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A 62-yard field goal from veteran kicker Rene Paredes with just two seconds remaining gave the Calgary Stampeders a dramatic 40-38 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday. The last-gasp kick kept Calgary’s playoff hopes alive and pushed Ottawa deeper into a historic losing streak.
Paredes Delivers Career-Best Kick at the Death
Paredes, 41, connected on the longest field goal of his career to seal the win at McMahon Stadium in Calgary. The kick came after quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. drew a penalty for throwing to an ineligible receiver, costing Calgary 10 yards and leaving the team stranded near midfield. A missed throw to receiver Tevin Jones then forced the Stampeders to rely entirely on Paredes.
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Earlier in the game, Paredes had hit a 57-yarder, though he later admitted a tailwind helped that effort. Fortunately for Calgary, the wind cooperated again when it mattered most. He drilled the 62-yarder cleanly through the uprights as time expired.
“When I was walking off the field, I said, ‘I believe he’s going to make it,'” Adams said. “I said, ‘God, give us a little bit of wind,’ he did, and that’s what it was, so I believed from the jump.”
According to the CFL’s 2026 record book, the longest field goal in league history stands at 63 yards. Both Saskatchewan’s Paul McCallum in 2001 and Winnipeg’s Sergio Castillo in 2025 share that record. Paredes came within one yard of joining them.
Paredes is in his 15th season with Calgary, making him the longest-serving Stampeder on the roster. He missed 10 games this season due to injury, making his clutch performance even more remarkable. “What a game,” he said. “I’m just happy we got the win and we’ve still got a shot at the playoffs.”
Stampeders Keep Playoff Hopes Alive
Calgary improved to 6-8 on the season. The Stampeders sit at the bottom of the West Division but remain mathematically alive in the playoff race. They trail the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and B.C. Lions, who share third place in the division, by two points. Four regular season games remain.
Head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson acknowledged the desperation behind the late field goal attempt. “Wasn’t sure Rene had 62 in his leg,” Dickenson said. “We needed it. It was a bit of desperation mode. Obviously didn’t play perfect football, but we really needed that win and we got it.”
Adams finished 28 of 41 for 357 passing yards. However, he threw an interception for the fifth consecutive game after recording a clean sheet in his first eight starts. He also left the game hobbling after an offensive lineman rolled onto his ankle in the third quarter. Despite that, he remained on the field to see the game through.
Quincy Vaughn scored two short-yardage rushing touchdowns for Calgary. Jones and Jalen Philpot each caught touchdown passes from Adams. Paredes also added field goals from 23 and 19 yards, plus four converts. Calgary’s top rusher, Dedrick Mills, missed the game with a hip injury. In his absence, Deonta McMahon came off the practice roster and rushed for 102 yards.
Ottawa Falls to 0-13 in Historic Skid
The loss dropped Ottawa to 0-13 on the season. The Redblacks became only the second team in CFL history to begin a season with 13 straight losses. The Shreveport Pirates set the original mark back in 1994.
Ottawa quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson made his first start for the Redblacks and threw five touchdown passes. He finished with 379 passing yards and one interception. Keelan White caught three of those touchdown throws. Justin Hardy and Kalil Pimpleton each added one receiving touchdown. Kicker Brett Lauther missed from 43 yards but converted from 37 yards and added five converts.
Ottawa led by a point with 72 seconds left in the game. However, the Redblacks could not hold on, losing on an opposing field goal for the second straight week.
Bethel-Thompson turned to Greek mythology to describe the team’s situation. “Does anybody know the story of Sisyphus?” the 38-year-old asked. “We’re right there at the top. Think you’re getting the boulder over the top, down it goes rolling.” Despite the frustration, he urged his teammates to stay united and grow from the experience.
Redblacks head coach and GM Ryan Dinwiddie echoed that sentiment. “We feel like the win’s been coming for a few weeks,” he said. “The guys are fighting. I don’t think they quit all year. Now are we making plays we need to make? No.” He added that the team’s unity in the locker room, despite the winless record, has impressed him.
What Comes Next
The two teams meet again next Saturday, this time in Ottawa, in the second game of a home-and-home series. Calgary will look to build on the momentum of this dramatic victory. Meanwhile, Ottawa will seek its first win of the season on home soil.
Calgary led 17-14 at halftime. The temperature at kickoff was 22 degrees Celsius, with winds gusting up to 44 km/h. An announced crowd of 20,113 attended the game at McMahon Stadium.
For Paredes, the focus now turns to keeping the Stampeders’ playoff push going. “Hopefully it motivates us to keep it going,” he said. “We know each game from now on is a playoff game for us.”
