The Montreal Alouettes announced on Thursday the release of middle linebacker Darnell Sankey. Sankey was set to become a free agent in February with no contract.
Sankey demonstrated through a high level of play that he has a lot left in the tank with no signs of slowing down yet at 31 years old. He has started in the last 48 games for the Alouettes without missing any time to injury.
Darnell Sankey – Sacramento State (6’0”, 242 lbs)
“I would like to thank Darnell for all the work he has done for us, both on and off the field, over the past few years,” stated Alouettes General Manager Danny Maciocia. “ Not only has he been a productive player, but he has also been an important leader for us. We have decided to go in a different direction at inside linebacker in 2026, and we wanted to allow Darnell to explore his options before the start of free agency.”
Over 42 regular-season games with Montreal, Sankey has recorded 239 defensive tackles, 4 sacks, and 2 interceptions.
He made a great impact in the 2023 Grey Cup run, recording 22 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 passes defended, and a fumble recovery over postseason games. For how I tracked stops, he had 3 solo run stops and 3 shared run stops in that stretch.
His presence was felt over the most recent run to the Grey Cup for Montreal as he recorded 13 tackles and an interception. By my count, he made 2 solo run stops, 6 shared run stops, 3 solo stops against the pass, and 2 shared stops against the pass. (I define a stop as a tackle that prevents success for the offense, i.e.)
“Darnell always came to work with the right attitude,” stated Head Coach Jason Maas. “He was an important voice in our locker room and one of our leaders on the field. He always did his job professionally, and I appreciated having him on our team these past few years.”
Sankey joined the Alouettes midway through the 2023 season after a hiatus away from the CFL that saw him win an XFL Championship with the Arlington Renegades before joining the Alouettes that same year. He was listed as a second stringer in his first game for Montreal, and every game since then, he has been the starting middle linebacker.
2023 was a season marred by injuries at the linebacker position ahead, and Sankey’s arrival helped bring stability to a tumultuous year.
The Alouettes were 7-7 heading into week 15 in 2023 when Sankey joined the team. They then went on to win their final 4 regular season games and 3 postseason games, capped off in a 28-24 victory over Winnipeg in the Grey Cup. The win streak continued into the following season with a 5-game win streak, and began another 5-game win streak after the first loss that season.
Sankey has played in 74 total CFL regular-season games, recording 456 tackles, 8 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 8 forced fumbles.
In his 2023 XFL stint, he recorded 47 total tackles (20 solo, 27 assisted) and a sack over 8 regular-season games with the Arlington Renegades and added 2 solo tackles and 6 assisted tackles in the postseason.
Sankey is the only player to win both an XFL/USFL/UFL Championship and a Grey Cup in the same year. Wide receiver Saiosi Mariner came close to replicating that after having gone to the UFL Championship this past season with the Michigan Panthers before signing with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
With a deal not being reached, the Alouettes are releasing Sankey as a courtesy to the player, allowing him to get a head start in speaking to other clubs to begin his next chapter before CFL free agency begins.
