Mitchell CFL’s outstanding player
Bo Levi Mitchell has his second CFL outstanding player award.
The Calgary Stampeders quarterback captured the honour Thursday night at the CFL’s awards banquet.
Voting was conducted by members of the Football Reporters of Canada as well as the nine CFL head coaches. A total of 60 voters participated.
It’s the second outstanding player honour for Mitchell, who also won it in 2015.
Mitchell, 28, had a CFL-high — and career-best — 35 touchdown passes this season in leading Calgary to the league’s best regular-season record (13-5).
The native of Katy, Tex., threw for 5,124 yards, recorded 42 completions of 30-plus yards and had a TD-to-interception ratio of 2.5, the last two being tops in the CFL.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, the CFL’s second-leading passer with 5,209 yards, was the East’s finalist.
Linebacker Adam Bighill of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers was named the top defensive player.
Bighill, of Montesano, Wash., had 105 tackles, four sacks two interceptions and a CFL-high four forced fumbles in his first season with Winnipeg.
Hamilton linebacker Larry Dean, who also recorded 105 tackles, was the finalist.
Ottawa players captured three honours, including two for kicker Lewis Wards (rookie, special teams). Slotback Brad Sinopoli was named the top Canadian.
Ward made 51-of-52 field goals (leaguerecord 98.1 per cent), including a pro football-record 48 straight that will carry over into 2019.
Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver Jordan Williams-Lambert was the rookie finalist while B.C. Lions kicker Ty Long was the special-teams runner-up.
Sinopoli, of Peterborough, Ont., earned his second top Canadian award, first winning in 2015.
Winnipeg running back Andrew Harris, last year’s winner and the CFL’s top rusher for a second straight season, was the finalist.
Bombers tackle Stanley Bryant captured the top lineman award for the second consecutive year.
Hamilton guard Brandon Revenberg was the finalist.
Chris Jones of the Saskatchewan Roughriders was named the CFL’s coach of the year, leading the Riders to a 12-6 record and second-place finish in the West Division.
Ottawa’s Rick Campbell, the 2015 winner, was the finalist.
Pierre Vercheval, a former CFL top lineman and Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee who’s now a football broadcaster, received the Commissioner’s Award for outstanding contribution to Canadian football.