Black set to face former team with Redblacks

Dayton Black quickly learned the harsh realities of achieving his childhood dream.

He knew the work ethic that took him from high school football to U Sports redshirt, to Canada West all-star and all the way to Canadian Football League draft pick, would only need to grow to keep his job.

But what the Brandonite didn’t expect was that he could do everything the right way and it could still not be enough.

It blindsided him a week into training camp this spring when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who drafted him sixth overall in 2023, released him on May 14.

Black could have accepted his fate, hanging his hat on 17 professional games played and one start in his rookie campaign, followed by an injury-plagued 2024. But that simply isn’t who he is.

He kept working and didn’t have to wait long for a shot.

He’s on his way back to Hamilton on Saturday to try to hand the Ticats their third loss of the season.

“It’s everything,” Black told the Sun of his new opportunity with the Ottawa Redblacks.

“I knew with talking to my agent, family and everything, just had to stay patient and wait for the opportunity and when it came, just run with it.

“I’m super thankful the Redblacks and Ottawa gave me a chance to come in here and contribute to this program and team. I’m beyond stoked for it and happy to be a part of it.”

Black’s rise through the ranks started as a quarterback, who broke the Winnipeg High School Football League record for passing yards in a season with the Neelin Spartans in 2017.

The six-foot-five, 295-pounder joined the University of Saskatchewan Huskies as a defensive lineman, then transitioned to the offensive line.

He bided his time while bulking up in the weight room, earning playing time in 2021 as the sixth O-lineman for a Huskies team that reached the Vanier Cup (U Sports national championship game), falling to the Western Mustangs.

Black started at left tackle the following year, incredibly allowing just one sack all year en route to a Canada West all-star selection. Saskatchewan fell by six points in another Vanier Cup to Laval in Black’s final post-secondary contest before a terrific CFL Combine that encouraged Hamilton to use its first pick on him.

But in the business of professional sports, opportunities are fleeting. Black’s was hampered by bilateral Achilles tendinitis in 2024, the same injury that essentially cost NFL all-pro running back Christian McCaffrey his last season.

Black spent most of the year on the six-game injured list and was dropped to the practice roster.

He was ready to bounce back in 2025, until he wasn’t.

“I was just shocked and surprised, honestly. I didn’t see it coming,” Black said. “We spent that whole year day in and day out with the trainers and physio, even in the offseason, in touch every week with my physio in Hamilton, talking to my trainer in Hamilton.

“I was ready to go, 100 per cent healthy, nothing was bugging me. Just got in there and they just wanted to go another way, I guess.”

So Black returned to Brandon to work in concrete for his father, Shane.

“You gotta still make a living, right? Not playing football at the time, I’m not making a living, so I had to do something,” he said.

He kept training as much as he could, then got the call from his agent, Rob Fry, on June 6: “Ottawa’s interested.”

Ninety minutes later: “Ottawa is a go.”

He flew out two days later, was announced as a practice squad addition on June 9 and played in his first Redblacks home game four days later.

“Getting to practise and play that first week in that game, it was like ‘OK, this is nice. We’re back to playing football, on a team and in a live game,’” Black said. “I was thrown into the fire, which was sweet.

“It’s more and more reps each game, and just keep building.”

Ottawa has been dressing just six O-linemen each game, with Black listed as the backup right guard but practising across the line and jumping in for six-offensive-lineman packages and when teammates go down.

He helped the 1-4 team to its lone win in his second game, 20-12 over the 3-1 Calgary Stampeders.

The Redblacks sit tied with the Toronto Argonauts for last place in the East Division, but could climb to second after their upcoming home-and-home with the Ticats. The rematch is July 20 in the nation’s capital.

Black won’t have any issues running over the guys he shared a locker room with on Saturday.

“It’s obviously cool to see everyone, right? But now things changed obviously and I’m ready to win and do anything as part of this team with Ottawa,” Black said.

“We’re looking forward to this next game, ready to play a full team game of football.”

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com

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