The 2023 Edmonton Elks season was the 65th season for the team in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and their 74th overall. After an 0–9 start to the season, the Elks were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention following their week 18 loss to the Toronto Argonauts.

The team's 2023 season was the second under the second tenure of head coach and general manager, Chris Jones.

The Elks struggled on the field and started the season 0–7 for the first time in franchise history. The only other Edmonton-based senior football team to start a season 0–7 was the 1938 Edmonton Eskimos who went winless in the then-eight-game Western Interprovincial Football Union season. The Elks also set the record for the longest home losing streak in North American professional sports, previously held by the 1953 St. Louis Browns, having lost 21 consecutive games at Commonwealth Stadium in a slump dating to the 2019 season. They also matched a team record for consecutive losses both home and away, at 13, which ended with a week 11 win in Hamilton. After 1,415 days, the team won a home game on August 27 against the Ottawa Redblacks, ending the home-losing streak at 22 games.

Offseason CFL global draft The 2023 CFL global draft took place on May 2. The Elks had the second selection in each round.

Round Pick Player Position Club/School Nationality 1 2 Dean Faithfull K Colorado State-Pueblo Great Britain 2 11 Kilian Zierer OL Auburn Germany

CFL national draft The 2023 CFL draft took place on May 2. The Elks had nine selections in the eight-round draft, including a territorial selection. The team acquired additional selections in the second and third rounds, but also forfeited a second-round pick after drafting J-Min Pelley in the 2022 Supplemental Draft.

Round Pick Player Position University team Hometown 1 2 Michael Brodrique LB Montreal Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, QC 2 Jacob Taylor LB Alberta Beaumont, AB 3 20 Phillip Grohovac OL Western Ontario Victoria, BC 3 23 Luke Burton-Krahn DB British Columbia Victoria, BC 4 28 Noah Curtis DL Keiser West Palm Beach, FL 5 38 Bertrand Beaulieu RB Montreal Châteauguay, QC 6 50 Spencer Masterson OL Guelph Richmond Hill, ON 7 56 Bruno Legace DE Montreal Montreal, QC 8 65 Derek Best RB Western Ontario Surrey, BC

Preseason Week Game Date Kickoff Opponent Results TV Venue Attendance Summary Score Record A 1 Mon, May 22 2:00 p.m. MDT at Calgary Stampeders L 24–29 0–1 None McMahon Stadium 17,942 Recap B 2 Sat, May 27 2:00 p.m. MDT vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers L 23–25 0–2 None Commonwealth Stadium N/A Recap C Bye

Regular season Standings

Schedule Week Game Date Kickoff Opponent Results TV Venue Attendance Summary Score Record 1 1 Sun, June 11 5:00 p.m. MDT vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders L 13–17 0–1 TSN Commonwealth Stadium 32,233 Recap 2 2 Sat, June 17 5:00 p.m. MDT at BC Lions L 0–22 0–2 TSN/CBSSN BC Place 33,103 Recap 3 3 Sun, June 25 5:00 p.m. MDT vs. Toronto Argonauts L 31–43 0–3 TSN Commonwealth Stadium 20,817 Recap 4 4 Fri, June 30 5:30 p.m. MDT at Ottawa Redblacks L 7–26 0–4 TSN/RDS TD Place Stadium 18,145 Recap 5 5 Thu, July 6 7:00 p.m. MDT at Saskatchewan Roughriders L 11–12 0–5 TSN/CBSSN Mosaic Stadium 27,197 Recap 6 6 Thu, July 13 7:00 p.m. MDT vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats L 29–37 0–6 TSN/CBSSN Commonwealth Stadium 21,173 Recap 7 7 Thu, July 20 6:30 p.m. MDT at Winnipeg Blue Bombers L 14–28 0–7 TSN IG Field 28,512 Recap 8 8 Sat, July 29 5:00 p.m. MDT vs. BC Lions L 0–27 0–8 TSN/CBSSN Commonwealth Stadium 24,613 Recap 9 Bye 10 9 Thu, Aug 10 7:00 p.m. MDT vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers L 29–38 0–9 TSN/CBSSN Commonwealth Stadium 19,921 Recap 11 10 Thu, Aug 17 5:30 p.m. MDT at Hamilton Tiger-Cats W 24–10 1–9 TSN/RDS2/CBSSN Tim Hortons Field 20,912 Recap 12 11 Sun, Aug 27 5:00 p.m. MDT vs. Ottawa Redblacks W 30–20 2–9 TSN/RDS/CBSSN Commonwealth Stadium 23,825 Recap 13 12 Mon, Sept 4 5:00 p.m. MDT at Calgary Stampeders L 31–35 2–10 TSN/CBSSN McMahon Stadium 26,741 Recap 14 13 Sat, Sept 9 5:00 p.m. MDT vs. Calgary Stampeders W 25–23 3–10 TSN/RDS2 Commonwealth Stadium 32,422 Recap 15 14 Fri, Sept 15 7:30 p.m. MDT at Saskatchewan Roughriders W 36–27 4–10 TSN Mosaic Stadium 25,304 Recap 16 15 Fri, Sept 22 7:30 p.m. MDT vs. BC Lions L 29–37 4–11 TSN Commonwealth Stadium 25,144 Recap 17 Bye 18 16 Fri, Oct 6 5:00 p.m. MDT at Toronto Argonauts L 12–35 4–12 TSN/RDS2/CBSSN BMO Field 14,246 Recap 19 17 Sat, Oct 14 2:00 p.m. MDT vs. Montreal Alouettes L 21–35 4–13 TSN/RDS Commonwealth Stadium 22,822 Recap 20 18 Sat, Oct 21 5:00 p.m. MDT at Winnipeg Blue Bombers L 25–45 4–14 TSN IG Field 32,343 Recap 21 Bye

Roster 2023 Edmonton Elks final roster Quarterbacks

Running backs

Receivers

Offensive linemen T G T G C T/G

Defensive linemen DT/DE DE DE DE/DT DT DT DE DE DT Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams LS K P Practice roster C/G

Injured list LB LB DB SB DB DB DB DT DT G

Suspended list T G DE T T T Italics indicate American player • Bold indicates Global player

Coaching staff Edmonton Elks staff Front Office President and CEO – Rick LeLacheur (Interim) General Manager – Chris Jones Assistant General Manager – Geroy Simon Assistant General Manager – Bobby Merritt Director of Football Operations – Kris Hagerman Director of US Scouting – Sammy Gahagan Assistant Director of Football Operations – Nick Pelletier Head Video Coordinator – Mike Woytowich

Head Coach Head Coach – Chris Jones

Offensive coaches Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks – Jarious Jackson Run Game Coordinator and Receivers – Markus Howell Offensive Line – Stephen Sorrells Running backs – Jordan Linnen Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – Chris Jones Defensive Line – Demetrious Maxie Linebackers – Cam Robinson Defensive Backs – Brandon Isaac Advisor – Stephen McAdoo

Special teams coach Special Teams Coordinator - Mike Scheper Special Teams Assistant - Michael Daniels

Strength and Conditioning Strength and Conditioning Coach – Erin Craig

→ Coaching staff

References

External links