Why the Paris Lights fell short in 2026 and what needs to change
The Paris Lights came into the 2026 AFLE season with expectations. A 2-2 start after the first four games suggested those expectations were not unfounded. What followed over the remaining ten weeks was a season that never found the consistency it needed, and a 3-9 record that placed the Lights last in the North/West Conference.
An offense that never clicked
The most significant issue in Paris was on the offensive side of the ball. The Lights made a bold choice before the season by going with a non-American quarterback, placing their trust in Canadian signal caller Evan Hillock. Hillock had performed strongly at the college level in Canada, but Canadian football and the AFLE operate under different rules, and adapting to those differences takes time. Despite being with the team from day one, that adjustment never fully came.
Two American receivers were brought in alongside him to create a connection, but the trio never fully clicked in the way the club had hoped. The numbers told the story: the weakest passing offense in the league, the second weakest offense in total yards and points per game, and 20 turnovers, the second highest total in the AFLE. With 109 penalties, the Lights were also the third most undisciplined team in the league, a combination that made it extremely difficult to build any kind of momentum on offense across the season.
A defense that deserved better
What made the offensive struggles particularly frustrating was that the Paris defense was far from the problem. The Lights allowed the fourth fewest total yards in the league, behind only Panthers Wroclaw, Rhein Fire and Vienna Vikings. They conceded the fifth fewest passing yards, the sixth fewest rushing yards and generated the fifth most sacks in the AFLE. A defense performing at that level deserved more support from the other side of the ball. Instead, a unit that worked hard all season found itself constantly placed in difficult positions by a short-field that an inconsistent offense could not convert.
Special teams let down a CFL legend
Perhaps the most puzzling element of the Paris Lights’ season was the performance of their special teams unit. Despite having Boris Bede, one of the finest special teams operators in CFL history, the Lights repeatedly failed to give him the protection he needed. Multiple kicks were blocked throughout the season, a problem that undermined scoring opportunities and field position at critical moments. Bede’s quality was never in question. The execution around him was.
A long off-season with important questions to answer
The Paris Lights have real pieces to work with. The defense showed it can compete with the best teams in the league. Bede remains one of the most experienced kickers in European football. But the decisions made in the off-season, at quarterback, at the management of the offensive system and in special teams structure, will determine whether 2027 looks like a step forward or another year of unfulfilled potential. The talent is there. The blueprint needs work.
