CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award

The Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The two nominees for the award are the Terry Evanshen Trophy winner from the East Division, and the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy winner from the West Division. The winner of the award is chosen by the Football Reporters of Canada.^[1]

The award was created in 1953 as the Schenley Award, named after Schenley Distillers Corporation, to honour the most outstanding player in Canadian Rugby Union, one of the forerunner leagues of the CFL; Schenley ended its sponsorship of the awards in 1988, and the awards have been unsponsored since.^[1] Broadcasters Ernie Calcutt, John Badham and Pierre Dufault were regular presenters of the Schenley Award.^[2][3][4]

CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award winners

2023 – Chad Kelly (QB), Toronto Argonauts 2022 – Zach Collaros (QB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2021 – Zach Collaros (QB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2020 – Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2019 – Brandon Banks (WR), Hamilton Tiger-Cats 2018 – Bo Levi Mitchell (QB), Calgary Stampeders 2017 – Mike Reilly (QB), Edmonton Eskimos 2016 – Bo Levi Mitchell (QB), Calgary Stampeders 2015 - Henry Burris (QB), Ottawa RedBlacks 2014 – Solomon Elimimian (LB), BC Lions 2013 – Jon Cornish (RB), Calgary Stampeders 2012 – Chad Owens (WR/KR), Toronto Argonauts 2011 – Travis Lulay (QB), BC Lions 2010 – Henry Burris (QB), Calgary Stampeders 2009 – Anthony Calvillo (QB), Montreal Alouettes 2008 – Anthony Calvillo (QB), Montreal Alouettes 2007 – Kerry Joseph (QB), Saskatchewan Roughriders 2006 – Geroy Simon (SB), BC Lions 2005 – Damon Allen (QB), Toronto Argonauts 2004 – Casey Printers (QB), BC Lions 2003 – Anthony Calvillo (QB), Montreal Alouettes 2002 – Milt Stegall (SB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2001 – Khari Jones (QB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2000 – Dave Dickenson (QB), Calgary Stampeders 1999 – Danny McManus (QB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1998 – Mike Pringle (RB), Montreal Alouettes 1997 – Doug Flutie (QB), Toronto Argonauts 1996 – Doug Flutie (QB), Toronto Argonauts 1995 – Mike Pringle (RB), Baltimore Stallions 1994 – Doug Flutie (QB), Calgary Stampeders 1993 – Doug Flutie (QB), Calgary Stampeders 1992 – Doug Flutie (QB), Calgary Stampeders 1991 – Doug Flutie (QB), BC Lions 1990 – Mike "Pinball" Clemons (RB), Toronto Argonauts 1989 – Tracy Ham (QB), Edmonton Eskimos 1988 – David Williams (WR), BC Lions 1987 – Tom Clements (QB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers

1986 – James Murphy (WR), Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1985 – Mervyn Fernandez (WR), BC Lions 1984 – Willard Reaves (RB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1983 – Warren Moon (QB), Edmonton Eskimos 1982 – Condredge Holloway (QB), Toronto Argonauts 1981 – Dieter Brock (QB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1980 – Dieter Brock (QB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1979 – David Green (RB), Montreal Alouettes 1978 – Tony Gabriel (TE), Ottawa Rough Riders 1977 – Jimmy Edwards (RB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1976 – Ron Lancaster (QB), Saskatchewan Roughriders 1975 – Willie Burden (RB), Calgary Stampeders 1974 – Tom Wilkinson (QB), Edmonton Eskimos 1973 – George McGowan (WR), Edmonton Eskimos 1972 – Garney Henley (WR), Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1971 – Don Jonas (QB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1970 – Ron Lancaster (QB), Saskatchewan Roughriders 1969 – Russ Jackson (QB), Ottawa Rough Riders 1968 – Bill Symons (RB), Toronto Argonauts 1967 – Peter Liske (QB), Calgary Stampeders 1966 – Russ Jackson (QB), Ottawa Rough Riders 1965 – George Reed (RB), Saskatchewan Roughriders 1964 – Lovell Coleman (RB), Calgary Stampeders 1963 – Russ Jackson (QB), Ottawa Rough Riders 1962 – George Dixon (RB), Montreal Alouettes 1961 – Bernie Faloney (QB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1960 – Jackie Parker (QB), Edmonton Eskimos 1959 – Johnny Bright (RB), Edmonton Eskimos 1958 – Jackie Parker (QB), Edmonton Eskimos 1957 – Jackie Parker (RB), Edmonton Eskimos 1956 – Hal Patterson (DB/OE), Montreal Alouettes 1955 – Pat Abbruzzi (RB), Montreal Alouettes 1954 – Sam Etcheverry (QB), Montreal Alouettes 1953 – Billy Vessels (RB), Edmonton Eskimos

CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award - Runner Up

Note: Prior to 1973 the runner up for this award was not the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy or Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy winners. Finalists were first announced in 1953 and during the first years there were multiple runners-up.

1972 – Mack Herron (RB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1971 – Leon McQuay (RB), Toronto Argonauts 1970 – Tommy Joe Coffey (WR), Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1969 – George Reed (RB), Saskatchewan Roughriders 1968 – George Reed (RB), Saskatchewan Roughriders 1967 – Tommy Joe Coffey (WR), Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1966 – Ron Lancaster (QB), Saskatchewan Roughriders 1965 – Garney Henley (DB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1964 – Dick Shatto (RB), Toronto Argonauts 1963 – Joe Kapp (QB), BC Lions 1962 – Tommy Joe Coffey (WR), Edmonton Eskimos

1961 – Jackie Parker (QB), Edmonton Eskimos 1960 – Cookie Gilchrist (RB), Toronto Argonauts 1959 – Bernie Faloney (QB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1958 – Dick Shatto (RB), Toronto Argonauts 1957 – Hal Patterson (DB/OE), Montreal Alouettes 1956 – Jackie Parker (QB), Edmonton Eskimos 1955 – Jackie Parker, Edmonton; Dick Shatto, Toronto; Ken Carpenter, Saskatchewan 1954 – Rollie Miles, Edmonton & Alex Webster, Montreal 1953 – Tex Coulter, Montreal; John Henry Johnson, Calgary, Gene Roberts, Ottawa

See also

• Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy
• Terry Evanshen Trophy
• Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy

References

1. Wons, Peter (October 20, 2014). "Schenley Awards". The Canadian Encyclopedia. HistoricaCanada. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
2. "Ernie Calcutt". Canadian Football Hall of Fame. 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
3. "John Badham". Canadian Football Hall of Fame. 1995. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
4. "Pierre Dufault". Canadian Football Hall of Fame. 2001. Retrieved November 8, 2020.

• "CFL Most Outstanding Player Award". Player awards. Canadian Football League.