1997 CFL season
Encyclopedia
The 1997 Canadian Football League
season is considered to be the 44th season in modern-day Canadian football
, although it is officially the 40th Canadian Football League season.
entered the 1997 season with eight teams, instead of nine. The Ottawa Rough Riders
ceased operations and folded after the 1996 season
. In February, a dispersal draft was held for the players who were under contract with the Ottawa franchise.
The Montreal Alouettes
began the 1997 season under new ownership, which was headed by Robert C. Wetenhall
. Wetenhall and his ownership group retained the Alouette name and logo.
With the Rough Riders departure, the CFL returned the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
to the East Division.
The CFL also changed the playoff format, adding a 'cross-over' rule. Previously, the 3rd place team in each division played the 2nd place team in the division semifinals. Under the new rule, should the 4th place team in one division have a better record than that of the 3rd place team in the other division, the 4th place team crosses over to the other division's semifinal, taking that 3rd place team's place. BC attained a cross-over playoff berth in the first year under this rule.
won their second-straight Grey Cup
championship in 1997, defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders
47–23, at Edmonton
's Commonwealth Stadium
. The Argonauts' Doug Flutie
(QB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player and Paul Masotti
(WR) was the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
season is considered to be the 44th season in modern-day Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
, although it is officially the 40th Canadian Football League season.
CFL News in 1997
The CFLCanadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
entered the 1997 season with eight teams, instead of nine. The Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
ceased operations and folded after the 1996 season
1996 CFL season
The 1996 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 43rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 39th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1996:...
. In February, a dispersal draft was held for the players who were under contract with the Ottawa franchise.
The Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
began the 1997 season under new ownership, which was headed by Robert C. Wetenhall
Robert C. Wetenhall
Robert C. Wetenhall, Sr. is the owner of the Montreal Alouettes Football Club of the Canadian Football League since 1997.- References :...
. Wetenhall and his ownership group retained the Alouette name and logo.
With the Rough Riders departure, the CFL returned the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
to the East Division.
The CFL also changed the playoff format, adding a 'cross-over' rule. Previously, the 3rd place team in each division played the 2nd place team in the division semifinals. Under the new rule, should the 4th place team in one division have a better record than that of the 3rd place team in the other division, the 4th place team crosses over to the other division's semifinal, taking that 3rd place team's place. BC attained a cross-over playoff berth in the first year under this rule.
Final regular season standings
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points
|
|
- Bold text means that they clinched playoff spots.
- Edmonton and Toronto both had first round byes.
- Due to the cross-over rule – the BC Lions played the Montreal Alouettes in the Eastern Semi-Final Game.
Grey Cup playoffs
The Toronto ArgonautsToronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
won their second-straight Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
championship in 1997, defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
47–23, at Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
's Commonwealth Stadium
Commonwealth Stadium (Edmonton)
Commonwealth Stadium is a sports stadium located in the Norwood Area of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, primarily used by the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. The stadium is owned and operated by the City of Edmonton.- History :...
. The Argonauts' Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
(QB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player and Paul Masotti
Paul Masotti
Paul Masotti is a former professional Canadian football player and current front office executive with the Canadian Football League Toronto Argonauts...
(WR) was the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.
Playoff bracket
1997 CFL Awards
- CFL's Most Outstanding Player AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Player AwardThe Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The Most Outstanding Player award can be compared to the National Football League's Most Valuable Player, otherwise known as the "MVP" award...
– Doug FlutieDoug FlutieDouglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
(QB), Toronto Argonauts - CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Canadian AwardThe Most Outstanding Canadian Award is annually rewarded to the best Canadian player in the Canadian Football League. This is the second-last award to be given during the CFL Awards banquet, which takes place the week before Grey Cup weekend in the same city where it is hosted. The two nominees...
– Sean MillingtonSean MillingtonSean Millington is a former Canadian Football League fullback and currently does colour commentary for cfl.ca and the CBC. He is also an actor in several movies and television shows.-Before the CFL:...
(FB), BC Lions - CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player AwardThe Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award is annually rewarded to the best defensive player in the Canadian Football League. This is the third-last award to be given during the CFL Awards banquet, which takes place the week before Grey Cup weekend in the same city where it is hosted...
– Willie PlessWillie PlessWillie Pless is a retired Canadian football linebacker in the Canadian Football League. He played for the Toronto Argonauts, BC Lions, Edmonton Eskimos, and Saskatchewan Roughriders, winning the 1993 Grey Cup with the Eskimos...
(LB), Edmonton Eskimos - CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman AwardThe Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award is annually rewarded to the best offensive lineman in the Canadian Football League. This is the fourth-last award to be given during the CFL Awards banquet, which takes place the week before Grey Cup weekend in the same city where it is hosted...
– Mike KiselakMike KiselakMichael John Kiselak was an American football player who played center for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, where he was an All-Star and won the CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award in 1996 and 1997...
(C), Toronto Argonauts - CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Rookie AwardThe Most Outstanding Rookie Award is annually rewarded to the player deemed to be the best player in his first year in the Canadian Football League. This is the fifth-last award to be given during the CFL Awards banquet, which takes place the week before Grey Cup weekend in the same city where it...
– Derrell MitchellDerrell MitchellDerrell Lavoice "Mookie" Mitchell is a former Canadian Football League slotback.-Junior College Career:Mitchell attended Joliet Junior College...
(SB), Toronto Argonauts - CFLPA's Most Outstanding Community Service AwardTom Pate Memorial AwardEvery year the Canadian Football League Players' Association presents the Tom Pate Award. It is not a "Jock Award," but rather an award given to players who display qualities that distinguish them from their peers....
– Mark McLoughlinMark McLoughlinMark McLoughlin is a former placekicker in the Canadian Football League for the Calgary Stampeders from 1988 to 2003 and the BC Lions in 2005...
(K), Calgary Stampeders - CFL's Coach of the YearAnnis Stukus TrophyThe Annis Stukus Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy, which is presented annually by the Edmonton Eskimos Alumni Association to the Coach of the Year, as determined by the members of the Football Reporters of Canada...
– Don MatthewsDon MatthewsDon Matthews, a.k.a. "The Don", is a former head coach of several teams in the Canadian Football League and is the second winningest head coach in CFL history with 231 wins...
, Toronto Argonauts