CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston revisits three-down guarantee

Time can provide perspective for all of us, including Canadian Football League commissioner Stewart Johnston.

Less than three months ago, Johnston unveiled league rules changes that are planned to be implemented in 2026 and 2027. The commish was asked by 3DownNation at that major press conference at Hotel X in downtown Toronto, whether he could guarantee the league would stay with three downs and he did not.

Based on his answer during his Grey Cup State of the League address on Friday, however, it seems he regrets not being more clear with his initial answer in September.

“You asked me, I answered it a way that I answer my kids. I say, ‘Hey, there are no guarantees in life.’ What I should have said is that not only am I guaranteeing that we are a three-down game, I can guarantee that anything other than that never crossed our minds,” Johnston said.

In April 2022, veteran reporter Arash Madani reported the Calgary Stampeders and Toronto Argonauts voted for the league to change to four downs. Then-general manager John Hufnagel admitted to voting for four downs but claimed it was misconstrued and that he merely wanted to explore a potential change — not change immediately.

At that time, the CFL had been undergoing a review for all aspects of its gameplay following a scoring dip in 2021, with then-commissioner Randy Ambrosie not ruling out the fundamental change to the Canadian rulebook until after the vote on the subject was final.

The 54-year-old Johnston was hired by the board of governors in April 2025.

Based on his latest answer in Winnipeg, it appears fans who want the CFL to remain a three-down league have been given the reassurance they coveted.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders (13-6) and Montreal Alouettes (12-8) meet in the 112th Grey Cup at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg on Sunday, November 16 with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.

The Alouettes defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Final 19-16, while the Roughriders came back to defeat the B.C. Lions in the West Final 24-21. The teams split two regular-season meetings, though Montreal franchise quarterback Davis Alexander missed both games due to a left hamstring injury.

The weather forecast in Winnipeg calls for sun and a high of three degrees. The game will be broadcast on TSN, CTV, and RDS in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the United States, and CFL+ internationally.

This marks the fifth time the Grey Cup will be played in Winnipeg and the second time it will be hosted at Princess Auto Stadium. The venue’s first Grey Cup was held in 2015 when Edmonton defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 26-20 and Michael Reilly was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

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