The Ottawa Redblacks have broken a CFL record with their 15th consecutive loss, making it the longest losing streak in the modern era of the league. The streak dates back to the previous season and was solidified with a 33-21 defeat against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday. This surpasses the previous record held by the Shreveport Pirates, who lost 14 games in a row in 1994, as confirmed by CFL historian Steve Daniel.

The disappointment among Redblacks fans is palpable, with one loyal supporter, Jimmy Fata, expressing his frustration and a desire for solutions to the team’s ongoing struggles. The team’s tradition of cutting a “wood cookie” for every touchdown at home games has been notably sparse due to the lack of recent victories.

In addition to setting a modern-day record, the Redblacks’ losing streak now ranks as the third-longest in CFL history, tracing back to 1907. Another loss in the upcoming match against the Montreal Alouettes would tie them with the Hamilton Wildcats for the second-longest streak, while the all-time record remains held by two Ottawa CFL teams from the late 1920s and early 1930s.

According to Daniel, the evolution of the league post-World War II marked a shift towards professionalism and competitiveness, contrasting with the amateur nature of the sport during the era of the previous record-holding teams. The Wildcats, who only existed for two years and won just a single game, were described as a hastily-formed team following the departure of the original Hamilton football club.

Looking ahead, Daniel emphasized the need for the Redblacks to continue rebuilding their roster, especially on the defensive end. Head coach Ryan Dinwiddie has already made changes, which showed improvement in the team’s recent performance. Despite the challenges, fans like Fata remain steadfast in their support, viewing it as standing by the team through thick and thin, with optimism for a turnaround in the future.