The 1966 CFL season was the
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
's ninth season since the 1958 merger of the
Interprovincial Rugby Football Union
The East Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League, its counterpart being the West Division. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the East Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.
T ...
and the
Western Interprovincial Football Union
The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), its counterpart being the East Division. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagu ...
to create a national league. It was the 13th season in modern-day
Canadian football
Canadian football () is a team sport, sport played 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 oval-shaped ball into the opposing team's sco ...
.
CFL news in 1966
The
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
made several rule changes. The league started to legalize unlimited blocking on rushing plays and introduced their new goose-necked goal posts. The league rewrote its rule book and reduced it in size.
The
Canadian Rugby Union, owners of the trophy, granted trusteeship of the
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...
to the Canadian Football League in exchange for annual financial support for amateur football.
One of the more notable games of the regular season was Montreal's 1–0 victory over Ottawa, the lowest scoring game in CFL history, and only the second 1–0 game since a 1949 win by Winnipeg over Calgary in the WIFU.
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 have clinched the playoffs.
*''Saskatchewan and Ottawa have first round byes.''
Grey Cup playoffs
''Note: All dates in 1966''
Conference semi-finals
Conference finals
Playoff bracket
Grey Cup Championship
CFL Leaders
*
CFL Passing Leaders
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
*
CFL Rushing Leaders
The CFL was officially formed in 1958. Statistics for the IRFU/Eastern Division date back to 1954 whereas WIFU/Western Division statistics date back to 1950.
See also
*List of Canadian Football League annual passing leaders
*List of Canadian Fo ...
*
CFL Receiving Leaders
The CFL was officially formed in 1958. Statistics for the IRFU/Eastern Division date back to 1954 whereas WIFU/Western Division statistics date back to 1950.
See also
*List of Canadian Football League annual passing leaders
*List of Canadian ...
1966 CFL All-Stars
Offence
*QB –
Russ Jackson
Russell Stanley Jackson (born July 28, 1936) is a former professional Canadian football player. Jackson spent his entire 12-year professional football career with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a member of ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
*RB –
George Reed, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*RB –
Jim Thomas, Edmonton Eskimos
*RB –
Dave Raimey
David E. Raimey (born November 18, 1940) is a former American football player.
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Raimey twice won state championships in the low hurdles and long jump. He played college football as a halfback and defensive back for t ...
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*SE –
Jim Worden
James F. Worden (May 16, 1942 – February 25, 2007) was a tight end in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He played college football at Wittenberg University.
Early years
Worden attended Clearview High School, where h ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*TE –
Tommy Joe Coffey
Tommy Joe Coffey (November 18, 1936 – August 25, 2020) was an American-born Canadian Football League (CFL) player who was an end, wide receiver and place kicker for the Edmonton Eskimos, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts.
CFL
In his f ...
, Edmonton Eskimos
*F –
Hugh Campbell
Hugh Campbell (born May 21, 1941) is a former American football and Canadian football player, coach, and executive. He served as a head coach in three different professional gridiron football leagues: the Canadian Football League (CFL), the Uni ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*C –
Ted Urness
Harold Edwards Urness (June 23, 1937 – December 29, 2018) was an offensive lineman for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1961 to 1970.
CFL career
Urness played in three Grey Cups for the Roughriders, winning one in 1966, the 54th Grey Cup ag ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*OG –
Al Benecick
Al Benecick (March 20, 1937 – September 29, 2015) was a Canadian Football League offensive lineman who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1959 through 1968. He was part of the Grey Cup championship-winning Saskatchewan Roughriders ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*OG –
Chuck Walton, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*OT –
Bill Frank
William B. Frank, Jr. (April 13, 1938 – June 26, 2014) was a Canadian football offensive tackle in the Canadian Football League for the BC Lions, Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys in the Na ...
, Toronto Argonauts
*OT –
Frank Rigney
Frank Rigney (April 9, 1936 – June 29, 2010) was an offensive tackle for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League.
College
Rigney played college ball with another Blue Bomber great, quarterback Ken Ploen at the University of ...
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*OT –
Clyde Brock
Clyde Vern Brock (born August 30, 1940) is a former professional Canadian football offensive tackle in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers in the Nation ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Defence
*DT –
John Barrow, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*DT –
Don Luzzi
Don Luzzi (August 20, 1935 – October 30, 2005) was a politician and professional football player who played in the Canadian Football League.
CFL career
After playing college football at Villanova University, Don Luzzi played 12 seasons for the ...
, Calgary Stampeders
*DE –
Billy Ray Locklin
Billy Ray Locklin (September 13, 1936 – November 8, 2019) was an American football defensive lineman who played ten seasons in the Canadian Football League for two different teams. He was a CFL All Star three times.
Locklin started his pro car ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*DE –
E. A. Sims, Edmonton Eskimos
*LB –
Wayne Harris
Carroll Wayne Harris (May 4, 1938 – June 4, 2015) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1961 through 1972. His son, Wayne Harris, Jr., coaches f ...
, Calgary Stampeders
*LB –
Phil Minnick
Phil Minnick (born December 28, 1942) was a Canadian football linebacker who played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He played college football at the University of Northern Iowa. As a rookie linebacker, he played in 14 games and intercepted one pas ...
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*LB –
Ken Lehmann
Kenneth E. Lehmann (born January 13, 1942) is a former linebacker for the Ottawa Rough Riders and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League from 1964 to 1972. He was a CFL All-Star from 1965 to 1969 and was a part of two Grey Cup victories for th ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
*LB –
Jim Conroy
Jim Conroy (born September 17, 1970) is an American actor and television writer known for appearing on television shows and movies, such as ''The Cuphead Show!'', ''Jellystone!'', ''Kenny the Shark'' and '' Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman'', as well a ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
*DB –
Gene Gaines, Ottawa Rough Riders
*DB –
Garney Henley
Garney Henley (born December 21, 1935) is an American former professional football player, who played in the Canadian Football League.
College career
Garney Henley attended Huron College in South Dakota, playing as a running back from 1956 to ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*DB –
Marv Luster
Marvin Luster (November 27, 1937 – May 25, 2020) was an American football defensive back and end. He played college football at UCLA and professional football in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for from 1961 to 1974. He was inducted into ...
, Toronto Argonauts
*DB –
Ed Ulmer, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*DB –
Joe Poirier
John Joseph Poirier (born July 30, 1937) was an all-star and Grey Cup champion football player in the Canadian Football League, CFL for twelve years with the Ottawa Rough Riders.
He played as a defensive back for the Riders and was a part of three ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
1966 Eastern All-Stars
Offence
*QB –
Russ Jackson
Russell Stanley Jackson (born July 28, 1936) is a former professional Canadian football player. Jackson spent his entire 12-year professional football career with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a member of ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
*RB –
Don Lisbon, Montreal Alouettes
*RB –
Bo Scott
Robert Marilla Scott (March 30, 1943 – August 4, 2021) was an American football running back for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. Palmer, Pete; Pullis, Ken; Lahman, Sean; Silverman, Matthew; Gillette, Gary. ''The ESPN Pro ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
*RB –
Dave Thelen
David Thelen (born September 2, 1936) is a former Canadian Football League running back for the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Toronto Argonauts. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
Dave Thelen played semi-pro baseball a ...
, Toronto Argonauts
*TE –
Ted Watkins
Ted Watkins (1941 – June 2, 1968) was a Canadian football player who played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Ottawa Rough Riders. He won the Grey Cup with Hamilton in 1967. He previously played college football at the University of the Pacifi ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
*SE –
Hal Patterson
Harold Edward Patterson (October 4, 1932November 21, 2011), nicknamed Prince Hal, was a star American college basketball player at the University of Kansas, and a professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League Montreal Al ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*F –
Whit Tucker
Whitman D. (Whit) Tucker (born November 15, 1940) is a former professional Canadian football flanker in the Canadian Football League who played the entirety of his career with the Ottawa Rough Riders. He was a CFL-All Star in 1967 and won two G ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
*C –
Doug Specht, Ottawa Rough Riders
*OG –
Tony Pajaczkowski, Montreal Alouettes
*OG –
Chuck Walton, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*OT –
Bill Frank
William B. Frank, Jr. (April 13, 1938 – June 26, 2014) was a Canadian football offensive tackle in the Canadian Football League for the BC Lions, Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys in the Na ...
, Toronto Argonauts
*OT –
Moe Racine
Maurice Joseph "Moe The Toe" Racine (October 13, 1937 – March 4, 2018) was a placekicker and offensive lineman for the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1958-1974 of the Canadian Football League. He was part of four Grey Cup winning teams with the Rough ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
Defence
*DT –
John Barrow, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*DT –
Angelo Mosca
Angelo Valentino Mosca (February 13, 1937 – November 6, 2021) was an American professional football player and professional wrestler. He was a defensive lineman in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As a wrestler, Mosca was known by the nick ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*DE –
Billy Ray Locklin
Billy Ray Locklin (September 13, 1936 – November 8, 2019) was an American football defensive lineman who played ten seasons in the Canadian Football League for two different teams. He was a CFL All Star three times.
Locklin started his pro car ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*DE –
Billy Joe Booth
Billy Joe Booth (April 7, 1940 – June 30, 1972) was an American-born Canadian football player. He played professional football with the Ottawa Rough Riders in the Canadian Football League from 1962 to 1970. A graduate of Louisiana State Uni ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
*LB –
Wilbert Scott, Montreal Alouettes
*LB –
Ken Lehmann
Kenneth E. Lehmann (born January 13, 1942) is a former linebacker for the Ottawa Rough Riders and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League from 1964 to 1972. He was a CFL All-Star from 1965 to 1969 and was a part of two Grey Cup victories for th ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
*LB –
Jim Conroy
Jim Conroy (born September 17, 1970) is an American actor and television writer known for appearing on television shows and movies, such as ''The Cuphead Show!'', ''Jellystone!'', ''Kenny the Shark'' and '' Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman'', as well a ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
*DB –
Gene Gaines, Ottawa Rough Riders
*DB –
Garney Henley
Garney Henley (born December 21, 1935) is an American former professional football player, who played in the Canadian Football League.
College career
Garney Henley attended Huron College in South Dakota, playing as a running back from 1956 to ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*DB –
Marv Luster
Marvin Luster (November 27, 1937 – May 25, 2020) was an American football defensive back and end. He played college football at UCLA and professional football in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for from 1961 to 1974. He was inducted into ...
, Toronto Argonauts
*DB –
Ed Learn, Montreal Alouettes
*DB –
Joe Poirier
John Joseph Poirier (born July 30, 1937) was an all-star and Grey Cup champion football player in the Canadian Football League, CFL for twelve years with the Ottawa Rough Riders.
He played as a defensive back for the Riders and was a part of three ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
1966 Western All-Stars
Offence
*QB –
Ron Lancaster
Ronald Lancaster (October 14, 1938 – September 18, 2008) was an American-Canadian professional football player and coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As the starting quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders for 16 seasons, he ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*RB –
George Reed, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*RB –
Jim Thomas, Edmonton Eskimos
*RB –
Dave Raimey
David E. Raimey (born November 18, 1940) is a former American football player.
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Raimey twice won state championships in the low hurdles and long jump. He played college football as a halfback and defensive back for t ...
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*SE –
Jim Worden
James F. Worden (May 16, 1942 – February 25, 2007) was a tight end in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He played college football at Wittenberg University.
Early years
Worden attended Clearview High School, where h ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*TE –
Tommy Joe Coffey
Tommy Joe Coffey (November 18, 1936 – August 25, 2020) was an American-born Canadian Football League (CFL) player who was an end, wide receiver and place kicker for the Edmonton Eskimos, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts.
CFL
In his f ...
, Edmonton Eskimos
*F –
Hugh Campbell
Hugh Campbell (born May 21, 1941) is a former American football and Canadian football player, coach, and executive. He served as a head coach in three different professional gridiron football leagues: the Canadian Football League (CFL), the Uni ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*C –
Ted Urness
Harold Edwards Urness (June 23, 1937 – December 29, 2018) was an offensive lineman for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1961 to 1970.
CFL career
Urness played in three Grey Cups for the Roughriders, winning one in 1966, the 54th Grey Cup ag ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*OG –
Al Benecick
Al Benecick (March 20, 1937 – September 29, 2015) was a Canadian Football League offensive lineman who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1959 through 1968. He was part of the Grey Cup championship-winning Saskatchewan Roughriders ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*OG –
Jack Abendschan
Jack Abendschan (born December 18, 1942) is a former Canadian Football League offensive lineman and placekicker who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1965 through 1975.
Professional career
Jack Abendschan began his career with the Sask ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*OG –
Tom Hinton
William Thomas Hinton (born 1936) is a former Canadian Football League offensive guard who played nine years for the BC Lions from 1958 to 1966. In 1991, he was enshrined into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
College career
Hinton attended Lou ...
, BC Lions
*OT –
Frank Rigney
Frank Rigney (April 9, 1936 – June 29, 2010) was an offensive tackle for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League.
College
Rigney played college ball with another Blue Bomber great, quarterback Ken Ploen at the University of ...
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*OT –
Clyde Brock
Clyde Vern Brock (born August 30, 1940) is a former professional Canadian football offensive tackle in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers in the Nation ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Defence
*DT –
Mike Cacic
Michael Nicholas Cacic (January 4, 1937 – January 22, 2008) was a former defensive lineman who played 10 years in the Canadian Football League for the British Columbia Lions from 1957 to 1967.
Michael Nicholas Cacic was born in Vancouver to Cr ...
, BC Lions
*DT –
Don Luzzi
Don Luzzi (August 20, 1935 – October 30, 2005) was a politician and professional football player who played in the Canadian Football League.
CFL career
After playing college football at Villanova University, Don Luzzi played 12 seasons for the ...
, Calgary Stampeders
*DE –
Garner Ekstran
Garner Ekstran (born September 1, 1941 in Bow, Washington) was a professional Canadian football defensive end and linebacker who played seven seasons for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and one more with the BC Lions.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Garner ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*DE –
E. A. Sims, Edmonton Eskimos
*LB –
Wayne Harris
Carroll Wayne Harris (May 4, 1938 – June 4, 2015) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1961 through 1972. His son, Wayne Harris, Jr., coaches f ...
, Calgary Stampeders
*LB –
Phil Minnick
Phil Minnick (born December 28, 1942) was a Canadian football linebacker who played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He played college football at the University of Northern Iowa. As a rookie linebacker, he played in 14 games and intercepted one pas ...
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*LB –
Wayne Shaw, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*DB –
Jerry Keeling
Jerry Keeling (August 2, 1939 – January 20, 2018) was a quarterback and defensive back in the Canadian Football League, playing fifteen seasons from 1961 to 1975 for the Calgary Stampeders, the Ottawa Rough Riders, and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. ...
, Calgary Stampeders
*DB –
Bob Kosid, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*DB –
Ernie Pitts
Ernie Pitts (March 8, 1935 – September 24, 1970) was a Canadian Football League wide receiver and defensive back for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the BC Lions in a 14-year career in the CFL from 1957 to 1970. He won four Grey Cups with Winnipe ...
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*DB –
Ed Ulmer, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*DB –
Bill Redell
Bill Redell (born April 17, 1941) is a former American football coach and member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Redell served as head coach at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California, where in 1986, he led the Celts to a 13-1 r ...
, Edmonton Eskimos
1966 CFL Awards
*
CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award The Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The two nominees for the award are the Terry Evanshen Trophy winner from the East Division, and the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy winner from ...
–
Russ Jackson
Russell Stanley Jackson (born July 28, 1936) is a former professional Canadian football player. Jackson spent his entire 12-year professional football career with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a member of ...
(QB), Ottawa Rough Riders
*
CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award –
Russ Jackson
Russell Stanley Jackson (born July 28, 1936) is a former professional Canadian football player. Jackson spent his entire 12-year professional football career with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a member of ...
(QB), Ottawa Rough Riders
*
CFL's Most Outstanding Lineman Award The Most Outstanding Lineman Award was an award annually given to the best defensive player or offensive lineman in the Canadian Football League from the year 1955 to 1973. By the 1974 season, the league decided to make two separate awards for bo ...
–
Wayne Harris
Carroll Wayne Harris (May 4, 1938 – June 4, 2015) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1961 through 1972. His son, Wayne Harris, Jr., coaches f ...
(LB), Calgary Stampeders
*
CFL's Coach of the Year –
Frank Clair
Frank James Clair (May 12, 1917 – April 3, 2005) was an American gridiron football player, coach, and executive. Nicknamed "the Professor" for his ability to recognize and develop talent, he served as a head coach in the Canadian Football L ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders
*
Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy The Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy is a Canadian football award recognizing the most outstanding football player of the Quebec Student Sport Federation (RESQ)
The trophy was originally presented to the player who best exemplified skill, sportsmanshi ...
(Eastern MVP) –
Gene Gaines (DB), Ottawa Rough Riders
*
Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy
The Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy is a trophy awarded to the Canadian Football League West Division's most outstanding player, chosen from the nominees from each team in the division. Either this trophy winner or the winner of the Terry Evanshen T ...
(Western MVP) -
Ron Lancaster
Ronald Lancaster (October 14, 1938 – September 18, 2008) was an American-Canadian professional football player and coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As the starting quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders for 16 seasons, he ...
(QB), Saskatchewan Roughriders
*
Gruen Trophy (Eastern Rookie of the Year) -
Mike Wadsworth
Michael A. Wadsworth (June 4, 1943 - April 28, 2004) was an all-star Canadian Football League defensive lineman, and later lawyer, QC, Canadian Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, business executive, and television sports analyst.
Wadsworth ...
(DL), Toronto Argonauts
*
Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy (Western Rookie of the Year) -
Garry Lefebvre
Garry Lefebvre (November 12, 1944 – March 16, 2016) was a Canadian Football League player with the Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alouettes at the wide receiver and punter positions.
Professional career
After being injured in high school, Lef ...
(WR/P), Edmonton Eskimos
*
DeMarco–Becket Memorial Trophy (Western Outstanding Lineman) -
Wayne Harris
Carroll Wayne Harris (May 4, 1938 – June 4, 2015) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1961 through 1972. His son, Wayne Harris, Jr., coaches f ...
(LB), Calgary Stampeders
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:1966 Cfl Season
CFL
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
Canadian Football League seasons