Commissioner's Award

The Commissioner's Award is presented annually by the Commissioner of the Canadian Football League to an individual or individuals who have demonstrated dedication and made a significant contribution to Canadian Football. The award was first introduced in the 1990 CFL season.

Award winners

• 2025 – Wade Miller, President and CEO Winnipeg Blue Bombers ^[1]
• 2024 – Amar Doman, Owner BC Lions
• 2023 – Bob Young, Owner Hamilton Tiger Cats ^[2]
• 2022 – Jeff Harbin, CFL Manager, Officiating, long time on-field official, replay official, Rules Committee member, Rule Book editor.
• 2021 – Nurse Sara May, Hamilton-area nurse in honour of her work during COVID-19 pandemic.
• 2019 – Jim Lawson, chairman of the CFL's Board of Governors
• 2018 – Pierre Vercheval
• 2017 – Rick Sowieta, former Ottawa Rough Rider
• 2016 – Jason Colero – Toronto Argonauts Director of Education & Community Programs ^[3]
• 2015 – Bernie Custis, CFL's first Black Quarterback
• 2014 – Ottawa Redblack ownership group
• 2013 – Dwayne Mandrusiak, Edmonton Eskimos Equipment Manager
• 2012 – Every CFL player all-time (accepted by CFLPA president Mike Morreale) ^[4]
• 2011 – Larry Reda, BC Amateur Football
• 2010 – Ridernation, All the fans of Saskatchewan Roughriders
• 2009 – Wally Buono, Calgary Stampeders and BC Lions GM and Coach
• 2008 – Ron Lancaster, Outstanding career with several CFL teams as player, Coach, CBC broadcaster
• 2007 – Keith Pelley, Toronto Argonauts
• 2006 – Winnipeg Blue Bombers Ghosts, accepted by team board member Gene Dunn ^{[5] [6]}
• 2005 – The Waterboys ^[7]
• 2004 – Russ Jackson, Ottawa Rough Riders Hall of Fame Quarterback
• 2003 – TSN, Toronto
• 2002 – Hugh Campbell, Long time Edmonton Eskimos Coach/GM/CEO & President
• 2001 – Robert Wetenhall and Larry Smith, Montreal Alouettes owners
• 2000 – Jeff Gilles, Toronto Argonauts
• 1999 – Fausto Bellomino, Toronto
• 1998 – Jim Hunt, Toronto writer, radio broadcaster
• 1997 – Bolan and Egres
• 1996 – John Tory, Toronto Argonauts
• 1995 – Don Wittman, CBC Broadcaster
• 1994 – Norm Fieldgate, British Columbia Lions
• 1993 – Reg Wheeler, Hamilton Wildcats, helped build Canadian Football Hall of Fame
• 1992 – Tom Shepherd, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• 1991 – Jack Matheson, Winnipeg Tribune sports writer
• 1990 – Greg B. Fulton, played for Calgary, he developed play-by-play summaries and record stats for the CFL, & member of CFL rules committee.

References

1. "Blue Bombers president/CEO Wade Miller receives Commissioner's Award". November 17, 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
2. "Bob Young Honoured with the Commissioner's Award". CFL.ca (Press release). 16 November 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
3. "Argos Jason Colero Honoured with CFL's Commissioner's Award". oursportscentral.com. 24 November 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
4. "CFL announces recipient of the 2012 Commissioner's Award". CFL.ca . 22 November 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
5. "B.C. gets Lions share of player awards". Winnipeg Free Press . 16 November 2006. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
6. "Gene Dunn". Winnipeg Blue Bombers . Retrieved 11 August 2024.
7. Baker, Matt (30 March 2023). "Wally Buono, Waterboys Founders To Be Added To Lions Wall Of Fame". bclions.com . Retrieved 11 August 2024.