solely focused on 2025 and getting it done.”

In September CFL introduced several rule changes this will be implemented over the next two years.

In 2026, team benches will be permanently moved to opposite sides of the field, automatic 35-second clocks will run between plays, and punts, kickoffs and missed field goals that fly through the back of the end zone and are not touched by a returner will no longer count for a point.

In 2027, the field will be shortened to 100 yards, end zones will be shortened to 15 yards, and the posts will be moved to the back of the end zones.

The league's announcement was met with significant criticism: Nathan Rourke, who will likely win Most Outstanding Player later this week, calling them “garbage”. He claimed that players, coaches and management were not consulted about the rule changes, an opinion subsequently echoed by other players and coaches in the league.

Football Canada And U Sportsneither of which were consulted before the announcement, both issued statements saying they would conduct their own reviews, although neither organization has made any announcement since.

Stuart Johnston, who became CFL commissioner earlier this year, has not ruled out making more changes in the future, saying he can't guarantee the league will never go to four downs.

It goes without saying that many CFL coaches will have strong opinions about the upcoming rule changes, although it appears they will need some more time to mull them over.