The 1981 CFL season is considered to be the 28th 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 ...

, although it is officially the 24th

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 1981

The

Eastern Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai *Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 *Eastern Air Li ...

and Western Football Conferences, which had carried on as separate and autonomous entities since the founding of the CFL in

1958 Events January * January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being. * January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed. * January 4 ** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third ...

, agreed to a full merger prior to the start of the 1981 season. With the merger, the Eastern and Western Football Conferences were dissolved and renamed as the

East East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fa ...

and West Divisions. The merger authorized the CFL to have full authority over decisions, including the adoption of a full interlocking schedule for both divisions. All nine teams played each other twice, once home and once away, regardless of their affiliated division. Other than during the three seasons of the CFL's U.S. expansion era from 1993 to 1995, the League's teams played at least one game home and one away versus every other team in the League since the 1981 season; this continued until the 2021 season. In addition, the merger set up the CFL Board of Governors and the CFL Management Council to replace the Executive Committee and the General Managers Committee. After the 1980 season, after owning the team for over ten years,

Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: Les Alouettes de Montréal) are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has folded and been revived twice. The Alouettes compete in the Canadian F ...

owner Sam Berger retired and sold the team to Nelson Skalbania, who brought in high priced NFL talent who did not adapt to the Canadian game, bringing a terrible losing season to Montreal (they did, however, make the playoffs due to the weak division that year), and with it, a loss of fan support, and he lost money and because of the high priced talent he bankrupted the team. So the team folded after the season, but a year later, a new team, the

Montreal Concordes The Montreal Alouettes ( French: Les Alouettes de Montréal) are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has folded and been revived twice. The Alouettes compete in the East Division of the Cana ...

, owned by Expos owner Charles Bronfman, took over the team's players and history. The East was so weak this season that the

Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-old ...

, despite being the West's fifth place team, finished with a better record than the second place

Ottawa Rough Riders The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. Formerly one of the oldest and longest-lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine ...

. Ottawa nevertheless upset the

Hamilton Tiger-Cats The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a professional Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Tim Hortons Fiel ...

and qualified for the Grey Cup despite winning only five games in the regular season finishing seventh overall. The ensuing controversy over having a 5–11 team playing in the Grey Cup played a large part in eventually persuading the league to implement a cross-over rule permitting a fourth place team in one division to qualify for the playoffs in place of a third place team in the other division with a weaker record. Nevertheless, the current rule makes no provision to allow a fifth place team to make the playoffs even if its record is better than that of the second place team in the other division, which occurred in

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

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 Hamilton have first round byes.''

Grey Cup playoffs

The

Edmonton Eskimos The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at the Brick Field at Commo ...

are the 1981

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 ...

champions, defeating the

, 26–23, at

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

Olympic Stadium ''Olympic Stadium'' is the name usually given to the main stadium of an Olympic Games. An Olympic stadium is the site of the opening and closing ceremonies. Many, though not all, of these venues actually contain the words ''Olympic Stadium'' as ...

. Edmonton won their fourth-straight championship on a last second

Dave Cutler David Neil Cutler Sr. (born March 13, 1942) is an American software engineer. He developed several computer operating systems, namely Microsoft's Windows NT, and Digital Equipment Corporation's RSX-11M, VAXELN, and VMS. Personal history Cutl ...

field-goal. The Rough Riders'

J.C. Watts Julius Caesar Watts Jr. (born November 18, 1957) is an American politician, clergyman, and athlete. Watts was a college football quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners and later played professionally in the Canadian Football League. He served in ...

(QB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Offence and

John Glassford John Glassford of Dougalston and Whitehill (1715 – 27 August 1783) was a Scotland, Scottish Tobacco Lords, Tobacco Lord, considered by his contemporaries to be the greatest of the era. He owned tobacco plantations in the American South, planta ...

(LB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Defence. The Eskimos'

Neil Lumsden Neil James Lumsden (born December 19, 1952) is a Canadian politician and retired professional football player. Lumsden was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2022 provincial election, and was subsequently appointed as the Minis ...

(RB) was named

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 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 ...

1981 CFL All-Stars

Offence

*QB –

Dieter Brock Ralph Dieter Brock (born February 12, 1951) is a former Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL) player and coach. He is best remembered as the quarterback for the CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers where he led the league in pas ...

, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *RB –

Larry Key Larry Key (born July 12, 1956) is a former Canadian Football League (CFL) running back for the British Columbia Lions from 1978 through 1982. He was an All-Star in 1979 and 1981. Key was the first Florida State Seminoles player to rush for 1,00 ...

, BC Lions *RB –

Jim Germany Jim Germany (born February 2, 1953), is a former star running back in the Canadian Football League. He played his college football at New Mexico State University, where he inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1994. Drafted by the NFL's St. Louis ...

, Edmonton Eskimos *SB –

Joe Poplawski Joe Poplawski (born August 2, 1957) is a former professional Canadian football receiver who played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1978 to 1986. Professional career Poplawski was originally a territorial ex ...

, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *SB –

Joey Walters Joey Walters (born October 29, 1954 in Florence, South Carolina) is a former slotback and wide receiver who played in the Canadian Football League, mainly for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He later played for the Washington Federals and the Orlan ...

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *WR – Brian Kelly, Edmonton Eskimos *WR – James Scott, Montreal Alouettes *C –

Al Wilson Aldra Kauwa Wilson (born June 21, 1977) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football for the University of Tennessee, and ...

, BC Lions *OG –

Val Belcher Val Belcher (July 6, 1954 – September 12, 2010) was an American football Guard (American and Canadian football), offensive guard in the Canadian Football League for the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He played college footbal ...

, Ottawa Rough Riders *OG – Larry Butler, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *OT – Bill Stevenson, Edmonton Eskimos *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 and at St. Mary's University (Halifax), Pothi ...

, Edmonton Eskimos

Defence

*DT –

Dave Fennell Dave Fennell (born February 4, 1953) is a former defensive lineman for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. After graduating from the University of North Dakota in 1973, he played for Edmonton from 1974 to 1983, and helped lead th ...

, Edmonton Eskimos *DT –

Mike Raines Vaughn Michael Raines (born February 14, 1953) is a former professional and college football player. Raines was an Associated Press second-team All American his senior year at Alabama and was also chosen for the All-SEC defensive team. Raines w ...

, Ottawa Rough Riders *DE –

David Boone Humphrey David Boone, Jr. (October 30, 1951 – March 26, 2005) was an All-Star Canadian Football League defensive lineman, winner of 5 Grey Cups. Career Rookie Year Boone graduated from Eastern Michigan University and was drafted by the M ...

, Edmonton Eskimos *DE – Greg Marshall, Ottawa Rough Riders *LB –

Danny Kepley Daniel "Danny" Kepley (born August 24, 1953) is a former star linebacker for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Kepley played college football at East Carolina University. He tried out with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys before star ...

, Edmonton Eskimos *LB –

Ben Zambiasi Benjamin Ray Zambiasi (born August 19, 1956) is a former linebacker for the University of Georgia and in the Canadian Football League. Zambiasi was born in Valdosta, Georgia, and attended high school at Mount de Sales Academy in Macon playing ...

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *LB –

James "Quick" Parker James "Quick" Parker (January 1, 1958 – March 27, 2018) was a Canadian football player who was a leading defensive player in the Canadian Football League. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After attending Wake Forest University from ...

, Edmonton Eskimos *DB –

Ray Odums Ray Odums (born October 30, 1951) is a football player who played in the CFL and USFL. He played defensive back (DB). From 1975 to 1984 Odums was DB for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the Calgary Stampeders. He wa ...

, Calgary Stampeders *DB – David Shaw, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DB – Harold Woods, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DB – Ed Jones, Edmonton Eskimos *DB – Randy Rhino, Ottawa Rough Riders

Special teams

*P –

Hank Ilesic Henry "Hank" Ilesic (born September 7, 1959, in Edmonton, Alberta) is a former all-star punter in the Canadian Football League. He also handled place kicking and kickoffs. He was twice an all-star punter and played in the CFL for 19 seasons. He pl ...

, Edmonton Eskimos *K –

Trevor Kennerd Trevor Kennerd (born December 23, 1955) was a kicker for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1980-1991. He was a three-time CFL All-Star (1981, 1985 Football Reporters of Canada All-Star and 1983 Coaches All-Star) ...

, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

1981 Western All-Stars

Offence

*QB –

, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *RB –

, BC Lions *RB –

, Edmonton Eskimos *SB –

, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *TE –

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *WR – Brian Kelly, Edmonton Eskimos *WR – Tyrone Gray, BC Lions *WR – Eugene Goodlow, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *C –

, BC Lions *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 – Larry Butler, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *OT – Bill Stevenson, Edmonton Eskimos *OT –

, Edmonton Eskimos

Defence

*DT –

, Edmonton Eskimos *DT –

John Helton John Helton (born 23 May 1947) is a former defensive tackle for the Calgary Stampeders from 1969 to 1978 and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1979 to 1982 of the Canadian Football League. High school and college John Helton graduated from Captai ...

, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *DT – Mike Samples, Saskatchewan Roughriders *DE –

, Edmonton Eskimos *DE – Lyall Woznesensky, Saskatchewan Roughriders *LB –

, Edmonton Eskimos *LB –

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 *LB –

, Edmonton Eskimos *DB –

, Calgary Stampeders *DB – Charles Williams, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *DB – Merv Walker, Calgary Stampeders *DB – Ed Jones, Edmonton Eskimos *DB –

Ken McEachern Ken McEachern (born January 14, 1953) is a former professional Canadian football player who played eleven years in the Canadian Football League. Career McEachern played defensive back for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Toronto Argonauts from ...

, Saskatchewan Roughriders

Special teams

*P –

, Edmonton Eskimos *K –

, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

1981 Eastern All-Stars

Offence

*QB –

Tom Clements Thomas Albert Clements (born June 18, 1953) is an American football coach and a former Canadian Football League (CFL) quarterback who is the quarterbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He also served as a ...

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *RB – Rufus Crawford, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *RB –

Cedric Minter Cedric Alwyn Minter (born November 13, 1958), is a former professional football player, an award-winning running back in the Canadian Football League. After his playing career, Minter became an educator and is currently a junior high school assis ...

, Toronto Argonauts *SB – Rocky DiPietro, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *TE –

Tony Gabriel Anthony Michael Peter Gabriel (born December 11, 1948) is a former professional Canadian football pass receiver who played in the Canadian Football League from 1971 to 1981. He played for both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Ottawa Rough Riders. ...

, Ottawa Rough Riders *WR – Keith Baker, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *WR – James Scott, Montreal Alouettes *C – Henry Waszczuk, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *OG –

, Ottawa Rough Riders *OG – Bill Norton, Montreal Alouettes *OT – Doug Payton, Montreal Alouettes *OT –

Ed Fulton Edward A. "Ed" Fulton (born March 19, 1938), is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1985 to 1990 who represented the eastern Toronto riding of Scarborough East. He served ...

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Defence

*DT – Ecomet Burley, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DT –

, Ottawa Rough Riders *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 – Greg Marshall, Ottawa Rough Riders *LB – John Priestner, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *LB –

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *LB –

Carmelo Carteri Carmelo Carteri (born July 17, 1956) is a Canadian football player who played professionally for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Concordes The Montreal Alouettes ( French: Les Alouettes de Montréal) are a profes ...

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DB – Leroy Paul, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DB – David Shaw, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DB – Harold Woods, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DB –

Larry Brune Larry Brune (born May 4, 1953) is a former American football defensive back. He played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 1976 to 1977, the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1977 to 1979 and from 1981 to 1982 and for the Minnesota Vikings The Minnes ...

, Ottawa Rough Riders *DB – Randy Rhino, Ottawa Rough Riders

Special teams

*P –

Zenon Andrusyshyn Zenon Andrusyshyn (born February 25, 1947) is a German-Canadian former Canadian Football League punter (football position), punter and Placekicker, kicker from –, –, primarily for the Toronto Argonauts. He also was a member of the Kansas City ...

, Toronto Argonauts *K –

Bernie Ruoff Bernie Ruoff (born October 12, 1951) is a former punter and placekicker for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1975 to 1979 and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 1980 to 1987 of the Canadian Football League. He finished his CFL career in 1988, playing 5 ...

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

1981 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 ...

–

(QB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers * CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award –

(SB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers *

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. ...

–

(LB), Edmonton Eskimos *

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 ...

– Larry Butler (OG), Winnipeg Blue Bombers *

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 th ...

–

(LB), Saskatchewan Roughriders * CFLPA's Outstanding Community Service Award –

(DB), Saskatchewan Roughriders * CFL's Coach of the Year –

Joe Faragalli Joe Faragalli (April 18, 1929 – April 10, 2006) was a gridiron football player and coach who had most of his success in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Faragalli played Guard (American football), guard at Villanova University from 1950 to ...

, Saskatchewan Roughriders

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1981 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