Lui Passaglia
Encyclopedia
Lui Passaglia is a former professional Canadian football
player. Passaglia was the placekicker
/punter
for the BC Lions
of the Canadian Football League
for a record-breaking 25 years (1976–2000) and scored more points in that time than any professional gridiron football
player in history. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
, the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame, and the BC Lions Wall of Fame. Passaglia's #5 jersey is one of eight numbers retired by the Lions. In 2003, Passaglia was voted a member of the BC Lions All-Time Dream Team as part of the club’s 50 year anniversary celebration. In 2006, Passaglia was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players
(#30) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
.
at Notre Dame Regional Secondary School in East Vancouver
, Passaglia, not straying far from home, accepted an athletic scholarship to local Simon Fraser University
in suburban Burnaby, British Columbia. At Simon Fraser, Passaglia played wide receiver
as well as kicker
/punter
. As a member of the Clan
, Passaglia recorded 175 career points, won All NAIA
District 1 honours twice, and was named an All-Northwest All-Star. Passaglia was the fifth-overall selection of the BC Lions
in the 1976 CFL season
Canadian College Draft
, as a kicker and wide receiver.
game on July 22, of the 1976 CFL season
against the Saskatchewan Roughriders
. His only other career touchdown came on a one-yard run in his final home game at BC Place Stadium
, on November 4, of the 2000 season
, again against the Roughriders. Between those two touchdown "bookends," Passaglia arguably became one of the most consistent performers in Lions', CFL, and professional football history.
Passaglia played the most CFL regular seasons at 25, the most CFL regular season games at 408, and scored the most points in regular season play with 3,991 points, all with one team: the BC Lions. Passaglia was the first player to score 200 points in a season (1987
), with 214 points.
Passaglia holds many CFL regular season records including total points scored (3,991), most converts at 1,045 (560 consecutive—he missed only three), most field goals at 875 (of 1,203 attempted), best single season field goal percentage at 90.9% (40 of 44 in 2000
, his final year of play), and most single points at 309. Passaglia is the second all-time CFL punt leader with 3,142 for 133,826 yards (behind Bob Cameron
), with the second highest average in a season (1983 CFL season
) of 50.2 yards (Jon Ryan
had a higher average in the 2005 season
). In CFL playoff games, Lui holds records for most points with 210, is tied for most field goals with 48, and has the longest recorded punt of 89 yards.
As a Lion, Lui was named a CFL Western Division
All-Star nine times, and was a CFL All-Star four times (1979, 1983, 1984, and 2000 seasons). Passaglia was a member of three of the Lions' Grey Cup
seasons (1985
, 1994
, and 2000 seasons
), winning the Dick Suderman Trophy as the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian twice (73rd Grey Cup
and 82nd Grey Cup
). Passaglia is the longest-playing Lion in team history, appearing in a total of 408 games, overtaking Leos' great Al Wilson
's previous mark of 233 games.
Lui retired from the CFL following the Lions' 28–26 88th Grey Cup
victory over the Montreal Alouettes
in the 2000 season
, where he kicked the winning points in the game. In the 2003 season
, Passaglia was voted a member of the BC Lions All-Time Dream Team, at the kicker
and punter positions
, as part of the club's 50 year anniversary celebration. In November 2006, Passaglia was voted #30 of the CFL's top 50 players of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
.
Passaglia's last-second field goal in 1994's 82nd Grey Cup
game at BC Place, which clinched the championship for the Lions over the Baltimore Football Club, was named the greatest play in BC Lions history in 2007.
.
Passaglia has lived in the city of Coquitlam for over 20 years.
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...
player. Passaglia was the placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
/punter
Punter (football position)
A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...
for the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
of 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....
for a record-breaking 25 years (1976–2000) and scored more points in that time than any professional gridiron football
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
player in history. He is a member of 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...
, the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame, and the BC Lions Wall of Fame. Passaglia's #5 jersey is one of eight numbers retired by the Lions. In 2003, Passaglia was voted a member of the BC Lions All-Time Dream Team as part of the club’s 50 year anniversary celebration. In 2006, Passaglia was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players
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...
(#30) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
.
High school and college career
After playing quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
at Notre Dame Regional Secondary School in East Vancouver
East Vancouver
East Vancouver is a region within the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Geographically, East Vancouver is bordered to the north by Burrard Inlet, to the south by the Fraser River, and to the east by the city of Burnaby...
, Passaglia, not straying far from home, accepted an athletic scholarship to local Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
in suburban Burnaby, British Columbia. At Simon Fraser, Passaglia played wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
as well as kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
/punter
Punter (football position)
A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...
. As a member of the Clan
Simon Fraser Clan
Simon Fraser Clan are the athletic teams that represent Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.SFU's teams formerly played in the United States National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for all sports. In 1997, Simon Fraser sought to join the U.S. NCAA as a Division II...
, Passaglia recorded 175 career points, won All NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
District 1 honours twice, and was named an All-Northwest All-Star. Passaglia was the fifth-overall selection of the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
in the 1976 CFL season
1976 CFL season
The 1976 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 23rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 19th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1976:...
Canadian College Draft
Canadian College Draft
The Canadian College Draft is an annual sports draft in which the teams of the Canadian Football League select eligible Canadian/non-import players, typically from the ranks of CIS football or NCAA college football...
, as a kicker and wide receiver.
Canadian Football League career
Passaglia caught a 10-yard touchdown pass in his first 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....
game on July 22, of the 1976 CFL season
1976 CFL season
The 1976 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 23rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 19th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1976:...
against 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...
. His only other career touchdown came on a one-yard run in his final home game at BC Place Stadium
BC Place Stadium
BC Place is a multi-purpose stadium located at the north side of False Creek, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It serves as the home field for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer . Originally opened on June 19, 1983 as the...
, on November 4, of the 2000 season
2000 CFL season
-2000 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Dave Dickenson , Calgary Stampeders*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Sean Millington , BC Lions*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Joe Montford , Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
, again against the Roughriders. Between those two touchdown "bookends," Passaglia arguably became one of the most consistent performers in Lions', CFL, and professional football history.
1987 CFL season
The 1987 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 34th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 30th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1987:...
), with 214 points.
Passaglia holds many CFL regular season records including total points scored (3,991), most converts at 1,045 (560 consecutive—he missed only three), most field goals at 875 (of 1,203 attempted), best single season field goal percentage at 90.9% (40 of 44 in 2000
2000 CFL season
-2000 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Dave Dickenson , Calgary Stampeders*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Sean Millington , BC Lions*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Joe Montford , Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
, his final year of play), and most single points at 309. Passaglia is the second all-time CFL punt leader with 3,142 for 133,826 yards (behind Bob Cameron
Bob Cameron (football player)
Robert "Bob" Cameron is a former Canadian football player who played 23 seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League....
), with the second highest average in a season (1983 CFL season
1983 CFL season
The 1983 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 30th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 26th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1983:...
) of 50.2 yards (Jon Ryan
Jon Ryan
Jonathan Robert Ryan is a Canadian professional gridiron football player who is currently the punter for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League...
had a higher average in the 2005 season
2005 CFL season
The 2005 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 52nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 48th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2005:...
). In CFL playoff games, Lui holds records for most points with 210, is tied for most field goals with 48, and has the longest recorded punt of 89 yards.
As a Lion, Lui was named a CFL Western Division
Canadian Football League West Division
The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.-Pre-1936:...
All-Star nine times, and was a CFL All-Star four times (1979, 1983, 1984, and 2000 seasons). Passaglia was a member of three of the Lions' 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...
seasons (1985
1985 CFL season
The 1985 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 32nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 28th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1985:...
, 1994
1994 CFL season
The 1994 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 41st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 37th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1994:...
, and 2000 seasons
2000 CFL season
-2000 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Dave Dickenson , Calgary Stampeders*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Sean Millington , BC Lions*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Joe Montford , Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
), winning the Dick Suderman Trophy as the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian twice (73rd Grey Cup
73rd Grey Cup
The 73rd Grey Cup was the 1985 Canadian Football League championship game that was played at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, between the BC Lions and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
and 82nd Grey Cup
82nd Grey Cup
The 82nd Grey Cup was the 1994 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Baltimore Football Club and the BC Lions at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, BC. It was the first-ever championship in professional football history to feature a United States-vs-Canada matchup...
). Passaglia is the longest-playing Lion in team history, appearing in a total of 408 games, overtaking Leos' great Al Wilson
Al Wilson (CFL football player)
Al "Dirt" Wilson is a former professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League British Columbia Lions. Wilson spent his entire 15 year career with the Lions as an offensive lineman. Wilson played American college football at Montana State University. He is a member of the...
's previous mark of 233 games.
Lui retired from the CFL following the Lions' 28–26 88th Grey Cup
88th Grey Cup
The 88th Grey Cup was held in 2000 in Calgary. The BC Lions won the game 28-26 over the Montreal Alouettes...
victory over 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...
in the 2000 season
2000 CFL season
-2000 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Dave Dickenson , Calgary Stampeders*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Sean Millington , BC Lions*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Joe Montford , Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
, where he kicked the winning points in the game. In the 2003 season
2003 CFL season
The 2003 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 50th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 46th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2003:...
, Passaglia was voted a member of the BC Lions All-Time Dream Team, at the kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
and punter positions
Punter (football position)
A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...
, as part of the club's 50 year anniversary celebration. In November 2006, Passaglia was voted #30 of the CFL's top 50 players of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
.
Passaglia's last-second field goal in 1994's 82nd Grey Cup
82nd Grey Cup
The 82nd Grey Cup was the 1994 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Baltimore Football Club and the BC Lions at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, BC. It was the first-ever championship in professional football history to feature a United States-vs-Canada matchup...
game at BC Place, which clinched the championship for the Lions over the Baltimore Football Club, was named the greatest play in BC Lions history in 2007.
| Season | FGM | FGA | FG % | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 28 | 49 | 57.1% | 50 |
| 1977 | 40 | 53 | 75.5% | 48 |
| 1978 | 37 | 44 | 84.1% | 50 |
| 1979 | 32 | 45 | 71.1% | 50 |
| 1980 | 31 | 46 | 67.4% | 54 |
| 1981 | 27 | 40 | 67.5% | 45 |
| 1982 | 26 | 35 | 74.3% | 48 |
| 1983 | 43 | 59 | 72.9% | 52 |
| 1984 | 35 | 48 | 72.9% | 54 |
| 1985 | 37 | 55 | 67.3% | 54 |
| 1986 | 39 | 56 | 69.6% | 49 |
| 1987 | 52 | 66 | 78.8% | 49 |
| 1988 | 13 | 20 | 65.0% | 46 |
| 1989 | 37 | 51 | 72.5% | 53 |
| 1990 | 25 | 39 | 64.1% | 50 |
| 1991 | 44 | 59 | 74.6% | 54 |
| 1992 | 28 | 38 | 73.7% | 49 |
| 1993 | 25 | 47 | 74.5% | 52 |
| 1994 | 28 | 36 | 77.8% | 46 |
| 1995 | 45 | 62 | 72.6% | 49 |
| 1996 | 36 | 53 | 67.9% | 50 |
| 1997 | 35 | 45 | 77.8% | 50 |
| 1998 | 52 | 46 | 78.8% | 51 |
| 1999 | 30 | 47 | 63.8% | 47 |
| 2000 | 40 | 44 | 90.9% | 49 |
Post-playing career
Following his years playing with the Lions, Passaglia worked for seven years as the Lions director of community relations. He resigned from the Lions at the conclusion of the 2007 CFL season to devote his time to his family property development business. Passaglia was replaced as BC Lions director of community relations by fellow Lions great and former teammate, Jamie TarasJamie Taras
Jamie Taras is a former professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League British Columbia Lions, and current Director of Community Relations with the BC Lions...
.
Passaglia has lived in the city of Coquitlam for over 20 years.