The Calgary Stampeders got off the schneid in style. A wire-to-wire win over the BC Lions, a 57-yard field goal, a pick from the secondary, four sacks from the front, and Vernon Adams Jr. quietly notching his 50th career win as a starter. Calgary put it all together on the road and came away with something they'd been chasing since the season opened.
It wasn't perfect — the Stampeders will be the first to tell you that — but it was a win, and right now, that's exactly what they needed.
Special Teams Set the Tone
Head coach and GM Dave Dickenson didn't hesitate when asked what stood out. He went straight to the kicking game.
"I think our special teams won us the game — not only the big return. I thought we covered well, we outkicked them. Our kicker was excellent, he made a 57-yarder. He kept the momentum on our side, the field position battle on our side."
Dickenson also pointed to a key moment right before the half — a timeout he burned to set up a Vernon Adams Jr. sneak on third down. "I called timeout just to make sure Vernon got a nice sneak on third and it was a big yard," he said. "That's heavy, heavy momentum going into the dressing room with that lead."
Adams Jr. Milestones and Ball Security
Vernon Adams Jr. didn't know heading in that this would be win number 50 as a starter. When told after the game, he took it in stride — then quickly shifted credit.
"That's awesome. That's an awesome feeling. But yeah, just owning the ball — Dave talks about it all the time — try not to give the ball to the defense. We didn't turn it over, so that was good. Now we got one win. Now let's just keep working to get more."
Dickenson loved what he saw from his quarterback. "Excellent management of the game. He's protecting the ball, he's still making plays. He jitterbugged in and out of the pocket, made plays with his legs, took easy throws. That's the type of quarterback that's gonna win."
Adams also acknowledged there were still plays left on the field. "There's still 4 or 5 plays we felt we left out there," he said. "We'll watch the film. We'll get better from it." That kind of self-assessment after a win says a lot about where this team's head is at.
Tevin Jones Tips One to Himself
Wide receiver Tevin Jones had himself a moment. Asked about his catch of the game, he kept it simple and honest.
"I ran my route, I looked up, the ball was thrown to me, and I seen it, and I was like, you know what, I'm gonna get this — and I got it. Tipped it to myself and caught the ball. The rest is history."
Jones also pushed back on any idea that this win needed some secret formula. For him, it started long before kickoff. "First day of practice we won. Second day of practice we won. Third day of practice we won. Came out here, the job was already over." That kind of mentality is contagious in a locker room.
Orimolade and the D-Line Did Their Thing
Defensive lineman Folarin Orimolade was fired up after getting on the board. Four sacks for the Calgary front — and Dickenson confirmed that Orimolade's presence had the desired effect.
"Yeah, I think it did. And Hutch played his type of game too — he was just a machine inside. Miles and Pete and Wiles and all the guys were working, and Hicks causes his havoc. We've got a good front. If we can keep all those guys rolling and fresh, that's a good front."
Orimolade was direct about where the real issue was in the first half. "We kept on allowing situations that should be 3 points to be 7 points," he said. But the second half was a different story. "When we came out, for the first 18-20 minutes of the second half, we played Calgary St. Peter football." He was quick to call out the end-game conditioning as something to clean up, taking some blame himself: "We've got to get in better shape so we can go for the no-huddle and finish the game."
On the scheme side, Orimolade kept it simple: "It's all about our communication. It's really all about us. They didn't beat us with anything we hadn't seen."
What a Total Win Looks Like
Adams summed it up best. "If the offense was down, defense was staying on that field. Special teams came out with some big plays. Offense came and made some plays when it mattered. It was a total team win today."
Dickenson echoed the satisfaction but didn't let anyone get too comfortable. "Good fight. I wish we could have finished a little stronger," he said — and with a squad this self-critical after picking up a win, the Stampeders are going to be a problem for the rest of the West as they build momentum.
Watch the Full Videos
Calgary Stampeders: Folarin Orimolade | Post-Game | 27.06.26
Calgary Stampeders: Tevin Jones | Post-Game | 27.06.26
Calgary Stampeders: Vernon Adams Jr. | Post-Game | 27.06.26
Calgary Stampeders: General Manager & Head Coach Dave Dickenson | Post-Game | 27.06.26