Back in Black: CFL’s Ottawa REDBLACKS Launch New Home Uniforms

With their 10th anniversary season right around the corner, the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa REDBLACKS are ready to rock new home uniforms.

The REDBLACKS unveiled the new uniforms on their website and social media channels on Tuesday, June 4. They were originally slated to launch sometime in May, but that was pushed back into June, less than two weeks before their home opener on June 13.

The most striking change in the new set is the striping that runs over each shoulder. A broad white stripe is flanked by two narrower red stripes, taking up the space normally occupied by TV numbers. The REDBLACKS’ R secondary logo — minus the sawblade from their primary logo — sits on each sleeve.

“We are thrilled to kick off our 10th anniversary season by debuting these new uniforms in front of RNation,” REDBLACKS president Adrian Sciarra said on the team’s website. “Our new home set pays homage to the proud history of football in the nation’s capital, while serving as a modernized look that we can’t wait to show off under the lights at TD Place.”

The new jersey keeps the same name and number fonts from the previous home set. The numbers on the front and back are white with red outlines, while the names on the back are one-color white. “REDBLACKS” is spelled out across the chest. Above that on the right side of the jersey is the team’s 10th anniversary logo.

The new jersey is paired with a new helmet that closely resembles a retro helmet first introduced in 2022. The helmet features the same striping as found on the shoulders of the jersey and the R logo on each side. All in all, it’s a look that borrows heavily from the old Ottawa Rough Riders franchise.

“It was important for us to get it right, and come up with something that looks good for the fans, and that the players like,” REDBLACKS equipment manager Drew McCormick said. “We wanted to find something that fits from the equipment perspective as well, as far as the seams and stretch go, and make sure it fits comfortably over a pair of shoulder pads.”

The pants and socks shown with the jersey in photos accompanying Tuesday’s announcement were both solid black. The pants have a white R logo on the right hip.

The REDBLACKS will wear their new black jerseys for six of their nine 2024 CFL regular season home games at TD Place, starting with their home opener on Thursday, June 13, against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. They’ll wear their red alternate jerseys for the other three home games.

Reports that surfaced in May 2023 indicated that only one of the REDBLACKS’ three uniforms would be revamped in time for the 2024 season, so it’s not expected there will be changes to Ottawa’s white away or red alternate sets in the near future.