The Canadian Football League (CFL) is a professional sports league in Canada that was founded in 1958.
Over its history, the league has experienced a boom-or-bust type of existence as it tried to find an authentic identity while escaping the shadow of the National Football League (NFL) south of the border.
While there were failed expansions into America and hot and cold relationships with broadcasters, the CFL plowed on and ultimately survived owing to the remarkable exploits of its players.
Indeed, the CFL has had a neverending conveyor belt of supreme talent run out onto its pitches since 1958 that has helped retain the attention of sports fans during turbulent off-field times.
Today, the CFL features nine established teams and the league’s financial future is far more certain as it remains an integral part of Canadian culture.
Brief History of the CFL
The CFL’s roots lie deeply embedded in rugby union as most of the early Canadian football teams started out playing the sport in the 1860s.
However, over the next 50 years, the game slowly began to evolve following the introduction of Burnside rules which eventually saw it resemble something more akin to American football than rugby union.
While the Grey Cup was first played in 1909, the first amateur league was only formed in 1936 with just a handful of teams competing sporadically. The big breakthrough came 22 years later when the CFL was founded in 1958 as Canadian football officially became professional.
It has been a topsy-turvy ride since with the CFL experiencing a significant increase in broadcast revenue during the start of the 1980s before almost folding in the early 1990s after a failed expansion into America.
These early peaks and troughs helped the CFL organizers realize that their best chance of establishing a viable league was to appeal to the Canadian football fanatics in the country.
Now, the CFL does what it does best and that is to focus on the unique aspects of Canadian football as opposed to American football.
The key differences are; one player less per team, different scrimmage rules, three downs as opposed to four, and different field dimensions.
Greatest CFL Players of All Time
Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie had stints in both the NFL and CFL but it was in Canada where the quarterback left an eternal mark.
A winner of three Grey Cup championships in 1992, 1996, and 1997, Flutie also went on to win the CFL Most Outstanding Player Award on four occasions. Today, Flutie still holds the record for most touchdown passes in a season after registering 48 in the 1994 campaign.
Michael “Pinball” Clemons
Michael Clemons was given the nickname “Pinball” owing to his remarkable ability to escape the clutches of oncoming tacklers.
This relentless jack-in-the-box style saw Clemons cover every blade of grass during a CFL game. Yes, Clemons won three Grey Cup Championships in 1991, 1996, and 1997 but it was his personal accolades that defied rhyme or reason.
During his penultimate season as a professional in 1999, Clemons went past the 5000 mark in four categories – rushing, punt returns, kick returns, and receiving. Clemons is the only player to achieve this in professional football.
Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo spent 20 seasons in the CFL and won every award possible. The imposing quarterback who possessed an arm like a heat-seeking missile was part of three Grey Cup-winning teams in 2002, 2009, and 2010 while contesting another four losing finals in 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2008.
The evergreen Calvillo also won the CFL Most Outstanding Player in 2003, 2008, and 2009 and was awarded the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2002.
Best Contemporary CFL Players
Zach Collaros. Team: Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Position: Quarterback
Zach Collaros currently has no equal and rightly tops the list of the best CFL players. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ quarterback won back-to-back CFL Most Outstanding Player awards in 2021 and 2022 while also guiding his franchise to the 2023 Grey Cup final – albeit in a losing cause.
At 35, Collaros is still the most valuable player in the league owing to his unmatched vision and laserlike accuracy.
Eugene Lewis. Team: Edmonton Elks. Position: Wide Receiver
Eugene Lewis is the type of individual that every player wants as their teammate owing to how reliable he is.
There isn’t a player in the CFL who is as comfortable receiving passes from a quarterback and Lewis proved this emphatically in 2022 when he caught 91 passes over 1,301 yards – converting ten into touchdowns. The best is yet to come for one of the CFL’s most consistent performers.
Chad Kelly. Team: Toronto Argonauts. Position: Quarterback
Chad Kelly’s rise from an unknown to winning the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award in 2023 could provide a Hollywood blockbuster script. Kelly completed just under 70 percent of his passes in 2023 which covered 4,123 yards and led to 23 touchdowns.
At just 29, the former NFL starlet now has the foundation to become one of the best CFL players in history.
Memorable CFL Moments
November 26, 1996 – Snow Bowl
Fighting a snow blizzard during the 1996 Grey Cup game, Doug Flutie’s Toronto Argonauts were barely holding onto a three-point lead against the Calgary Stampeders when Lady Luck shone down on Flutie.
Indeed, they say fortune favors the brave and this was the case when Flutie fumbled a pass that Calgary retrieved; it was a divisive moment that could have swung the game.
However, the officials instead ruled that Flutie had recovered the ball and awarded him a precious first down instead. A short while later, the Argos won the tightest of games and Flutie’s name was etched into CFL folklore.
December 12, 2021 – Zach the Colossus
Zach Collaros’ herculean performance in the 2021 Grey Cup final was a reminder that the greats of the game don’t belong solely in the past but rather in the present too.
Collaros threw just over 240 yards, assisting two touchdowns and registering two interceptions. It was enough for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to record a famous 33-25 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and earn Collaros the Grey Cup MVP trophy.
19+ | Opt in | T&Cs apply | Connexontario.ca | Play responsibly.
Find out the Latest CFL Betting Odds
You’ve probably worked out by now that at BetVictor Canada, we’re obsessed with Canadian football. This feverish passion for the sport is the reason why we offer some of the most competitive CFL betting odds and markets in Canada.
New Canadian football fans wanting to bet on the CFL can also claim a welcome bonus when signing up.
While we’re proud to carry the flag for Canadian football betting at BetVictor, we are equally as passionate about responsible gambling on the CFL. Please take the time to visit our Safer Gambling Portal which will provide proven ways of staying in control when betting on the CFL.
All odds are correct at time of publishing and are subject to change. Please gamble responsibly 18+
