The 2004 CFL season is considered to be the 51st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 47th Canadian Football League season.
CFL news in 2004 Neil Payne retired from his position as Director of Officiating in February and was replaced by George Black. Former Eskimos Head Coach, Tom Higgins was named as the 2003 Coach of the Year. CFL Commissioner Tom E. Wright, announced that Vancouver would host the 93rd Grey Cup for 2005. Furthermore, Wright also announced in late October, that Winnipeg would be the host of the 94th Grey Cup for 2006.
Wayne Smith of Appalachian State University was drafted first overall in the 2004 CFL draft by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Former player, broadcaster and football administrator, Mike Wadsworth died in April. In September, the Canadian Football Hall of Fame inducted Larry Highbaugh, Cal Murphy, Lui Passaglia, Dan Yochum and Ben Zambiasi during the Induction Weekend ceremonies in Hamilton.
CFL partner, Sun Microsystems added and launched real-time, in-game statistics entry with live play-by-play and scoring on cfl.ca. On June 2, the CFL announced a partnership with FSN and launched a player-based and team-based game for the 2004 season. In addition, the CFL also launched its first ever online kids section called — the Dare CFL KidsZone.
The CFL started a new international broadcasting agreement with Trajectory Sports & Media Group, to deliver Canadian Football to more than 50 million households in 176 countries for the 2004 season. U.S. television coverage of the 92nd Grey Cup resulted in the largest international broadcast distribution of a Grey Cup game — when it was made available to more than 55 million television households. In addition, Rogers Sportsnet announced the start of "CFL Crunch", which is a 30-minute news segment concerning the league on June 24.
On October 18, the Toronto Argonauts announced their agreement with York University, to construct a new 25,000-seat stadium on the university's Keele campus.
League attendance increased by 8% over the 2003 season, when more than 2.2 million fans were coming into CFL stadiums. The BC Lions home attendance figures increased by 13% over the 2003 season, by averaging about 26,697 fans per game at BC Place Stadium. The Montreal Alouettes continued their strong attendance figures by recording its fifth straight year of having sell out crowds at both, Percival Molson Memorial Stadium and Olympic Stadium. The CFL set a new playoff attendance record with a total of 181,717 postseason crowds attending playoff games in Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal, Vancouver and Ottawa. The Grey Cup game in Ottawa had a sell-out crowd of 51,242 at Frank Clair Stadium.
The attendance increases were likely caused at least in part by the lack of NHL hockey in the wake of the 2004–05 NHL lockout.
Records: Before he retired, Edmonton running back, Mike Pringle, established two new records in 2004. The first record was accomplished on July 12, when Pringle established a new CFL career record for yards from scrimmage with 20,254 yards in the Eskimos 25–9 win over the B.C. Lions. The second record was accomplished on September 19 against the same B.C. Lions, when Pringle became the all-time leading rusher in CFL history with 16,425 yards.
In addition, three CFL quarterbacks established new records as well. Edmonton's Jason Maas, entered the CFL record books by setting a new mark for most consecutive pass completions in a regular season game with 22 on July 30. On August 13, B.C.'s Casey Printers, sets a new CFL record for the highest pass completion percentage in a regular season game by completing 90.9% of his passes. Furthermore, Hamilton's Danny McManus, joined the company of Damon Allen and Ron Lancaster by surpassing the milestone of passing for 50,000 or more career yards on October 21.
The Montreal Alouettes became the first team in CFL history to have four receivers on one team reach the 1000-yard receiving mark in one season: Ben Cahoon (1183 yards), Jeremaine Copeland (1154 yards), Thyron Anderson (1147 yards), and Kwame Cavil (1090 yards)
The Toronto Argonauts won their 15th Grey Cup by defeating the B.C. Lions 27–19 on November 21.
Regular season standings
BC and Montreal both have first round byes.
Grey Cup playoffs
The Toronto Argonauts are the 2004 Grey Cup Champions, defeating the BC Lions 27–19, at Ottawa's Frank Clair Stadium. It was the first Grey Cup for Toronto since the 85th Grey Cup in 1997. The Argonauts' Damon Allen (QB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player and the Lions' Jason Clermont (SB) was the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.
Playoff bracket
*-Team won in Overtime.
CFL leaders CFL passing leaders CFL rushing leaders CFL receiving leaders
2004 CFL All-Stars
Offence QB – Casey Printers, BC Lions RB – Troy Davis, Hamilton Tiger-Cats RB – Charles Roberts, Winnipeg Blue Bombers SB – Ben Cahoon, Montreal Alouettes SB – Geroy Simon, BC Lions WR – D. J. Flick, Hamilton Tiger-Cats WR – Jason Tucker, Edmonton Eskimos C – Bryan Chiu, Montreal Alouettes OG – Paul Lambert, Montreal Alouettes OG – Andrew Greene, Saskatchewan Roughriders OT – Uzooma Okeke, Montreal Alouettes OT – Gene Makowsky, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Defence DT – Noah Cantor, Toronto Argonauts DT – Nate Davis, Saskatchewan Roughriders DE – Tim Cheatwood, Hamilton Tiger-Cats DE – Anwar Stewart, Montreal Alouettes LB – John Grace, Calgary Stampeders LB – Kevin Eiben, Toronto Argonauts LB – Barrin Simpson, BC Lions CB – Almondo Curry, Montreal Alouettes CB – Malcolm Frank, Edmonton Eskimos DB – Eddie Davis, Saskatchewan Roughriders DB – Clifford Ivory, Toronto Argonauts DS – Orlondo Steinauer, Toronto Argonauts
Special teams P – Noel Prefontaine, Toronto Argonauts K – Sean Fleming, Edmonton Eskimos ST – Keith Stokes, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
2004 Western All-Stars
Offence QB – Casey Printers, BC Lions RB – Kenton Keith, Saskatchewan Roughriders RB – Charles Roberts, Winnipeg Blue Bombers SB – Jason Clermont, BC Lions SB – Geroy Simon, BC Lions WR – Ryan Thelwell, BC Lions WR – Jason Tucker, Edmonton Eskimos C – Angus Reid, BC Lions OG – Jay McNeil, Calgary Stampeders OG – Andrew Greene, Saskatchewan Roughriders OT – Seth Dittman, Calgary Stampeders OT – Gene Makowsky, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Defence DT – Joe Fleming, Calgary Stampeders DT – Nate Davis, Saskatchewan Roughriders DE – Brent Johnson, BC Lions DE – Tom Canada, Winnipeg Blue Bombers LB – John Grace, Calgary Stampeders LB – Reggie Hunt, Saskatchewan Roughriders LB – Barrin Simpson, BC Lions DB – Wes Lysack, Winnipeg Blue Bombers DB – Malcolm Frank, Edmonton Eskimos DB – Eddie Davis, Saskatchewan Roughriders DB – Joey Boese, Calgary Stampeders DS – Sam Young, BC Lions
Special teams P – Sean Fleming, Edmonton Eskimos K – Sean Fleming, Edmonton Eskimos ST – Keith Stokes, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
2004 Eastern All-Stars
Offence QB – Anthony Calvillo, Montreal Alouettes RB – Troy Davis, Hamilton Tiger-Cats RB – Josh Ranek, Ottawa Renegades SB – Ben Cahoon, Montreal Alouettes SB – Jeremaine Copeland, Montreal Alouettes WR – D. J. Flick, Hamilton Tiger-Cats WR – Kwame Cavil, Montreal Alouettes C – Bryan Chiu, Montreal Alouettes OG – Paul Lambert, Montreal Alouettes OG – Scott Flory, Montreal Alouettes OT – Uzooma Okeke, Montreal Alouettes OT – Dave Hack, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Defence DT – Noah Cantor, Toronto Argonauts DT – Ed Philion, Montreal Alouettes DE – Tim Cheatwood, Hamilton Tiger-Cats DE – Anwar Stewart, Montreal Alouettes LB – Kevin Johnson, Montreal Alouettes LB – Kevin Eiben, Toronto Argonauts LB – Tim Strickland, Montreal Alouettes CB – Almondo Curry, Montreal Alouettes CB – Davis Sanchez, Montreal Alouettes DB – Kelly Malveaux, Montreal Alouettes DB – Clifford Ivory, Toronto Argonauts DS – Orlondo Steinauer, Toronto Argonauts
Special teams P – Noel Prefontaine, Toronto Argonauts K – Noel Prefontaine, Toronto Argonauts[ ST – Bashir Levingston, Toronto Argonauts
2004 CFLPA All-Stars
Offence QB – Casey Printers, BC Lions OT – Uzooma Okeke, Montreal Alouettes OT – Cory Mantyka, BC Lions OG – Andrew Greene, Saskatchewan Roughriders OG – Dan Comiskey, Edmonton Eskimos C – Jamie Crysdale, Calgary Stampeders RB – Troy Davis, Hamilton Tiger Cats FB – Julian Radlein, Hamilton Tiger Cats SB – Geroy Simon, BC Lions SB – Derrell Mitchell, Edmonton Eskimos WR – Jason Tucker, Edmonton Eskimos WR – David Flick, Hamilton Tiger Cats
Defence DE – Joe Montford, Hamilton Tiger Cats DE – Timothy Cheatwood, Hamilton Tiger Cats DT – Joe Fleming, Winnipeg Blue Bombers DT – Nate Davis, Saskatchewan Roughriders LB – Barrin Simpson, BC Lions LB – John Grace, Calgary Stampeders LB – Kevin Johnson, Montreal Alouettes CB – Malcolm Frank, Edmonton Eskimos CB – Omarr Morgan, Saskatchewan Roughriders HB – Clifford Ivory, Toronto Argonauts HB – Eddie Davis, Saskatchewan Roughriders S – Orlondo Steinauer, Toronto Argonauts
Special teams K – Paul McCallum, Saskatchewan Roughriders P – Noel Prefontaine, Toronto Argonauts ST – Keith Stokes, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Head coach Greg Marshall, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
2004 Rogers CFL Awards CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Casey Printers (QB), BC Lions CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Jason Clermont (SB), BC Lions CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Anwar Stewart (DE), Montreal Alouettes CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award – Gene Makowsky (OT), Saskatchewan Roughriders CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award – Nikolas Lewis (WR), Calgary Stampeders CFL's Most Outstanding Special Teams Award – Keith Stokes (WR), Winnipeg Blue Bombers CFLPA's Outstanding Community Service Award – Barron Miles (DB), Montreal Alouettes Rogers Fans' Choice Award – Danny McManus (QB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats / Anthony Calvillo (QB), Montreal Alouettes CFL's Coach of the Year – Greg Marshall, Hamilton Tiger-Cats Commissioner's Award - Russ Jackson, Ottawa Rough Riders
References