Statement Issued From Stampeders Coach/GM John Hufnagel

John Hufnagel isn’t going anywhere.

With unsubstantiated rumours swirling of the Calgary STampeders GM/head coach possibly bolting one province to the east after this CFL season, Hufnagel made it clear he’s staying put.

“In response to rumours regarding my future in the Canadian Football League with a club other than the Calgary Stampeders, I feel the need to express the fact that I am extremely happy and proud to be a member of the Stampeders, I’m under contract with the club beyond the 2015 season and I intend to honour that commitment,” Hufnagel said in a statement.

“I’m very pleased with our organization and all we have achieved, and I look forward to many future successes.

“After reconfirming these intentions to our fans, players and organization, I hope everyone’s focus remains entirely on having a tremendous 2015 season, not speculation or false rumours about the future.”

In this case, the grass isn’t always greener.

The Riders will be looking for someone to turn around a horrific 1-9 season after recently firing GM Brendan Taman and head coach Corey Chamblin.

Jeremy O’Day took over the GM duties while Bob Dyce is handling the coaching — both on an interim basis.

But it won’t be Hufnagel to take the Riders reins full-time, and he made that clear to his players prior to Thursday’s practice.

Stamps slotback Marquay McDaniel says Hufnagel emphatically denied he would be anywhere other than McMahon Stadium next season.

“I’m sure (the Riders) would want him, but Huff is a straight-forward guy and an honest guy,” McDaniel said. “He killed (those rumours) right off the bat.

“He said this program is about honesty, loyalty and trust. We definitely believe him.

“I hadn’t even heard about (the rumours) until (Thursday), but he told us this BS was just rumours and not to worry about it.”

This is Hufnagel’s final season on the sidelines as he’s handing over the coaching duties to Stamps offensive co-ordinator Dave Dickenson.

Some have wondered if Hufnagel will be satisfied sitting upstairs and not having any day-to-day or play-to-play influence on what the team is doing.

It appears Hufnagel believes he’ll be comfortable in the big chair wearing one less hat.

Stamps linebacker Deron Mayo says he also wasn’t aware of the rumours prior to Thursday morning.

“I didn’t hear too much about that whole deal,” Mayo said. “I’m not one to believe rumours. “Over here (in Calgary), a lot of stuff happens in-house, and we have a good honour code.

“Everybody’s honest and up front with each other.

“So he would have told us before it got out like that.”

The Stampeders are in Edmonton to take on the host Eskimos in the Labour Day Rematch on Saturday (7:30 p.m., TSN/News Talk 770).

Sportsnet’s Arash Madani tweeted on Wednesday: Let me preface: I’m not into rumours. But in each talk with #CFL people, I’m asked, “What are you hearing of Hufnagel to Sask as HC and GM?”

That was enough to set off a firestorm in football-mad Saskatchewan with fans there buzzing with excitement over the prospect of adding Hufnagel, who has been extremely successful since taking over the Red & White in 2008.

But Hufnagel, who played for both teams during his career as a CFL quarterback, is obviously happy where he is.

(Calgary Sun)