Tom Burgess (born March 6, 1964) is a former all-star

quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...

in the

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...

(CFL).

College career

Burgess was a graduate of

Colgate University Colgate University is a Private university, private college in Hamilton, New York, United States. The Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college was founded in 1819 as the Baptist Education Society of the State of New York ...

, playing from 1982 to 1985, and was inducted into the Colgate University Athletic Hall of Honor in 1986. As a senior on the 1985 squad, he was named honorable mention Associated Press All-American after setting 14 school records in passing and total offense. He finished ninth in the nation in total offense with 266.1 yards per game. Burgess also received Colgate's Andy Kerr Trophy, given annually to the squad's most valuable offensive player. He threw for a school-record 2,565 yards in 1985 and gained a school-record 2,927 yards of total offense.

Professional career

Ottawa Rough Riders (I)

In March

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. ** Spain and Portugal en ...

, Burgess was signed as a free agent by the

Ottawa Rough Riders The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded on September 19, 1876. Formerly one of the oldest and longest-lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup cham ...

Saskatchewan Roughriders (I)

In April

1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...

, he was traded to the

Saskatchewan Roughriders The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a professional Canadian football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division. The Roughriders were founded in 19 ...

for quarterback

Joe Paopao Joe Paopao (born June 30, 1955) is a former professional Canadian football quarterback and coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Paopao played 11 seasons in the CFL and was a member of the BC Lions, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the Ottawa ...

. In

1988 1988 was a crucial year in the early history of the Internet—it was the year of the first well-known computer virus, the Morris worm, 1988 Internet worm. The first permanent intercontinental Internet link was made between the United State ...

, Burgess was the starting quarterback for the Roughriders when they lost the West Semi-Final 42–18 to the BC Lions. In

1989 1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...

, he was instrumental in the Roughriders playoff run for their 1989

Grey Cup The Grey Cup () 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 between the winners ...

victory. Burgess was part of a quarterback tandem with

Kent Austin Richard Kent Austin (born June 25, 1963) is an American college football coach and former professional player who is the quarterbacks coach for Auburn University. He played as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Fo ...

. Burgess defeated the 16-2

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 Commonwealth Stadium. The E ...

in the 1989 CFL Western Final replacing an injured Austin who would return to start and win the 1989 Grey Cup. Both quarterbacks were capable starters and Burgess requested a trade in the off-season to pursue a full-time starting opportunity.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

In July

1990 Important events of 1990 include the Reunification of Germany and the unification of Yemen, the formal beginning of the Human Genome Project (finished in 2003), the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the separation of Namibia from South ...

, Burgess was traded to 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 (CFL), West division. They play thei ...

. He was nominated the East Division All-Star quarterback. He quarterbacked the Blue Bombers to a

win in 1990. Burgess was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Offence of the

78th Grey Cup The 78th Grey Cup was the 1990 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Edmonton Eskimos at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Blue Bombers defeated the Eskimos, 50–11. Game s ...

. In

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

, Burgess had his first 4000 yard passing season. Winnipeg was hosting its first Grey Cup. Burgess guided Winnipeg to the East Final, but the team lost 42–3 to the eventual Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts. Burgess was granted free agency status in February 1992.

Ottawa Rough Riders (II)

In May

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

, Burgess was signed as a free agent by the Ottawa Rough Riders, his second stint with the team. He was nominated the East Division All-Star quarterback for the second time in his career. In

1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...

, he enjoyed a 5,000 yard, 30 TD passing season.

Saskatchewan Roughriders (II)

In March

1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...

, Burgess was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, his second stint with the team. Saskatchewan finished 11-7 and lost in the West Semi-Final to Calgary 36-3. In

1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...

, Saskatchewan was hosting its first Grey Cup. Unfortunately, the Roughriders were unable to qualify for the playoffs. Burgess was released by Saskatchewan in May 1996. He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Roughrider Plaza of Honor in 2009.

Career statistics

Regular Season

Playoffs

Grey Cup

References

1964 births Living people American football quarterbacks Canadian football quarterbacks Players of Canadian football from New York (state) Colgate Raiders football players Ottawa Rough Riders players Saskatchewan Roughriders players Winnipeg Blue Bombers players People from Newark, New York Players of American football from New York (state) {{Canadianfootball-quarterback-stub