2021 Edmonton Elks season explained

Team:Edmonton Elks
Year:2021
Record:3–11
Division Place:5th, West
Coach:Jaime Elizondo
General Manager:Brock Sunderland
Stadium:Commonwealth Stadium
Playoffs:did not qualify
Mop:James Wilder Jr.
Moc:Sean Whyte
Mor:Nyles Morgan
Previous:2020 (EFT)
Uniform:CFL EDM Jersey 2021.png
Shortnavlink:Elks seasons

The Edmonton Elks season was the 63rd season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 72nd overall. This was the first season that the team competed under a new name, as the "Eskimos" moniker was retired in 2020, and the new name "Elks" was announced on June 1, 2021.[1]

The team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2018 following a week 14 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on November 5, 2021.[2] The team also finished the season without a home win for the first time in the team's 72–year history following that same home loss to the Roughriders.[2]

This was the fourth season under general manager Brock Sunderland.[3] This would have been the first season under head coach Scott Milanovich, but he resigned from his position on January 25, 2021.[4] Instead, Jaime Elizondo was named as the 23rd head coach in the team's history on February 1, 2021.[5]

An 18-game season schedule was originally released on November 20, 2020, but it was announced on April 21, 2021 that the start of the season would likely be delayed until August and feature a 14-game schedule.[6] [7] On June 15, 2021, the league released the revised 14-game schedule with regular season play beginning on August 5, 2021.[8]

Offseason

CFL Global Draft

The 2021 CFL Global Draft took place on April 15, 2021.[9] [10] With the format being a snake draft, Edmonton selected second in the odd-numbered rounds and eighth in the even-numbered rounds.[9]

RoundPickPlayerPositionUniversity/Club TeamNationality
1 2 Denmark
2 17 New Zealand
3 20 Belgium
4 35 Australia

CFL National Draft

The 2021 CFL Draft took place on May 4, 2021.[11] The team had six selections in the six-round snake draft and had the fifth pick in each of the rounds.[12] [13]

RoundPickPlayerPositionUniversity TeamHometown
1 5 Edmonton, AB
2 14 Tsawwassen, BC
3 23 Inwood, WV
4 32 Windsor, ON
5 41 Toronto, ON
6 50 Pickering, ON

Preseason

Due to the shortening of the season, the CFL confirmed that pre-season games would not be played in 2021.[8]

Planned schedule

WeekGameDateKickoffOpponentTVVenue
ABye
B1Sat, May 292:00 p.m. MDTvs. Calgary StampedersCommonwealth Stadium
C2Fri, Jun 48:00 p.m. MDTat BC LionsBC Place
[14]

Regular season

Season schedule

The Elks initially had a schedule that featured 18 regular season games beginning on June 12 and ending on October 30.[6] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the Canadian Football League delayed the start of the regular season to August 5, 2021 and the Elks began their 14-game season on August 7, 2021.[8]

On August 22, 2021, it was announced that the Elks had several players test positive for COVID-19, so the August 26, 2021 game was postponed with the rescheduled date to be declared once the Elks pass health and safety protocols.[15] The CFL announced on September 2, 2021 that the game was rescheduled for Tuesday, November 16, 2021, meaning that the Elks will play three games in just a seven-day span.[16]

WeekGameDateKickoffOpponentResultsTVVenueAttendanceSummary
ScoreRecord
11Sat, Aug 78:00 p.m. MDTOttawa RedblacksL 12–160–1TSN/RDS2/ESPN2Commonwealth Stadium30,302Recap
22Sat, Aug 145:00 p.m. MDTMontreal AlouettesL 13–300–2TSN/RDSCommonwealth Stadium25,116Recap
33Thurs, Aug 198:00 p.m. MDT@ BC LionsW 21–161–2TSN/ESPN2BC Place12,500Recap
4Bye (originally scheduled for Thurs, Aug 26, at Toronto Argonauts; rescheduled to week 16)
54Mon, Sept 62:30 p.m. MDT@ Calgary StampedersW 32–202–2TSN/ESPNewsMcMahon Stadium31,039Recap
65Sat, Sept 115:00 p.m. MDTCalgary StampedersL 16–322–3TSN/RDSCommonwealth Stadium33,493*Recap
76Sat, Sept 187:45 p.m. MDTWinnipeg Blue BombersL 22–372–4TSNCommonwealth Stadium23,310Recap
8Bye
97Tues, Sept 285:30 p.m. MDT@ Ottawa RedblacksL 24–342–5TSN/RDS2TD Place Stadium12,108Recap
108Fri, Oct 86:30 p.m. MDT@ Winnipeg Blue BombersL 3–302–6TSN/RDS2IG Field27,388Recap
119Fri, Oct 157:00 p.m. MDTWinnipeg Blue BombersL 16–262–7TSNCommonwealth Stadium24,276Recap
12Bye
13 10 Fri, Oct 297:45 p.m. MDTHamilton Tiger-CatsL 23–392–8TSNCommonwealth Stadium22,857Recap
14 11 Fri, Nov 57:45 p.m. MDTSaskatchewan RoughridersL 17–192–9TSNCommonwealth Stadium24,115Recap
1512Sat, Nov 132:00 p.m. MST@ Saskatchewan RoughridersL 24–292–10TSN/RDSMosaic Stadium26,056Recap
1613Tues, Nov 165:30 p.m. MST @ Toronto ArgonautsW 13–73–10TSNBMO Field6,247Recap
1614Fri, Nov 198:30 p.m. MST@ BC LionsL 10–433–11TSNBC Place12,500Recap
[17] [18] [19]

*Top attendance in CFL

Team

Roster

Edmonton Elks roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Fullbacks

Receivers

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen
    • DE

Linebackers

Defensive backs

    • S

Special teams

  • LS
  • K
  • LS
  • K
1-Game Injured List
  • DL
  • LB
  • DL

6-Game Injured List

  • DB
  • DL
  • LB
  • OL
  • WR
  • DB
  • OL
  • OL
Practice roster
  • RB
  • DB
  • LB
  • K
  • DL
  • QB
  • DL
  • WR
  • OL
  • DB
  • DB
  • OL
  • DL
  • WR
  • DL
  • WR
  • DB
  • OL

Suspended

  • LB
  • OL
  • RB
  • WR
  • OL
  • DL
  • DB
  • DB
Italics indicate American player • Bold indicates Global player • 45 Active, 9 Injured, 17 Practice, 8 Suspended
Roster updated 2021-10-18 • Depth chartTransactionsMore CFL rosters

Coaching staff

Notes and References

  1. elks . 1399759182727766016 . New Name. Same Game. . June 1, 2021.
  2. Web site: Elks go winless at home this season, fall to Riders. TSN. November 5, 2021.
  3. Web site: Eskimos part ways with head coach Jason Maas. cfl.ca. November 21, 2020.
  4. Web site: Milanovich resigns as Edmonton's head coach . CFL.ca . January 25, 2021 . January 25, 2021.
  5. Web site: EE Football Team names Jaime Elizondo as head coach . . February 1, 2021 . February 1, 2021.
  6. Web site: Divisional games take centre stage in unique 2021 schedule . . November 20, 2020.
  7. Web site: CFL Announces Plans To Return-to-play For 2021 Season . . April 21, 2021.
  8. Web site: Circle your calendars: CFL releases 2021 schedule . . June 15, 2021.
  9. News: CFL calendar busy with free agency, virtual combines, drafts . . February 4, 2021 . February 7, 2021.
  10. News: 2021 Global Draft tracker . . April 15, 2021.
  11. Web site: CFL announces date for 2021 CFL National Draft . . cfl.ca . March 30, 2021 . April 15, 2021.
  12. Web site: 2021 CFL Draft to feature some significant changes. November 5, 2020. CFL.ca. en. November 21, 2020.
  13. Web site: Ti-Cats snag first selection as CFL reveals 2021 order. November 21, 2020. CFL.ca. en. November 21, 2020.
  14. Web site: 2021 Schedule . Edmonton Elks. June 2, 2021.
  15. Web site: CFL Statement on the Elks-Argonauts game on Thursday . . August 8, 2021.
  16. Web site: Postponed Elks-Argos game rescheduled to Nov. 16 . . September 2, 2021.
  17. Web site: 2021 Schedule . . June 14, 2021.
  18. Web site: Nos émissions . . French . August 3, 2021.
  19. Web site: ESPN, Upcoming . . August 3, 2021.