We’ve already unveiled the first 40 names of the Top-75 Stampeders players of all-time. With 35 names to go, we present to you the next 10! But first, how did this list come together?
The list was created by a consensus ranking of players by long-time equipment manager George Hopkins, radio play-by-play voice Mark Stephen, Stampeders historian Daryl Slade, and Wall-of-Famer Stan Schwartz. Each member was asked to rank their Top-5 players of All-Time and then provide a list of the remaining 70. With differences among the lists, more than 100 players received acknowledgement during this process. Players were added to the list by number of votes. Forty-three players received four votes, 20 players had three votes, and 18 players had two votes, meaning that not all of the two-vote players were able to make the list. To fairly assign those final spots on the list, those two-vote players were ranked first by seasons played, followed by Grey Cups won, and finally by All-CFL team appearances.
Throughout the season, we will be unveiling the list 10 players at a time in no specific order, finishing with the Top-5 Stampeders players of All-Time. Stay tuned to see if your favourite players made the list!
Want to see the others who made the Top 75?
Check out The First 10
Check out The Second 10
Check out The Third 10
Check out The Fourth 10
Joffrey Reynolds, RB, 2004-2011
A fixture in the backfield, Reynolds spent eight years with the Stamps where he became the franchise’s all-time leading rusher with 9,213 yards. Over his CFL career, Reynolds rushed for over 1,000 yards six seasons in a row. This included a 1310 yard season in 2008 which helped lead the Stamps to a Grey Cup championship victory over the Montreal Alouettes. Reynolds was a CFL All-Star three times (2005, 2006, 2008) and a Western Division All-Star four times between 2005-2008.
Paul Rowe, RB, 1945-1950
Paul “Pappy” Rowe was a superstar running back in the CFL. He played twice in Calgary, first with the Calgary Bronks from 1938 to 1940 and then with the Stampeders from 1945 until his retirement in 1950. The reason for the gap in his career? World War II. Rowe spent five years overseas with the Canadian Army. He was a captain in a unit that saw duty at Dieppe and in the Normandy invasion while also spending time in France, Holland, Belgium and Germany. Following his return to play, Rowe made an impressive name for himself, winning CFL West All-Star in 1940, 1946, 1947 and 1948. Rowe was the captain of the Stamps in 1948, the year the team went undefeated for the regular season and won their first Grey Cup. That same year he was also awarded the Dave Dryburgh Memorial Trophy (awarded to the top scorer in the West Division). Today, Rowe’s name lives on in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, BC Sports Hall of Fame, Canada Sports Hall of Fame, and lastly, the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame.
Harry Hood, RB/QB/D, 1948-1952
Hood began his CFL career in Winnipeg with the Blue Bombers (1945-1947), but in 1948 he was one of several players who made the move with coach Les Lear to Calgary. Hood and his Stampeders would go a perfect 12-0 on the 1948 season, and win the franchise’s first Grey Cup over the Ottawa Rough Riders. A two-way performer, Hood played as a running back, was a back up to starting quarterback Keith Spaith and played defensively for the squad, as well. Hood played a total of 70 games for Calgary, racking up 1,131 rushing yards and 42 catches for 813 receiving yards. His No. 5 was retired by the Franchise in 1954 after Hood lost his battle with cancer at the age of 31.
Granny Liggins, G/DT, 1968-1973
Widely known as ‘Granny’, Liggins was drafted by the NFL Detroit Lions in 1968 but opted for a move to Canada instead, signing on with the Stampeders. He played both at both defensive tackle and offensive guard over his time with the Stamps, and made three Grey Cup appearances – winning one title against Toronto in 1971. Liggins won CFL All-Star honours in 1971, and West All-Star the following year. In 1973, Liggins was traded partway through the season to Toronto. He would go on to win East All-Star in both 1975 and 1976, along with a second CFL All-Star nod in 1976.
Travis Moore, WR/SB, 1994, 1996-2002
Originally signed in May of 1994, Moore only saw game action five times in his rookie season with just seven catches recorded. He was released in October of that same year, but in 1996 the Stamps took another chance on the American Slotback. Moore proved it to be the right decision, amassing 7,474 receiving yards during his tenure in the Stampede City, including four consecutive thousand-yard seasons from 1999-2002. He’d earn both West and CFL All-Star nods in three of those seasons (1991-2001). Moore was a part of two Grey Cup Championships with the Stamps, once in 1998 and again in 2001. Following his playing career, Moore became a coach in the CFL. He’s worked with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2009), B.C. Lions (2010-12), Edmonton Eskimos (2013) Ottawa Redblacks (2014-17) and currently, the Saskatchewan Rough Riders.
Ron Hopkins, DB/RS, 1983-1991
Hopkins saw game action 132 times over his nine-year CFL career. Over that time he intercepted 27 passes for 423 yards, recorded 251 tackles and 17 forced fumbles. His most impressive statistics come from his incredible talent in kickoff returns, rushing 5,238 yards over 226 returns – including two kickoff returns for a touchdown. In 1987 Hopkins set a CFL with 1,098 yards in kick returns, which he broke himself in 1990 with 1,287 yards.
Keon Raymond, LB, 2008-2015
In 2006 Raymond was signed by the Tennessee Titans of the NFL as an undrafted free agent, he would go on to play season seasons in the Arena Football league before signing with the Stamps in 2008. During his eight year tenure with the Red & White Raymond recorded 323 defensive tackles, 10 sacks and 24 interceptions – including one which set a new Stampeders record at the time for longest interception return with a 117-yard return for a touchdown on Aug. 12, 2011, at Saskatchewan. Raymond was a part of two Stamps Grey Cup championship teams, in 2008 and 2014. In his time with the Stamps Raymond would earn CFL West Division all-star honours in 2011 and 2012, was selected a CFLPA all-star in 2012 and was voted by teammates as the winner of the Presidents’ Ring award in 2011 and 2012.
Juwan Simpson, LB, 2008-2015
Simpson joined the Stampeders in 2008 after signing with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2007. The linebacker played in 115 regular-season games as well as 11 post-season contests and was a member of Grey Cup-winning teams in 2008 and 2014. Raymond was a three-time West Division All-Star and was a CFL All-Star and a finalist for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player award in 2010. Over his Stamps career, Simpson accumulated 395 career tackles, 24 sacks, three interceptions and seven forced fumbles in the regular season and 43 tackles and one sack in 11 playoff action. On October 10, 2019 he signed a one-day contract with the Stampeders in order to retire as a member of the franchise.
Linebacker Juwan Simpson in 2015 (Photo by David Moll)
Ken-Yon Rambo, REC, 2005-2012
Rambo was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the seventh round (229th overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft. He was waived on August 28 and would go on to have stints with both the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets before signing with the Stampeders in May of 2005. He recorded 406 receptions for 5,995 yards with the Stamps, as well as 40 touchdowns. In 2008, Rambo led the league in receiving yards with 1,473. That same year he became a Grey Cup Champion when the Stamps downed the Montreal Alouettes 22-14 in the 96th Grey Cup. Rambo was named as a CFL All-Star and CFL West All-Star in 2008, as well. On September 4, 2015, Calgary signed Rambo to a one-day contract, allowing him to retire as a Stampeder.
Ed McAleney, DT, 1977-1983
McAleney was originally drafted in 237th-overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1976 NFL Draft, and also spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before making the move to the CFL where he quickly made a name for himself with the Stamps. The South Portland, Maine native appeared in 101 games with the Red & White, recording 29 quarterback sacks over that time. In 1980, McAleney was named at CFL Western All-Star for his efforts that season.
