John Hufnagel has officially said goodbye to the Calgary Stampeders after 18 years with the franchise.
The 74-year-old was officially named a senior advisor to the head coach and general manager of the Toronto Argonauts on Thursday. the move was first reported Tuesday.
“It is bittersweet to say goodbye to the Calgary Stampeders, but at the same time I am excited about the new opportunity that lies ahead,” Hufnagel wrote in a statement. “I am very proud of what we have achieved in Calgary since I returned to the organization in 2008 and sincerely thank everyone who has helped make this happen. I also thank the Stampeders fans for always making me feel welcome and for their friendship over the years.»
Hufnagel has been with the Stampeders since 2008, when he was introduced as their head coach and general manager after a nine-year stint in the NFL. Hufnagel held both positions for eight seasons, compiling a 102-41-1 regular season record, two Gray Cup victories and two Coach of the Year awards. Following the 2015 season, he stepped down from his head coaching duties and assumed the role of president.
Hufnagel remained the team's general manager and president until 2022, when he relinquished the former title to head coach Dave Dickenson. The Stampeders went 175-70-3, and Hufnagel held the general manager title while winning three Gray Cups. He remained team president through the 2023 season, after which he became a special advisor.
“The Calgary Stampeders organization—and that includes a lot of myself “I am very fortunate to benefit from Huff’s wisdom and leadership,” Dickenson said in a statement. “I was hoping he would stay with club, but I respect his decision to do something new trial, and we wish him good luck. “I know our fans join us in thanking Huff for all he has accomplished over the last 18 years and the wonderful legacy he has created.”
Hufnagel played 12 seasons as a fullback in the CFL from 1976 to 1987 with the Stampeders, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He then coached in the league for eight years, including seven years in Calgary, before heading to the New Jersey River Dogs of the Arena Football League.
The Coraopolis, Pennsylvania native got his first NFL coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1999, serving as quarterbacks coach. He later held the same position with the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots before serving as the New York Giants' offensive coordinator from 2004 to 2006. He won Super Bowl XXXVIII with the Patriots.
Hufnagel will now help first time head coach Mike Miller and general manager Pinball Clemons with the Toronto redevelopment. John Murphy, the Argos' current assistant general manager, worked under Hufnagel in Calgary for many years, serving as the team's director of scouting, director of player personnel and assistant general manager.
“A legend walks into the building! John Hufnagel is one of the most respected and admired men in our game today and defines the Hall of Fame as one of the few who can call himself both a Gray Cup and Super Bowl champion,” Clemons said as part of the announcement.
“A leader and a winner, John will mentor both the head coach and the general manager in a senior advisory role, representing the team at league meetings, training camp, the draft, pre-game preparation, post-game analysis and any additional needs that may be required during the football season. We will all benefit from John's wealth of experience, wisdom and championship mentality.”
In 2025, the Toronto Argonauts finished third in the East Division standings with a 5–13 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Franchise quarterback Chad Kelly was unable to play the entire season due to a broken leg he suffered in the Eastern final last year, giving way to Nick Arbuckle, who threw for 4,370 yards, 26 touchdowns and 15 interceptions to be named by the team. Most Outstanding Player candidate.
The Argonauts ranked seventh in net offense, sixth in net defense and seventh with a minus-eight turnover margin. The club's leading rusher was Spencer Brown with 314 yards, the leading receiver was Dejon Brissett with 907 yards, and the leading tackler was Cameron Judge with 79 tackles. Toronto ranked ninth in attendance with an average attendance of 15,109, down 0.1 percent from the previous year.
