Joe Poplawski
Encyclopedia
Joe Poplawski is a former professional Canadian football
receiver for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
in the Canadian Football League
(CFL) from 1978 to 1986.
Poplawski was originally a territorial exemption his hometown team the Edmonton Eskimos
and prior to the beginning of the 1978 season he was traded to the Bombers in exchange for their star receiver Tom Scott. With 75 receptions for 998 yards and 8 touchdowns, Poplawski won the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award
in 1978. That season he was also selected to the Western Conference and CFL all-star team as a wide receiver. Despite a short career Poplawski would later go on to achieve many more accolades including twice winning the Most Outstanding Canadian awards in 1981 and 1986. He was also the runner-up for this award in 1980, 1984 and 1985. He was selected to the All-Star team five times, first as mentioned above and four more times as a slotback in 1981, 1984, 1985, and 1986. Poplawski helped the Bombers win the 72nd Grey Cup
in 1984 with five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. At the age of 29, he ended career with 8,341 receiving yards on 549 receptions and with 48 touchdowns. Also in his final season he temporarily filled in as the team's kicker following an injury to Trevor Kennerd
. Poplawski made 8 out of 10 field goals totalling 233 yards with his longest coming from 45 yards out. After leaving football Poplawski pursued a career as a professional soccer player. Currently he heads up the Cavalier Drive branch of Ranger Insurance in Winnipeg. Poplawski also worked as an analyst for CJOB radio alongside play by play man Bob Irving.
In 2005, Poplawski was named one of the Blue Bombers 20 All-Time Greats and was elected into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
in 1998. Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
in 2004.
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...
receiver for 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...
in the Canadian Football League
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....
(CFL) from 1978 to 1986.
Poplawski was originally a territorial exemption his hometown team the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
and prior to the beginning of the 1978 season he was traded to the Bombers in exchange for their star receiver Tom Scott. With 75 receptions for 998 yards and 8 touchdowns, Poplawski won the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award
CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award
The 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...
in 1978. That season he was also selected to the Western Conference and CFL all-star team as a wide receiver. Despite a short career Poplawski would later go on to achieve many more accolades including twice winning the Most Outstanding Canadian awards in 1981 and 1986. He was also the runner-up for this award in 1980, 1984 and 1985. He was selected to the All-Star team five times, first as mentioned above and four more times as a slotback in 1981, 1984, 1985, and 1986. Poplawski helped the Bombers win the 72nd Grey Cup
72nd Grey Cup
The 72nd Grey Cup was the 1984 Canadian Football League championship game that was played at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
in 1984 with five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. At the age of 29, he ended career with 8,341 receiving yards on 549 receptions and with 48 touchdowns. Also in his final season he temporarily filled in as the team's kicker following an injury to Trevor Kennerd
Trevor Kennerd
Trevor Kennerd was a kicker for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League from 1980-1991. He was a three-time CFL All-Star and helped the Blue Bombers to three Grey Cup victories , including kicking the winning field-goal in the 1988 Grey Cup...
. Poplawski made 8 out of 10 field goals totalling 233 yards with his longest coming from 45 yards out. After leaving football Poplawski pursued a career as a professional soccer player. Currently he heads up the Cavalier Drive branch of Ranger Insurance in Winnipeg. Poplawski also worked as an analyst for CJOB radio alongside play by play man Bob Irving.
In 2005, Poplawski was named one of the Blue Bombers 20 All-Time Greats and was elected into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
in 1998. Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, dedicated to the history of sport in Manitoba and honouring the best in sport. The organization began in 1980 and in 1993, a museum was opened in The Forks...
in 2004.