Brendan Taman is currently the Ottawa Redblacks' director of pro personnel. The 2025 season marks the 38th season the 58-year-old Saskatoon native has been in the CFL.
Over the years, Taman has worked for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Ottawa Rough Riders, B.C. Lions, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Montreal Alouettes. During that time, Taman has been responsible for bringing numerous star players into the league from both sides of the border.
From 2010 to 2015, Taman was the Riders general manager. During his tenure, Taman guided the Green and White to the fourth Grey Cup in franchise history in 2013. He also selected four-time West Division all-star, Canadian receiver Nick Demski in the first round, sixth overall during the 2015 CFL Draft.
“There was a lot of scuttlebutt internally on who to pick at the time. Nic's a Winnipeg guy and there was a guy named Addison Richards who was in Regina, a big Rams guy who had a good career. So there was a lot going on between the walls, but Nic was a guy we felt was versatile.”
That versatility would eventually lead to Demski’s first CFL touchdown in the Labour Day Classic with the Riders: a 60-yard punt return touchdown during the second quarter in Saskatchewan's 37-19 win in his rookie year.
“As a receiver, he was good. We knew we could put him in the backfield a little bit and his first touchdown was in 2015 when he took a punt return back.”
With his skill set, Taman isn’t surprised at the CFL career Demski has made for himself.
“We had a good feel for him. To say he was going to be as good as he's turned out, I'd lie to you and say I knew he would do that, but I knew he'd probably be a pretty good Canadian in this league. He's taken the ball and run with it. He's had a really good career and he's a headache to play against.”
Demski wasn’t Taman's only find in Saskatchewan. During his tenure with the Riders, he hired retired offensive lineman Jeremy O’Day to work in his football operations department.
“I didn't have to teach him a lot. He's a very bright guy; he knew the business from being a player and with the PA and whatnot throughout his playing career.”
Taman saw a bright future for O’Day.
“I knew he would be a good GM when we brought him into the football ops business. God rest their souls, Ken Miller and Jim Hopson were big proponents of bringing J.O. in. He probably picked up a trick or two that I did, but he knew a lot on his own; he took it and ran with it.”
