The 1988 CFL season is considered to be the 35th season in modern-day

Canadian football Canadian football () is a 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 scoring area ( ...

, although it is officially the 31st

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 ...

season.

CFL News in 1988

The Canadian Football Network reached an agreement with the

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 ...

to extend its network for two more seasons. Game rosters were revised to consist of 20-Non Imports, 14-Imports and 2-Quarterbacks. The reserve list was lowered from 4 players to 2 players. In addition, if a team decided to dress 14-Imports, one of those imports had to be designated as a special teams player. On Monday, December 12, the CFL Board of Governors appointed Roy McMurty as Chairman/Chief Executive Officer and Bill Baker as President/Chief Operating Officer, succeeding

Douglas Mitchell Douglas Harding Mitchell, (February 19, 1939 – July 20, 2022) was a Canadian Football player, executive, and commissioner. A graduate of Colorado College and the University of British Columbia (UBC), Mitchell played three games for the BC ...

as the league's commissioner (both McMurtry and Baker served as the league's ''de facto'' co-commissioners for the 1989 season). Their appointments were confirmed on Sunday, January 1, 1989. The CFL Board of Governors also approved the sale of the

Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), based in Toronto, Ontario ...

from

Carling O'Keefe Breweries Carling O'Keefe was a brewing company in Canada that is now part of Molson Coors. The company's origins can be traced to Canadian Breweries, which bought the Carling Brewery in 1930 and the O'Keefe Brewery in 1934. Canadian Breweries purchased ...

Harry Ornest Harry Ornest (June 30, 1923 – July 21, 1998) was a sports entrepreneur who once owned the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He also played minor league baseba ...

Regular season standings

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 have clinched the playoffs. *''Edmonton and Toronto have first round byes.''

Grey Cup playoffs

The

Winnipeg Blue Bombers The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West division. They play their home games at IG Fie ...

were the 1988 Grey Cup champions, defeating the

BC Lions The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lions compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and play their home games at BC Place. The Lions played their first seas ...

22–21, at Ottawa's

Lansdowne Park Lansdowne Park is a urban park, historic sports, exhibition and entertainment facility in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, owned by the City of Ottawa. It is located on Bank Street adjacent to the Rideau Canal in The Glebe neighbourhood of central Ot ...

. This was the first Grey Cup game between two teams from west of Ontario, and the first to be won by a team which had only a .500 season. The Blue Bombers' James Murphy (WR) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Offence and Michael Gray (DT) was named Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Defence, while Bob Cameron (P) was named the

Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian The Dick Suderman Trophy (french: Trophée Dick Suderman) for the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian (''Le Canadien le plus précieux de la Coupe Grey'') is awarded annually to the Canadian player deemed to have the best performance in the Grey Cup ...

Playoff bracket

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 F ...

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 ...

1988 CFL All-Stars

Offence

*QB –

Matt Dunigan Matt Dunigan (born December 6, 1960) is an American broadcaster and former professional football player and executive. He is a Canadian Football League (CFL) sportscaster for Canadian sports television channel TSN. Dunigan is a former quarterb ...

, BC Lions *RB –

Anthony Cherry Anthony Earl Cherry (born February 8, 1963) is a former running back in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the B.C. Lions. He was selected in the 1986 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers in the ninth round (240th pick) out of the Universi ...

, BC Lions *RB – Gill Fenerty, Toronto Argonauts *SB –

Ray Elgaard Raymond Elgaard (born August 29, 1959) is a former Canadian Football League slotback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1983 through 1996, including winning the 77th Grey Cup in 1989. A big man, he was noted for his reliability as a receiver ...

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *SB –

Emanuel Tolbert Emanuel Tolbert (born December 2, 1958) is a former American college and professional football player who was a slotback and wide receiver in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for eleven seasons during the 1980s and early 1990s. Tolbert playe ...

, Calgary Stampeders *WR – David Williams, BC Lions *WR – James Murphy, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *C –

Ian Beckstead Ian Beckstead (born September 7, 1957 in Ottawa, Ontario) is a former Canadian Football League offensive lineman who played eleven seasons in the CFL. He was part of the Grey Cup championship-winning Toronto Argonauts in 1983 and 1991. He won th ...

, Toronto Argonauts *OG – Roger Aldag, Saskatchewan Roughriders *OG –

Gerald Roper Gerald Roper (born November 7, 1959) is a former professional Canadian football offensive lineman who played 11 seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for two different teams. He was a part of the BC Lions Grey Cup The Grey Cup (french ...

, BC Lions *OT –

Chris Schultz Christopher Schultz (February 16, 1960 – March 4, 2021) was a Canadian professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He primarily played with the CFL Toronto A ...

, Toronto Argonauts *OT – Jim Mills, BC Lions

Defence

*DT – Mike Walker, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DT – Brett Williams, Edmonton Eskimos *DE –

Grover Covington Grover Covington (born March 25, 1956) is a former Canadian Football League defensive end for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Professional career Covington's career began in 1981 as a free agent signin ...

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DE –

Bobby Jurasin Robert Jurasin (born August 26, 1964) is a former defensive lineman for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1986–1997 and the Toronto Argonauts in 1998. He was a CFL All-Star in 1987, 1988, 1992 and 1997. He was a part of the Roughriders 1989 Gr ...

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *LB –

Danny Bass Danny Bass (born March 31, 1958) is a former linebacker for the Toronto Argonauts in 1980, Calgary Stampeders from 1981–1983 and the Edmonton Eskimos from 1984-1991 of the Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: ...

, Edmonton Eskimos *LB – Greg Stumon, BC Lions *LB –

Willie Pless Willy or Willie is a masculine, male given name, often a diminutive form of William or Wilhelm, and occasionally a nickname. It may refer to: People Given name or nickname * Willie Aames (born 1960), American actor, television director, and scree ...

, Toronto Argonauts *CB – Stanley Blair, Edmonton Eskimos *CB – Reggie Pleasant, Toronto Argonauts *DB – Selwyn Drain, Toronto Argonauts *DB – Howard Fields, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DS – Bennie Thompson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Special teams

*P – Bob Cameron, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *K –

Dave Ridgway David Ridgway (born April 24, 1959) is a former placekicker for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. His CFL career began in 1981 when he was drafted by the Montreal Alouettes. He did not make the squad that year and retur ...

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *ST –

Earl Winfield Earl Winfield (born August 6, 1961) is a former Canadian Football League receiver for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats who, in an 11-year career from 1987-1997, caught 573 passes for 10,119 yards and 75 touchdowns. Winfield played college football at the ...

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

1988 Eastern All-Stars

Offence

*QB –

Gilbert Renfroe Gilbert Renfroe (born February 18, 1963) is an American former gridiron football quarterback. Early career Renfroe played college football at Tennessee State University from 1982 to 1985. With the Tennessee State Tigers, he finished fourth all- ...

, Toronto Argonauts *RB –

Orville Lee Orville Lee (born April 4, 1964) is a retired Canadian Football League running back. He was drafted by the Ottawa Rough Riders with the first overall pick in the 1988 CFL Draft from Simon Fraser University. In his rookie year he racked up 1075 ru ...

, Ottawa Rough Riders *RB – Gill Fenerty, Toronto Argonauts *SB –

Gerald Alphin Gerald Alan Alphin (born May 21, 1964) is a former professional gridiron football wide receiver and slotback who played eight seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1986 to 1996, mainly for the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Winnipeg ...

, Ottawa Rough Riders *SB – Darrell Smith, Toronto Argonauts *WR –

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *WR – James Murphy, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *C –

, Toronto Argonauts *OG –

Nick Bastaja Nick Bastaja (born February 4, 1953 in Grantham, England) is a former professional Canadian football offensive lineman who played fourteen seasons in the Canadian Football League. He was part of the Grey Cup championship-winning Winnipeg Blue B ...

, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *OG – Jason Riley, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *OT –

, Toronto Argonauts *OT – Miles Gorrell, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Defence

*DT – Mike Walker, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DT – Rodney Harding, Toronto Argonauts *DE –

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DE –

Glen Kulka Glenn Kulka (born March 3, 1964) is a Canadian retired professional wrestler, hockey and football player who competed in Canadian independent promotions during the late 1990s and had a brief stint in the World Wrestling Federation in 1997. He al ...

, Toronto Argonauts *LB –

James West James or Jim West may refer to: People * James West (Australian journalist) (born 1982), Australian journalist and author * James West (antiquary) (1703–1772), English politician and antiquary; president of the Royal Society * James E. West (po ...

, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *LB –

Don Moen Donald James Moen (born June 29, 1950) is an American singer, pianist, and songwriter of Christian worship music. Early and personal life Moen grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he attended high school in 1968. Moen attended Oral Robe ...

, Toronto Argonauts *LB –

, Toronto Argonauts *CB – James Jefferson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *CB – Reggie Pleasant, Toronto Argonauts *DB – Selwyn Drain, Toronto Argonauts *DB – Howard Fields, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DS – Bennie Thompson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Special teams

*P – Bob Cameron, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *K –

Lance Chomyc Lance Chomyc (born March 2, 1963) is a former placekicker from 1985 to 1993 for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. In 1986 and 1991, he was a CFL All-Star. He was most recently an English teacher at Bear Creek Secondary Scho ...

, Toronto Argonauts *ST –

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

1988 Western All-Stars

Offence

*QB –

, BC Lions *RB –

, BC Lions *RB – Anthony Parker, BC Lions *SB –

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *SB –

, Calgary Stampeders *WR – David Williams, BC Lions *WR –

Larry Willis Lawrence Elliott Willis (December 20, 1942 – September 29, 2019) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He performed in a wide range of styles, including jazz fusion, Afro-Cuban jazz, bebop, and avant-garde. Willis was born in New York Ci ...

, Calgary Stampeders *C – Mike Anderson, Toronto Argonauts *OG – Roger Aldag, Saskatchewan Roughriders *OG –

, BC Lions *OT –

Hector Pothier Hector "Hec" Pothier (born June 12, 1954) is a former professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos. After playing college football at McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Un ...

, Edmonton Eskimos *OT – Jim Mills, BC Lions

Defence

*DT – Gary Lewis, Saskatchewan Roughriders *DT – Brett Williams, Edmonton Eskimos *DE –

Vince Goldsmith Vince Goldsmith, born July 20, 1959, was a star football player in the Canadian Football League (CFL), as both a linebacker and defensive lineman. Goldsmith played college football with the University of Oregon Ducks (from 1977 to 1980) as a def ...

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *DE –

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *LB –

, Edmonton Eskimos *LB – Greg Stumon, BC Lions *LB – Ken Ford, Calgary Stampeders *CB – Stanley Blair, Edmonton Eskimos *CB –

Larry Crawford Larry Crawford (born December 18, 1959) is an American former Canadian football player. He played in the Canadian Football League for nine years. Crawford played defensive back for the BC Lions and Toronto Argonauts from 1981-1989. He was a CFL ...

, BC Lions *DB –

Richie Hall Richie Hall (born October 4, 1960) is the defensive coordinator for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. He was formerly the head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos from 2009 to 2010. Early years Hall was born October 4, 196 ...

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *DB – Chris Major, Calgary Stampeders *DS – Don Wilson, Edmonton Eskimos

Special teams

*P –

Jerry Kauric Jerry Kauric (born June 28, 1963 in Windsor, Ontario) is a former placekicker who played in the National Football League and Canadian Football League in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Kauric played his early days in the Canadian Junior Football ...

, Edmonton Eskimos *K –

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *ST –

Henry Williams Henry Williams may refer to: Politicians * Henry Williams (activist) (born 2000), chief of staff of the Mike Gravel 2020 presidential campaign * Henry Williams (MP for Northamptonshire) (died 1558), Member of Parliament (MP) for Northamptonshire ...

, Edmonton Eskimos

1988 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 ...

– David Williams (WR), BC Lions * CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award –

(SB), Saskatchewan Roughriders *

CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award The Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award is annually awarded to the best defensive player in the Canadian football League. The winner of the award is selected by members of the Football Reporters of Canada along with the head coaches in the CFL. ...

–

(DE), Hamilton Tiger-Cats *

CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award The Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award is annually awarded to the best offensive lineman in the Canadian Football League. The two nominees for the award are the Leo Dandurand Trophy winner from the East Division, and the DeMarco-Becket Memor ...

– Roger Aldag (OG), Saskatchewan Roughriders *

CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award The Most Outstanding Rookie Award is annually awarded to the player judged to be the best player in his first year in the Canadian Football League. The two nominees for the award are the Frank M. Gibson Trophy winner from the East Division, and the ...

–

(RB), Ottawa Rough Riders * CFLPA's Outstanding Community Service Award –

(OT), Edmonton Eskimos * CFL's Coach of the Year – Mike Riley, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1988 Cfl Season

Canadian Football League seasons