Wynton McManis feels he was always destined to wear black and gold.
The veteran middle linebackers met with reporters Thursday, a day after signing a one-year deal with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The move comes after McManis spent four seasons with the archrival Toronto Argonauts, helping that franchise win two Grey Cups over that span.
“I grew up a (Pittsburgh) Steelers fan, and for me, I always wanted to wear black and yellow or black and gold,” McManis said, a trusty toothpick in the side of his mouth. “Come to find out, I wasn’t meant to be a Pittsburgh Steeler; I was meant to be a Hamilton Tiger-Cat.
“I don’t think it’s going to feel weird. I feel like it will be right at home for me.”
The six-foot, 220-pound McManis registered 62 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions and a force fumble in 15 regular-season games with Toronto. The 31-year-old American’s arrival certainly fills a need for Hamilton after Canadian middle linebacker Devin Veresuk signed this off-season with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.
Hamilton (11-7) finished atop the East Division standings last season before losing 19-16 to the Montreal Alouettes in the conference final. The Ticats haven’t won the Grey Cup since 1999, the CFL’s longest championship drought.
McManis was slated to become a free agent on Tuesday but hit the market early after being released by Toronto.
“I kind of felt I was a little comfortable in Toronto, honestly,” McManis said. “Not in a negative way, but just for me needing to grow and needing to chase greatness.
“Just talking on the phone with (Ticats cornerback Jamal Peters, a former teammate of McManis’s in Toronto) and some of these players … they’re kind of at the same point in their careers that I am … to where ‘Let’s win, let’s get this done.’ Making the decision wasn’t easy, but it’s something I felt I had to do.”
In McManis, the Ticats get a three-time Grey Cup champion (2018 with Calgary, 2022 and ’24 with Toronto). They also have a productive player who has 390 tackles, 52 special-teams tackles, 16 sacks, nine interceptions and four forced fumbles while scoring three defensive touchdowns in 100 career regular-season CFL games.
“I’ll bring excitement, passion, communication, leadership,” McManis said. “I don’t necessarily see myself as just a vocal leader, I’m a day by day, every day, every time you see me, every time we come into contact, we’re about building something, about connecting.
“It’s about making sure we’re all on the same page. I like being around like-minded individuals, I think that’s what carries us to the next level.”
More importantly, McManis doesn’t have to uproot his family to continue his career.
“My wife was all in on it; she understands it’s a business,” McManis said. “My son is all-in also, he loves saying Tiger-Cats now.
“To not have to move your family, that’s big as well. Hamilton is just the perfect spot. A nice home, family environment, and that’s what we’re for.”
Labour Day will certainly have a different flavour this year with McManis facing his former team at Hamilton Stadium. But McManis said he won’t bring anything extra to games versus Toronto.
“I don’t think Toronto should be the only team in the league that’s worried about what’s coming,” he said.
McManis already likes what he sees in his new football home.
“Just going into the lockerroom and seeing every seat is facing each other, that’s big to me,” he said. “I think that makes a lot of sense when you think about this sport and how we play this game.
“I’m just trying to bring what I know, what I know works and helps win games.”
McManis also reunites with Ticats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, who was also the starter when the two were with the Stampeders. And with the ’26 Grey Cup being in Calgary, McManis can’t think of a better place for Hamilton to end its championship drought.
“I guess that would just be the perfect story,” he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2026.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
