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 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 franchise.
The Montreal Alouettes 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
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 won their second-straight Grey Cup championship in 1997, defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders 47–23, at Edmonton'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, Toronto Argonauts 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, Toronto Argonauts 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
1997 CFL awards CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Doug Flutie (QB), Toronto Argonauts CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Sean Millington (FB), BC Lions CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Willie Pless (LB), Edmonton Eskimos CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award – Mike Kiselak (C), Toronto Argonauts CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award – Derrell Mitchell (SB), Toronto Argonauts CFLPA's Outstanding Community Service Award – Mark McLoughlin (K), Calgary Stampeders CFL's Coach of the Year – Don Matthews, Toronto Argonauts Commissioner's Award - Pat Bowlen and Jack Agrios
References