The TSN Top 50 CFL Players was a list of the greatest fifty Canadian Football League players, as selected by a panel of sixty former CFL players, then-current and former coaches, executives, and media members in 2006. The panel was assembled by sports television network TSN in partnership with the CFL. The results were announced as part of the 2006 Grey Cup festivities in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The panel voted on a list of 185 players, including 119 named to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame on the basis of performance since 1945, and 66 others identified during a three-month research process. Brothers Doug Flutie and Darren Flutie bookended the top 50, while Damon Allen (professional gridiron football's all-time leading passer at the time; his record was surpassed on October 10, 2011, by Anthony Calvillo, who did not make the list), Milt Stegall (the CFL's all-time leader in touchdown receptions), Terry Vaughn (the CFL's all-time leader in receptions at the time; his record was beaten by Ben Cahoon in October 2010), and Joe Montford (perennial all-star defensive end), were still active when named to the list.
Note: Canadian players |
The remaining players were named to an honour roll.
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame (CFHOF) is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates achievements in Canadian football. It is maintained by the Canadian Football League (CFL). It includes displays about the CFL, Canadian university football and Canadian junior football history.
The 2003 CFL season is considered to be the 50th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 46th Canadian Football League season. The pre-season began on May 30 and the regular season started on June 17. Taylor Field in Regina, Saskatchewan hosted the 91st Grey Cup on November 16, 2003, with the Edmonton Eskimos defeating the Montreal Alouettes 34–22.
The 2002 CFL season is considered to be the 49th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 45th Canadian Football League season.
The 2000 CFL season is considered to be the 47th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 43rd Canadian Football League season.
The 1999 CFL season is considered to be the 46th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 42nd Canadian Football League season.
The 1998 CFL season is considered to be the 45th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 41st Canadian Football League season.
The 1993 CFL season is considered to be the 40th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 36th Canadian Football League season.
The 1992 CFL season is considered to be the 39th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 35th Canadian Football League season.
The 1980 CFL season is considered to be the 27th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 23rd Canadian Football League season.
The 1979 CFL season is considered to be the 26th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 22nd Canadian Football League season.
The 1978 CFL season is considered to be the 25th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 21st Canadian Football League season.
The 1977 CFL season is considered to be the 24th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 20th Canadian Football League season.
The 1975 CFL season is considered to be the 22nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 18th Canadian Football League season.
The 1971 CFL season is considered to be the 18th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it was officially the 14th Canadian Football League season.
The 2006 CFL season is considered to be the 53rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 49th Canadian Football League season.
The Lew Hayman Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy, awarded to the outstanding Canadian player in the East Division. Each team in the East Division nominates a player, from which the winner is chosen. Either the winner of the Hayman trophy or the Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy will also win the Canadian Football League Most Outstanding Canadian award.
The 2008 CFL season was the 55th season of modern-day Canadian football, the 51st season for the Canadian Football League. It was also the first CFL season in which all of the league's regular season and post-season games, including the Grey Cup game, were aired on TSN. This meant the CFL was no longer aired on broadcast television in Canada. As of 2008, TSN was available in approximately 8.8 million of Canada's 13 million households. Montreal hosted the 96th Grey Cup at Olympic Stadium on November 23, 2008, when the championship was won by the Calgary Stampeders.
The 1964 CFL season is considered to be the 11th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the seventh Canadian Football League season.
The 1966 CFL season was the Canadian Football League's ninth season since the 1958 merger of the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union and the Western Interprovincial Football Union to create a national league. It was the 13th season in modern-day Canadian football.
The 1965 CFL season is considered to be the 12th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the eighth Canadian Football League season.