Edmonton Eskimos

The Edmonton Eskimos were a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta, and a member of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

The Edmonton Eskimos were a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta, and a member of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Founded in 1949, the club later changed its name to the Edmonton Elks in 2021. The team is one of the CFL’s most successful franchises, with 14 Grey Cup championships.

History

The Edmonton Eskimos franchise was founded in 1949, although football in Edmonton dates back much earlier. The team competed in the CFL’s West Division and played its home games at Commonwealth Stadium. It later rebranded as the Edmonton Elks in 2021 after a period of temporary naming.

Championship success

The Edmonton Eskimos won 14 Grey Cup championships, more than any other CFL team. The franchise achieved five consecutive Grey Cup victories from 1978 to 1982, an unmatched feat in CFL history.

Name change

In 2020, the club announced it would discontinue the name Eskimos due to concerns that the term was offensive to Inuit people. It temporarily used the name Edmonton Football Team while selecting a new name, and the Edmonton Elks name was announced in 2021. The change followed years of debate about the use of the word "Eskimos."

Cultural significance

The Edmonton Eskimos were a major part of Edmonton’s sports identity and Canadian football history. The debate over the team's former name became part of a wider Canadian discussion about Indigenous terminology, sports branding, and public memory.