OTTAWA – The Ottawa REDBLACKS announced on Tuesday that the football club has signed American quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson.
The signing comes on the same day the team traded quarterback Dru Brown to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Bethel-Thompson suited up in 15 games last season for the Montreal Alouettes, including eight starts, completing 155 of 243 pass attempts for 1,746 yards with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. The veteran quarterback has spent seven seasons in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts (2017-22), Edmonton Elks (2024) and Alouettes (2025), completing 1,598 of 2,394 passes for 18,755 yards with 103 touchdowns and 69 interceptions. He is a two-time CFL East Division All-CFL quarterback (2021, 22) and a two-time Grey Cup champion with the Argos (2017, 22), including winning his second championship with head coach Ryan Dinwiddie.
“We’re excited to add a player like McLeod to our football club. I’ve worked with him in the past, and I know the type of competitor he is,” said Ryan Dinwiddie, head coach and general manager of the Ottawa REDBLACKS. “He’s a veteran quarterback with a lengthy resume and the experience he brings will be a valuable addition to our organization. He’s seen just about every situation in the game and we’re looking forward to having him in our locker room.”
In addition to his time in the CFL, Bethel-Thompson also spent time in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers (2011, 13, 15), Miami Dolphins (2011, 14-15), Minnesota Vikings (2012-13, 14), New England Patriots (2014) and Philadelphia Eagles (2016) before spending time on the practice roster with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2016. The Sacramento State product also spent time in the Arena Football League with the San Jose SaberCats (2011), the UFL with the Sacramento Mountain Lions (2011) and in the USFL with the New Orleans Breakers (2023).
