Tiger-Cats Extend All-CFL Veteran Defensive Back Stavros Katsantonis
CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Tiger-Cats Extend All-CFL Veteran Defensive Back Stavros Katsantonis

Published on January 5, 2026 under Canadian Football League (CFL)
Hamilton Tiger-Cats News Release


The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced today that the club has extended All-CFL national defensive back Stavros Katsantonis to a 3-year contract.

Katsantonis, 29, appeared in 17 games this season, recording 69 defensive tackles, three special teams tackles and six interceptions. His performance earned him both All-CFL and East Division All-CFL honours for the first time in his career.

"Coming back to Hamilton and being locked in for another three years means a lot to me," Katsantonis said. "It's where I started my career and I take pride in continuing to grow here as a player and a leader in this organization and community. I'm truly grateful for this city, and our amazing fanbase. There's nothing better than running out of the tunnel and hearing our fans on game day. Wearing this logo matters, and I'm excited to get back to work with this group and keep pushing towards bringing a Grey Cup back to where it belongs in Hamilton."

The 5-9, 193-pound native of Bakersfield, California was selected by the Tiger-Cats 36th overall in the fourth round of the 2020 CFL Draft. He signed with the club on January 21, 2021, and was most recently re-signed on December 4, 2023 to a two-year contract. Over five seasons in Hamilton, Katsantonis has appeared in 81 career games, tallying 200 defensive tackles, 29 special teams tackles, 12 interceptions, two forced fumbles, three quarterback sacks and one touchdown.

"Stavros is a playmaker on the field and a mainstay of our organization off it, said Hamilton Tiger-Cats Head Coach Scott Milanovich. "Being named a captain by his teammates in 2025 speaks volumes about the respect he's earned in our locker room. His communication in the secondary and his leadership are invaluable to what we do as a team."

Collegiately, Katsantonis attended the University of British Columbia, where he appeared in 43 games over four seasons (2015-18). He finished his UBC career with 205 total tackles, 18 interceptions, 16 pass breakups, three forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries as a Thunderbird, earning First Team All-Canadian defensive honours in three of his four seasons (2016, 2017, 2018).

Check out the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Canadian Football League Stories from January 5, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central