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The 1997 CFL season is considered to be the 44th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 40th
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 ...
season.


CFL News in 1997

The CFL entered the 1997 season with eight teams, instead of nine. The Ottawa Rough Riders ceased operations and folded after the 1996 season. In February, a dispersal draft was held for the players who were under contract with the
Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
franchise. The
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 disbanded twice and been re-established thrice. The Alouettes compe ...
began the 1997 season under new ownership, which was headed by Robert C. Wetenhall. Wetenhall and his ownership group retained the Alouette name and logo. With the Rough Riders departure, the CFL returned the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to the East Division. The CFL also changed the playoff format, adding a 'cross-over' rule. Previously, the 3rd place team in each division played the 2nd place team in the division semifinals. Under the new rule, should the 4th place team in one division have a better record than that of the 3rd place team in the other division, the 4th place team crosses over to the other division's semifinal, taking that 3rd place team's place. There is no tie-breaker; the cross-over hopeful must have a strictly better record to advance. BC attained a cross-over playoff berth in the first year under this rule. The rule remains in effect.


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 clinched playoff spots. *''Edmonton and Toronto both had first round byes.'' *''Due to the cross-over rule – the BC Lions played the Montreal Alouettes in the East Semi-Final Game.''


Grey Cup playoffs

The
Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Argonauts compete in the East Division (CFL), East Division of t ...
won their second-straight
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 ...
championship in 1997, defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders 47–23, at
Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
's Commonwealth Stadium. The Argonauts' Doug Flutie (QB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player and Paul Masotti (WR) was the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.


Playoff bracket


CFL Leaders

* CFL Passing Leaders * CFL Rushing Leaders * CFL Receiving Leaders


1997 CFL All-Stars


Offence

*QB – Doug Flutie, Toronto Argonauts *FB – Robert Drummond, Toronto Argonauts *RB – Mike Pringle, Montreal Alouettes *SB – Derrell Mitchell, Toronto Argonauts *SB – Darren Flutie, Edmonton Eskimos *WR – Alfred Jackson, BC Lions *WR – Milt Stegall, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *C – Mike Kiselak, Toronto Argonauts *OG – Fred Childress, Calgary Stampeders *OG – Pierre Vercheval, Montreal Alouettes *OT – Uzooma Okeke, Montreal Alouettes *OT – Neal Fort, Montreal Alouettes


Defence

*DT – Rob Waldrop, Toronto Argonauts *DT – Doug Petersen, Montreal Alouettes *DE – Elfrid Payton, Montreal Alouettes *DE – Bobby Jurasin, Saskatchewan Roughriders *LB – Maurice Kelly, BC Lions *LB – Willie Pless, Edmonton Eskimos *LB – Shonte Peoples, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *CB – Kavis Reed, Edmonton Eskimos *CB – Marvin Coleman, Calgary Stampeders *DB – Glenn Rogers Jr., Edmonton Eskimos *DB – Johnnie Harris, Toronto Argonauts *DS – Lester Smith, Toronto Argonauts


Special teams

*P/K – Mike Vanderjagt, Toronto Argonauts *ST – Mike "Pinball" Clemons, Toronto Argonauts


1997 Eastern All-Stars


Offence

*QB – Doug Flutie, Toronto Argonauts *FB – Robert Drummond, Toronto Argonauts *RB – Mike Pringle, Montreal Alouettes *SB – Derrell Mitchell, Toronto Argonauts *SB – Jock Climie, Montreal Alouettes *WR – Paul Masotti, Toronto Argonauts *WR – Milt Stegall, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *C – Mike Kiselak, Toronto Argonauts *OG – Bruce Beaton, Montreal Alouettes *OG – Pierre Vercheval, Montreal Alouettes *OT – Uzooma Okeke, Montreal Alouettes *OT – Neal Fort, Montreal Alouettes


Defence

*DT – Rob Waldrop, Toronto Argonauts *DT – Doug Petersen, Montreal Alouettes *DE – Elfrid Payton, Montreal Alouettes *DE – Willie Whitehead, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *LB – Ken Benson, Toronto Argonauts *LB – Mike O'Shea, Toronto Argonauts *LB – Shonte Peoples, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *CB – Adrion Smith, Toronto Argonauts *CB – Orlando Steinauer, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DB – Harold Nash, Montreal Alouettes *DB – Johnnie Harris, Toronto Argonauts *DS – Lester Smith, Toronto Argonauts


Special teams

*P/K – Mike Vanderjagt, Toronto Argonauts *ST – Mike "Pinball" Clemons, Toronto Argonauts


1997 Western All-Stars


Offence

*QB – Jeff Garcia, Calgary Stampeders *FB – Kelvin Anderson, Calgary Stampeders *RB – Sean Millington, BC Lions *SB – Vince Danielsen, Calgary Stampeders *SB – Darren Flutie, Edmonton Eskimos *WR – Alfred Jackson, BC Lions *WR – Terry Vaughn, Calgary Stampeders *C – Mike Withycombe, BC Lions *OG – Fred Childress, Calgary Stampeders *OG – Leo Groenewegen, Edmonton Eskimos *OT – Thomas Rayam, Edmonton Eskimos *OT – John Terry, Saskatchewan Roughriders


Defence

*DT – Joe Fleming, BC Lions *DT – Bennie Goods, Edmonton Eskimos *DE – Malvin Hunter, Edmonton Eskimos *DE – Bobby Jurasin, Saskatchewan Roughriders *LB – Maurice Kelly, BC Lions *LB – Willie Pless, Edmonton Eskimos *LB – Alondra Johnson, Calgary Stampeders *CB – Kavis Reed, Edmonton Eskimos *CB – Marvin Coleman, Calgary Stampeders *DB – Glenn Rogers Jr., Edmonton Eskimos *DB – Dale Joseph, Saskatchewan Roughriders *DS – Trent Brown, Edmonton Eskimos


Special teams

*P/K – Mark McLoughlin, Calgary Stampeders *ST – Gizmo Williams, Edmonton Eskimos


1997 Intergold CFLPA All-Stars


Offence

*QB – Doug Flutie, Toronto Argonauts *OT – John Terry, Saskatchewan Roughriders *OT – Rocco Romano, Calgary Stampeders *OG – Fred Childress, Calgary Stampeders *OG – Bruce Beaton, Montreal Alouettes *C – Mike Kiselak, Toronto Argonauts *RB – Robert Drummond, Toronto Argonauts *FB – Sean Millington, BC Lions *SB – Milt Stegall, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *SB – Darren Flutie, Edmonton Eskimos *WR – Alfred Jackson, BC Lions *WR – Terry Vaughn, Calgary Stampeders


Defence

*DE – Elfrid Payton, Montreal Alouettes *DE – Leroy Blugh, Edmonton Eskimos *DT – John Kropke, Saskatchewan Roughriders *DT – Rob Waldrop, Toronto Argonauts *OLB – Darryl Hall, Calgary Stampeders *OLB – Shonte Peoples, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *ILB – Calvin Tiggle, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *CB – Donald Smith, Toronto Argonauts *CB – Marvin Coleman, Calgary Stampeders *HB – Glenn Rogers Jr., Edmonton Eskimos *HB – Johnnie Harris, Toronto Argonauts *S – Trent Brown, Edmonton Eskimos


Special teams

*K – Mark McLoughlin, Calgary Stampeders *P – Tony Martino, Calgary Stampeders *ST – Mike "Pinball" Clemons, Toronto Argonauts


Head coach

* Adam Rita, BC Lions 1997 Intergold CFLPA All-Stars
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1997 CFL Awards

* CFL's Most Outstanding Player AwardDoug Flutie (QB), Toronto Argonauts * CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian AwardSean Millington (FB), BC Lions * CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player AwardWillie Pless (LB), Edmonton Eskimos * CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman AwardMike Kiselak (C), Toronto Argonauts * CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie AwardDerrell Mitchell (SB), Toronto Argonauts * CFLPA's Outstanding Community Service AwardMark McLoughlin (K), Calgary Stampeders * CFL's Coach of the YearDon Matthews, Toronto Argonauts * Commissioner's Award - Bolan and Egres


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1997 Cfl Season Canadian Football League seasons CFL