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The Ottawa Renegades were a Canadian Football League franchise based in Ottawa, Ontario founded in 2002, six years after the storied Ottawa Rough Riders folded. After four seasons, the Renegades franchise was suspended indefinitely by the league due to financial instability, and its players were absorbed by the other teams in a dispersal draft.
After two years in limbo, the Renegades franchise was awarded to Jeff Hunt, best known as the owner of the Ottawa 67's, in March 2008. The new franchise was revived in 2014 and rebranded as the Ottawa Redblacks. For historical purposes, the CFL classifies the Redblacks, Renegades and Rough Riders as one discontinuous franchise.
On March 3, 2006, Lonie Glieberman resigned from day-to-day operations of the team, acknowledging that he made mistakes during his tenure.
With the team losing $3.8 million in 2005, and the possibility of losing an additional $2.3 million to $5.8 million in 2006, the organization requested financial assistance from the CFL, which the league was not willing to provide. On March 22, 2006, Bernie Glieberman decided to stop funding the Renegades. While the CFL previously took over operations of the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2003, on April 9, 2006, the CFL's board of governors decided against doing the same for the Renegades, instead choosing to look for a new owner. The CFL moved its easternmost-West Division team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, back to the East Division for the third time in its history to take Ottawa's place and to balance out the divisions (the Bombers played in the East from 1987–94, 1997–2001 and this time from 2006–13).
The players of the Ottawa Renegades were dispersed to the remaining eight CFL teams in a dispersal draft, with QB Kerry Joseph going #1 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Steelback Brewery president Frank D'Angelo announced in April 2006 that he was exploring opportunities to revive the team. The announcement was not cleared with the Canadian Football League, who indicated that they had had only one informal conversation with D'Angelo, in which no decision was made.
On May 15, 2007, the CFL announced that it had ended discussions with a group led by William Palmer regarding the return of a CFL team to Ottawa for the 2008 season. Renegades to RedBlacks: CFL's recent timeline in Ottawa from Ottawa Sun retrieved July 2014
CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon stated "several parties have expressed interest regarding a franchise for Ottawa, and we have decided to concentrate efforts on these new opportunities. The CFL remains committed to the City of Ottawa, and we remain determined to return a franchise to the nation’s capital only at a time and under circumstances that will ensure strength and stability in the long run". CFL ends talks on Ottawa bid from CBC Sports retrieved July 2014
However, in September 2007, the lower south side of Frank Clair Stadium was closed, due to cracks in the concrete structure. Ottawa mayor Larry O'Brien was quoted at the time that this was an opportunity to do a review of the usage and the facilities of Lansdowne Park.
On March 25, 2008, the league ended the team's indefinite limbo by awarding the franchise to Jeff Hunt, owner of the Ottawa 67's. The team began play in 2014, and did not retain the name Renegades because of its troubled history (and could not use the Rough Riders name due to objections from the Saskatchewan Roughriders), instead being called the Ottawa Redblacks.
Dan Crowley was the team's first starting quarterback. Throughout 2002, backup quarterbacks Chuck Clements and Oteman Sampson, also saw some starting time. However, in 2003, Kerry Joseph, was the quarterback to ultimately succeed Crowley. During 2003, Romaro Miller also started at quarterback. During 2004 and 2005, Joseph functioned as the primary starting quarterback. However, backups Darnell Kennedy and Brad Banks also saw time as the starter, in relief of Joseph.
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