1981 CFL season
Encyclopedia
The 1981 Canadian Football League
season is considered to be the 28th season in modern-day Canadian football
, although it is officially the 24th Canadian Football League season.
, which had carried on as separate and autonomous entities since the founding of the CFL in 1958
, agreed to a full merger prior to the start of the 1981 season.
With the merger the Eastern and Western Football Conference was dissolved and renamed as the East
and West Divisions
.
The merger authorizes the CFL to have full authority over decisions, including the adoption of a full interlocking schedule for both divisions.
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.
The Montreal Alouettes
ceased operations and folded after the 1981 season, although a new franchise (the Montreal Concordes) would be in place for the 1982 season
.
are the 1981 Grey Cup
champions, defeating the Ottawa Rough Riders
, 26–23, at Montreal
's Olympic Stadium
. Edmonton won their fourth-straight championship on a last second Dave Cutler
field-goal. The Rough Riders' J.C. Watts
(QB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Offence and John Glassford
(LB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Defence. The Eskimos' Neil Lumsden
(RB) was named Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.
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....
season is considered to be the 28th season in modern-day Canadian football
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...
, although it is officially the 24th Canadian Football League season.
CFL News in 1981
The Eastern and Western Football ConferencesCanadian 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:...
, which had carried on as separate and autonomous entities since the founding of the CFL in 1958
1958 CFL season
The 1958 CFL season was the fifth season in modern Canadian professional football, although officially it would become known as the inaugural season of the Canadian Football League .-CFL news in 1958:...
, agreed to a full merger prior to the start of the 1981 season.
With the merger the Eastern and Western Football Conference was dissolved and renamed as the East
Canadian Football League East Division
The East Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the East Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.- Pre-1907 :...
and West Divisions
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:...
.
The merger authorizes the CFL to have full authority over decisions, including the adoption of a full interlocking schedule for both divisions.
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.
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...
ceased operations and folded after the 1981 season, although a new franchise (the Montreal Concordes) would be in place for the 1982 season
1982 CFL season
The 1982 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 29th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 25th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1982:After the 1981 season the Montreal Alouettes folded...
.
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 EskimosEdmonton 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...
are the 1981 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...
champions, defeating the Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
, 26–23, at Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
's Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Montreal)
The Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...
. Edmonton won their fourth-straight championship on a last second Dave Cutler
Dave Cutler (football player)
Dave Cutler is a former all-star place kicker with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Cutler is considered by many to be one of the best field goal kickers in CFL history.-CFL:...
field-goal. The Rough Riders' J.C. Watts
J.C. Watts
Julius Caesar "J. C." Watts, Jr. is an American politician from Oklahoma who was a college football quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners and professionally in the Canadian Football League. Watts served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003 as a Republican, representing the 4th...
(QB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Offence and John Glassford
John Glassford
John Glassford of Dougalston and Whitehill was a Scottish Tobacco Lord, considered by his contemporaries to be the greatest of the era. He owned tobacco plantations in Virginia and Maryland.-Background and family:...
(LB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Defence. The Eskimos' Neil Lumsden
Neil Lumsden
Neil Lumsden is a former Canadian Football League player who played mostly as a fullback and also as a running back for the Toronto Argonauts, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Edmonton Eskimos from 1976 to 1985....
(RB) was named Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.
Playoff bracket
1981 CFL Awards
- CFL's Most Outstanding Player AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Player AwardThe Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The Most Outstanding Player award can be compared to the National Football League's Most Valuable Player, otherwise known as the "MVP" award...
– Dieter BrockDieter BrockRalph "Dieter" Brock , is a former Canadian Football League and National Football League player and now works as a coach...
(QB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers - CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Canadian AwardThe Most Outstanding Canadian Award is annually rewarded to the best Canadian player in the Canadian Football League. This is the second-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 is hosted. The two nominees...
– Joe PoplawskiJoe PoplawskiJoe Poplawski is a former professional Canadian football receiver for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League from 1978 to 1986....
(SB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers - CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player AwardThe Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award is annually rewarded to the best defensive player in the Canadian Football League. This is the third-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 is hosted...
– Danny KepleyDanny KepleyDaniel "Danny" Kepley, is a former star linebacker with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.Kepley played his college football at East Carolina University...
(LB), Edmonton Eskimos - CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman AwardThe Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award is annually rewarded to the best offensive lineman in the Canadian Football League. This is the fourth-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 is hosted...
– Larry ButlerLarry Butler (football player)Larry Butler is a former professional Canadian football offensive lineman who played six seasons in the Canadian Football League for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He played college football at Appalachian State University. He won the CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive...
(OG), Winnipeg Blue Bombers - CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Rookie AwardThe 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...
– Vince GoldsmithVince GoldsmithVince Goldsmith, born July 20, 1959, was a star football player in the Canadian Football League , as both a linebacker and defensive lineman....
(LB), Saskatchewan Roughriders - CFLPA's Most Outstanding Community Service AwardTom Pate Memorial AwardEvery year the Canadian Football League Players' Association presents the Tom Pate Award. It is not a "Jock Award," but rather an award given to players who display qualities that distinguish them from their peers....
– Ken McEachernKen McEachernKen McEachern is a former professional Canadian football player who played eleven years in the Canadian Football League. McEachern played defensive back for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Toronto Argonauts from 1974 to 1984. He was a CFL All-Star in '80 and '81 and helped the Argonauts win the...
(DB), Saskatchewan Roughriders - CFL's Coach of the YearAnnis Stukus TrophyThe Annis Stukus Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy, which is presented annually by the Edmonton Eskimos Alumni Association to the Coach of the Year, as determined by the members of the Football Reporters of Canada...
– Joe FaragalliJoe FaragalliJoe Faragalli was a football player and coach who had most of his success in the Canadian Football League....
, Saskatchewan Roughriders