Als’ Rambo will play for late brother on Grey Cup Sunday

PRESENTED BY ÉPATANTE PATATE DU QUÉBEC

Charleston Rambo knows a thing or two about competition. Not only has the Alouettes receiver played football for most of his life, but he also grew up as one of five children raised by a single mother. He was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, and spent much of his childhood with his mom, his siblings, his grandparents and his great-grandparents.

“We had a lot of struggles—especially not having a father around,” Rambo said. “We had my mom all the time and my grandparents. We were in safe hands. We didn’t have too many struggles, but we didn’t grow up like ‘Richie Rich’ (laughs). God blessed us like that.”

Rambo is the second-oldest child, and he had a special bond with his older half-brother, Robert Lee Wrightsil. Although the two were very competitive, they pushed each other to get better in everything they did.

They were a perfect match on the field. Rambo, who played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners and Miami Hurricanes, was a receiver, while Wrightsil was a defensive back who played at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas.

The older brother never cut his younger sibling any slack. He would get physical with him on the field, and Rambo would swipe his hands away while running routes.

Sometimes, the two would even team up, with Wrightsil serving as Rambo’s quarterback. According to Rambo, the pair were unstoppable.

They shared a strong bond, and Rambo made sure to learn from his brother.

“I got away with a lot of stuff because I was the second oldest,” the 26-year-old said. “In his eyes, I got away with everything. I got away with a little more than he did because I was more observant. If he got in trouble for one thing, I’d try not to get in trouble for it. I learned through him. Other than that, it was fun. Anywhere we went, we played football, and people would want us on the same team—or they made sure we weren’t on the same team. He was the top athlete. He made all the plays. I tried to follow in his footsteps.”

But Rambo and his family suffered an unimaginable tragedy in January 2023 when they lost Wrightsil to gun violence.

The eldest brother, who was 25 at the time, was leaving a barbershop with his son when he was approached by two men who attempted to rob him. Even though Wrightsil told them he didn’t have anything valuable, he was shot and died at the scene.

The two suspects were identified and arrested shortly after the incident. They were 17 and 20 years old at the time of the murder. Both were charged with capital murder but did not receive the death penalty under Texas law.

Rambo was playing in the UFL at the time with the Orlando Guardians. Because the league and its teams were all based in Arlington, Texas, he was only a short 15-minute drive away when he got the call informing him that his brother had been shot.

“I remember I was in the XFL at the time,” Rambo recalled. “I was leaving practice and was back at my hotel room when I got the call from my stepdad. He told me that my brother had been shot, but I didn’t understand or know the extent of it.

“I waited around for them to call me back to let me know if the situation improved. The call came back and he died. He passed away. That was my big brother and he meant a lot to me… It struck us that night. We weren’t going to see him anymore.”

Rambo returned to the XFL and pushed through the season to honour his late brother. Throughout the ordeal, he never considered stepping away from the game.

After the 2023 season, Rambo signed with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. He was waived by the team on two separate occasions and eventually signed with the Alouettes less than a year later.

From the beginning of his first CFL training camp, he turned heads. He made a spectacular catch in his first team scrimmage and performed at a high level throughout camp. Not only did he earn a spot on the roster, but the organization rewarded him with a starting job. He finished his rookie year with just over 800 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

His numbers dipped slightly in 2025, but that was expected given the injuries the Alouettes endured at quarterback. The team used four different starting quarterbacks and five pivots overall this season.

Still, Rambo has been outstanding this postseason. He recorded 95 receiving yards in the Eastern Semi-Final win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and he made two crucial catches on the game-winning drive in the Eastern Final in Hamilton last week.

On Sunday, he will play in the Grey Cup for the first time in his career. Although Rambo isn’t the most vocal player in the locker room, he plans to lead on the field in his own way—the way his late brother taught him.

“Being a leader for sure,” Rambo said when asked about the lessons Wrightsil taught him. “He was a trendsetter. A lot of guys tried to follow his way and be like him… He was the guy to lead for sure. He left us with the attributes to lead and not to be a follower.”