1979 Ottawa Rough Riders season

The 1979 Ottawa Rough Riders finished in 2nd place in the East division with a 8–6–2 record. The 1979 season would be the last time ever that an Ottawa-based CFL team would have a winning season.

In May 1979, Tom Clements was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Clements-Holloway quarterback combination would be no more. From 1975–78, under Holloway and Clements, the Rough Riders compiled a 38–24–2 record, which included two Eastern Division championships and a Grey Cup win in 1976 over Saskatchewan. This lent to the credence of the "two number-ones" stratagem and both quarterbacks' team-first attitude.

Awards and honours

 * Ron Foxx, Linebacker, CFL All-Star
 * Tony Gabriel, Tight End, CFL All-Star