BISHOP’S BIG ARM OUTDISTANCES ALL OTHER RIDERS QUARTERBACKS
Over the years, Saskatchewan pivots have been known for putting on a gun show
Welcome to the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ arms race.
We are about to list the Roughriders quarterbacks with the strongest arms — if not the strongest resumes, in select cases.
Ready, set ...
1.
MICHAEL BISHOP
Bishop won this category the moment Henry Burris offered the following testimonial.
“Bishop’s arm was a howitzer,” Smilin’ Hank marvelled. “I felt like I had one of the best arms in my time in the CFL. Of the strong-armed quarterbacks, the only one I really could say could beat me is Michael Bishop. I thought his arm was just insane.”
For a seconder, we turn to longtime CFL general manager Eric Tillman.
“The three strongest arms I’ve seen in person are John Elway, Brett Favre and Michael Bishop,” said Tillman, who brought Bishop to Saskatchewan midway through the 2008 season.
Former Roughriders receiver Chris Getzlaf, who made his CFL regular season debut in 2008, added: “Michael Bishop has the strongest arm I have ever seen as a teammate or opponent.”
In 11 regular season or playoff games with the Roughriders, Bishop threw for 2,398 yards, with seven touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
Highlight: On Sept. 7, 2008, Bishop rallied the Roughriders from a 31-14 fourth-quarter deficit against the host Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who lost 34-31. He completed 24-of-30 passes for 370 yards and three TDS — two to Weston Dressler (45 and 32 yards) and one to Vincent Marshall (32 yards). A subsequent 45-yard toss to Gerran Walker set up Luca Congi’s game-winning field goal. The latter completion gave Bishop 181 fourth-quarter passing yards.
Lowlight: Bishop was released shortly after the 2008 West Division semifinal, during which he threw three interceptions in a 33-12 loss to the visiting B.C. Lions.
2.
HENRY BURRIS
As a high school phenom in Spiro, Okla., Burris once threw a football — get this — 93 yards.
Over 20 years in the CFL, culminating in a Grey Cup victory with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2016, Burris threw precise passes that often left a vapour trail.
“Henry had a strong arm, but he threw a ball that was fun and easy to catch, and not one of those cement stones,” said Plaza of Honour slotback Dan Farthing, who celebrated Burris’s arrival in Saskatchewan in 2000.
Burris was also a Roughrider for half of the 2013 season and all of 2014.
As Saskatchewan’s starter, Burris threw for 4,467 yards and 30 TDS (2000) and 4,267 yards and 23 majors (2004).
He wrapped up a 20-year CFL career with 63,359 aerial yards and 373 TDS.
“In the (2016) Grey Cup, people were saying, ‘Oh my god. Look at that throw!’ Farthing said. “It was like a laser beam on a rope.”
Burris was 41 at the time. Amazing.
3.
JOE (747) ADAMS
The sheer distance and velocity of Adams’ throws often left observers awestruck in 1982 and 1983. He could throw the ball on a line over any distance, à la Dieter Brock.
While handling the Roughriders’ quarterbacking two-thirds of the time in 1982, Adams threw for impressive totals — 3,312 yards and 19 touchdowns.
“He had a real strong arm with lots of zip on the ball,” said Joey Walters, who had a career-high 102 receptions in 1982. “As a receiver, you knew the ball would reach you faster than it would with most quarterbacks.”
Adams departed just as quickly in August 1983, following the firing of head coach Joe Faragalli.
4.
KERRY JOSEPH
Joseph once threw a football 85 yards as a collegian at Mcneese State.
“He could make throws to the wide side of the field on windy days,” Tillman said. “Few — as in very few — quarterbacks could do that.”
Very few Roughriders have been named the CFL’S most outstanding player — an award Joseph won during the championship season of 2007. Ron Lancaster (in 1970 and 1976) and George Reed (1965) are Saskatchewan’s only other MOP recipients.
Burris is the other MOP winner on this top 10 (well, top 11) list. He captured the CFL’S most coveted individual prize with Ottawa in 2015, at age 40.
5.
GLENN DOBBS
Dobbs was a sensation in his first of three seasons with Saskatchewan, throwing 28 touchdown passes in 14 games in 1951.
“I stood beside him many times, as my dad and I came in from Rouleau to watch practice,” longtime Roughriders fan John Lynch said. “Jack Russell, a former Baylor and New York Giants receiver who the Roughriders recruited (in 1951), told us that his hands were swollen from catching Dobbs’ passes in practice.”
6.
KEVIN MASON
“If Kevin Mason wanted to throw a long bomb, it was like a Jon Ryan punt,” Farthing said.
Mason’s arm strength was especially evident during the 1996 Labour Day Classic, in which he threw touchdown bombs of 87 and 85 yards to Curtis Mayfield.
7.
BRANDON BRIDGE
Just like Joe Adams, Bridge had an aeronautical nickname — Air Canada.
Over three seasons with Saskatchewan (2016 to 2018), Bridge demonstrated eye-popping arm strength, which received an endorsement from Burris. Enough said.
8.
WARREN JONES
Jones, a Roughrider from 1993 to 1996, is lauded by Hall-offame slotback Ray Elgaard for arm strength that is nine on a scale of one to 10.
Elgaard also gave a grade of nine to Adams and ...
9.
HAROLD SMITH
Smith was used sparingly with the Green and White in 1985 and 1986, completing just 27-of-66 passes for 335 yards, with one TD and six interceptions.
But he, too, received a nine from Elgaard.
10.
ED BUZZELL
Buzzell had stints with the Roughriders in 1966 and 1967, without actually playing in a regular season game.
His finest day in green: July
22, 1966, when he threw two TD passes to Hugh Campbell in a 20-1 pre-season victory over the visiting Montreal Alouettes.
“Eddie Buzzell had a gun of an arm,” former Roughriders receiver/defensive back Dale West said. “He was the only quarterback I ever saw whose ball actually whistled when he threw it.
“I didn’t have the softest of hands and catching a short pass from him hurt. You really had to protect yourself when he buzzed one.”
BONUS PICK
Bob Pearce was used as a receiver, defensive back, kick returner and punter during a five-season span with the Roughriders that began in 1970. He also made cameo appearances at quarterback, in addition to throwing some passes on trick plays.
Overall, he completed only 7-of-19 passes for 222 yards and one TD — a 91-yard bomb to Bobby Thompson on Aug. 16, 1972, in a 31-29 loss to the visiting Edmonton Eskimos.
That long completion took place after Lancaster threw the ball behind the line of scrimmage to Pearce, who quickly looked downfield.
In that game, Pearce also caught five passes for 51 yards (including a TD), rushed once for nine yards, and punted five times for a 44-yard average.
His wide-ranging talent was also seen and noted in practice.
“THE most impressive show of power was Bob Pearce,” former Roughriders receiver Steve Mazurak said.
“We’d play catch and he’d throw from his knees — yes, while kneeling. One knee down and then both knees down. He’d throw 30 yards on a line, easily, on his knees. I think he invented core strength. My vote is for Bob Pearce.”