Adams throws six touchdown passes, rushes for one in Stampeders' 58-36 win over Argos

Toronto Argonauts' Makai Polk (15) reaches for a pass as Calgary Stampeders' Zy Alexander intercepts during first half CFL football action in Calgary, Thursday, July 2, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY — Calgary Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. lived up to his “Big Play V.A.” nickname Thursday.

The Stampeders quarterback tied a franchise record for touchdown passes in a single game with six and rushed for another in a 58-36 win over the visiting Toronto Argonauts to win the “Stampede Bowl” a second straight year.

The 33-year-old Adams, in his second season with the Stampeders, completed 80 per cent of his passes for 405 yards and has yet to give up an interception this season.

Adams joined four other Stampeders for the record for touchdown passes in a single game: Peter Liske (1967), Doug Flutie (1994), Jeff Garcia (1995), and current Stampeders coach and general manager Dave Dickenson (2000).

Adams was more concerned about winning an offensive track meet with the Argonauts than breaking a passing record. The two teams combined for 25 points in the last two minutes of the first half.

“I was just trying to just score more points because I know they got a great quarterback over there, Chad Kelly, man, he’s going to throw it deep, and he’s going to give his guys some opportunities as well, so I kept telling the offence, ‘hey guys, we’ve got to score. We’ve just got to score every time,’” Adams said.

Calgary’s 58 points in a single game were the highest since 56 were scored against Edmonton on Sept. 10, 2022, and tied for the fifth-most in any Stampeder game.

Quick turnaround

Both the Stampeders and Argonauts had little prep time for Thursday’s game after road wins last week. Calgary beat the B.C. Lions in Kelowna just five days earlier.

“It felt good out there even though it was a short week,” Adams said. “I thought the coaches put together a great game plan. I thought we played as a team tonight. We played together as one fist, as Dave would say.”

The “Stampede Bowl” was introduced last year in homage to the annual Calgary Stampede that starts Friday and dates back to 1912. A trophy resembling a horse’s head was hoisted by the hosts again after they beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last year.

Adams threw a pair of touchdown passes to both Jalen Philpot and Dejon Brissett. Tevin Jones and Clark Barnes each caught one, and Quincy Jones scored a rushing touchdown for Calgary (2-2).

Jude McAtamney kicked eight points in front of an announced crowd of 19,100 at McMahon Stadium.

Defence was an uphill battle for both teams, but defensive back Zy Alexander intercepted Kelly twice. Calgary cashed both turnovers for touchdowns.

Alexander, who started the season on Calgary’s practice roster, has three interceptions in his first two CFL games. His first on Kelly on Thursday was a one-handed grab.

“I saw what he could do in training camp, and I just told him, ‘You keep working. You’re going to be on that field. You’re too good of a player not to be on the field,’” Adams said.

Kelly went 22-for-33 in passing for 294 yards, three touchdown passes and two interceptions. He was replaced late in the fourth quarter by Nick Arbuckle, who threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Coxie.

Calgary outscored Toronto 21-11 in the second quarter, but the Argonauts stayed in the game by scoring 18 points in the second half.

“We had back-to-back scoring drives and kept cutting the lead,” Kelly said. “Look, it’s not easy. It’s not easy in the CFL. You’re going to play against good players, good teams, good coaches.

“They played a lot of the same coverage all night, and I’ve got to be better with my eyes.”

Makai Polk had two touchdown catches, Damonte Coxie and David Ungerer III each had one, Kelly rushed for a major, and Lirim Hajrullahu kicked a field goal from 52 yards for Toronto (2-2).

Adams’ 22-yard rushing touchdown and Alexander’s second pick to set up another score in the fourth quarter put distance on the Argonauts. Adams’ sixth touchdown throw was an 11-yarder to Brissett.

“What he’s doing is playing winning football, and you can see our receivers really started stepping up,” Dickenson said. “I thought we looked fast and we broke a lot of tackles for him too, but a great game for Vernon.”

Up next

The Argonauts visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday in the fifth of seven straight road games to start their season. The Stampeders are in Montreal on Saturday to face the Alouettes.


This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2026.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press