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An investigation revealed the defensive-tackle violated the league's gender-based violence and harassment policy.
Published Oct 31, 2025 • 3 minute read
A football player walks away after roughing the kicker in the end zone..
Alouettes' Shawn Oakman (2) gets called for roughing the passer as Winnipeg Blue Bombers' kicker Jamieson Sheahan (18) lies in his end zone in Winnipeg on Oct. 25, 2025. Oakman on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, was suspended indefinitely by the CFL for violating its gender-based violence and harassment policy. Photo by John Woods /THE CANADIAN PRESS
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Defensive-tackle Shawn Oakman, in his first season with the Alouettes, has been suspended indefinitely by the CFL for violating its gender-based violence and harassment policy.
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The league made the announcement Friday night, making Oakman ineligible to play in Saturday afternoon’s East Division semifinal against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Molson Stadium (2 p.m., CTV, TSN1, TSN4, TSN5, RDS, TSN Radio-690, 98.5 FM).
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That point became moot almost immediately as the organization announced the release of Oakman following the CFL’s declaration.
An investigation revealed, following a dispute, Oakman threatened to send sexually explicit material to an intimate partner’s child, who is a minor. That constitutes a breach of the CFL’s policy. The league was made aware of the allegations on Thursday, immediately initiating a third-party investigation, which included interviews with Oakman and the complainant.
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“The CFL takes violations of our gender-based violence and harassment policy with the utmost seriousness,” commissioner Stewart Johnston said in a press release. “Our policy is clear and our commitment to enforcing it is unwavering.”
The CFL condemns gender-based violence in all its forms included, but not limited to, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, assault, harassment and verbal abuse, coercive control, as well as the disrespectful and demeaning attitudes that foster violence or the tolerance of such violence — whether they occur in public or private.
Alouettes general manager Danny Maciocia refused comment when contacted by The Gazette, although he did issue a statement in the team’s announcement it had severed ties with Oakman, 33.
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“We hold everyone in our organization to the highest standard of integrity and respect both on and off the field,” Maciocia said. “We’ve decided to release Shawn Oakman because his actions go against our core values.”
Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly was suspended for nine games by the CFL in 2024 for a similar violation of its gender-based violence and harassment policy. Randy Ambrosie was the commissioner at the time.
Oakman, 6-foot-8 and 292 pounds, is in his fifth CFL season — and likely his last — having previously played for Toronto and Edmonton. The Philadelphia native signed with Montreal last winter as a free agent.
He appeared in 17 games this season and proved to be a dominant player, producing 34 tackles, six sacks and two forced fumbles. He was named an East Division all-star this week for the third time in his career.
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Oakman, who played collegiately at Penn State before transferring to Baylor, was projected to go in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft. However, two weeks prior to the draft, he was arrested on a sexual assault charge. Although he subsequently was found not guilty of the alleged assault, he wasn’t drafted.
It’s a bitter pill for the Alouettes to swallow on the eve of an elimination game. Oakman was on Montreal’s 45-man roster that was released on Friday, and the team already is missing injured defensive-tackle Mustafa Johnson.
Oakman is being replaced by Kori Roberson Jr., who was already on the active roster. To replace Oakman on the 45-man roster, the Alouettes added defensive-back Robert Kennedy III from the practice roster.
The Alouettes’ defence can anticipate a healthy dose of Winnipeg tailback Brady Oliveira on Saturday. Oliveira rushed for 1,163 yards (5.8-yard average) and three touchdowns in only 15 games. He was named the CFL’s outstanding player and top Canadian last season.
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
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