TSN Top 50 CFL Players

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 Top 50

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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.

 
Warren Moon
 
Hal Patterson
 
Grover Covington
 
Lui Passaglia and Damon Allen with the Grey Cup
Note: Canadian players
Rank Name Position(s) Years in CFL[a] GP[b] Team(s)
1. Doug Flutie QB 1990–1997 136 BC, Calgary, Toronto
2. George Reed RB 1963–1975 203 Saskatchewan
3. Jackie Parker QB, RB, DB, K 1954–1968 173 Edmonton, Toronto, BC
4. Mike Pringle RB 1992–2004 188 Sacramento, Baltimore, Montreal, Edmonton
5. Warren Moon QB 1978–1983 94 Edmonton
6. Garney Henley DB, WR 1960–1975 216 Hamilton
7. Ron Lancaster QB 1960–1978 288 Ottawa, Saskatchewan
8. Russ Jackson QB 1958–1969 167 Ottawa
9. Wayne Harris LB 1961–1972 132 Calgary
10. Allen Pitts SB 1990–2000 176 Calgary
11. Dan Kepley LB 1975–1984 138 Edmonton
12. John Helton DL 1969–1982 219 Calgary, Winnipeg
13. Hal Patterson WR 1954–1967 80[c] Montreal, Hamilton
14. Damon Allen QB 1985–2007 350[d] Edmonton, Ottawa, Hamilton, Memphis, BC, Toronto
15. Milt Stegall SB 1995–2008 163[d] Winnipeg
16. Willie Pless LB 1986–1999 229 Toronto, BC, Edmonton, Saskatchewan
17. John Barrow OL, DL 1957–1970 192 Hamilton
18. Tony Gabriel WR 1971–1981 168 Hamilton, Ottawa
19. Johnny Bright FB, LB 1952–1964 157 Calgary, Edmonton
20. Brian Kelly WR 1979–1987 137 Edmonton
21. James Parker DE, LB 1980–1991 161 Edmonton, BC, Toronto
22. Chris Walby OL 1981–1996 254 Montreal, Winnipeg
23. Less Browne DB 1984–1994 174 Hamilton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, BC
24. Dave Fennell DL 1974–1983 154 Edmonton
25. Gizmo Williams KR, WR 1986–2000 200 Edmonton
26. Sam Etcheverry QB 1952–1960 122 Montreal
27. Tommy Joe Coffey WR, K 1959–1973 197 Hamilton, Edmonton, Toronto
28. Grover Covington DE 1981–1991 168 Hamilton
29. Leo Lewis RB 1955–1966 161 Winnipeg
30. Lui Passaglia K, P, WR 1976–2000 408 BC
31. Pinball Clemons RB, KR 1989–2000 185 Toronto
32. Roger Aldag OL 1976–1992 271 Saskatchewan
33. Dickie Harris DB 1972–1982 134 Montreal
34. Norman Kwong FB 1948–1960 157 Calgary, Edmonton
35. Marv Luster DB 1961–1974 183 Montreal, Toronto
36. Ray Elgaard SB 1983–1996 220 Saskatchewan
37. Angelo Mosca DL 1958–1972 160 Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal
38. Larry Highbaugh DB 1971–1983 195 BC, Edmonton
39. Matt Dunigan QB 1983–1996 194 Edmonton, BC, Toronto, Winnipeg, Birmingham, Hamilton
40. Joe Montford DE 1995–2006 185 Shreveport, Hamilton, Toronto, Edmonton
41. Kaye Vaughan OL 1953–1964 166 Ottawa
42. Mervyn Fernandez WR 1982–1994 83 BC
43. Bill Baker DE 1968–1978 174 Saskatchewan, BC
44. Dan Bass LB 1980–1991 197 Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton
45. Terry Vaughn SB 1995–2006 203 Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Hamilton
46. Joe Krol QB 1945–1955 92 Toronto
47. Tom Clements QB 1975–1987 182 Ottawa, Saskatchewan, Hamilton, Winnipeg
48. Rollie Miles RB, LB, DB, KR, P 1951–1961 122 Edmonton
49. Bill Frank OL 1962–1976 184 BC, Toronto, Winnipeg
50. Darren Flutie WR 1991–2002 193 BC, Edmonton, Hamilton

The Honour Roll

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The remaining players were named to an honour roll.

 
Rocky DiPietro
 
Danny McManus
 
Earl Winfield

Notes

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  1. ^ First year played in CFL to last year played in CFL. Any intervening years in which a player did not play in the CFL are not listed.
  2. ^ Number of CFL games played
  3. ^ Incomplete information
  4. ^ a b As of the end of the 2006 CFL season

References

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  • "TSN Top 50 CFL players". TSN.ca. 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-05-03. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
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