The 1974 CFL season is considered to be the 21st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 17th Canadian Football League season.

CFL news in 1974 The Eastern Conference extended its regular season schedule from 14 to 16 games in 1974. The Western Football Conference had been playing a 16-game schedule since 1952. ORFU, which had not competed for the Grey Cup in 20 seasons and had dropped to amateur status, ceased to exist. The Montreal Alouettes change their colours to red, white and blue, and adopt the triangular "Delta" logo with the Montreal colours in it on a navy blue helmet.

The first players' strike in league history occurred during training camp. The strike was settled prior to the beginning of the regular season. No games were cancelled as a result of the dispute. It was this strike, which coincided with a similarly timed strike in the National Football League, which brought into existence the World Football League, a potential rival league to both the NFL and CFL, and one of the WFL's teams was to be placed in Toronto. In retaliation, Canadian Parliament introduced (but never passed) the Canadian Football Act, which would have given the CFL a government-enforced monopoly on professional football in Canada. The spectre of the bill prompted the Toronto franchise owner to relocate his team to the U.S. before it began play, and the only presence the WFL would ever have in Canada was a single game in London, Ontario, a city where the CFL had (and still has today) no direct presence.

Regular season standings

Edmonton and Montreal have first round byes.

Grey Cup playoffs

The Montreal Alouettes are the 1974 Grey Cup champions, defeating the Edmonton Eskimos, 20–7, at Vancouver's Empire Stadium. Montreal's Sonny Wade (QB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Offence and Junior Ah You (DE) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Defence. Montreal's Don Sweet (K) was named Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.

Playoff bracket

CFL leaders CFL passing leaders CFL rushing leaders CFL receiving leaders

1974 CFL All-Stars

Offence QB – Tom Wilkinson, Edmonton Eskimos RB – George Reed, Saskatchewan Roughriders RB – Lou Harris, BC Lions RB – Roy Bell, Edmonton Eskimos TE – Tony Gabriel, Hamilton Tiger-Cats WR – Johnny Rodgers, Montreal Alouettes WR – Rhome Nixon, Ottawa Rough Riders C – Bob Swift, Winnipeg Blue Bombers OG – Ed George, Montreal Alouettes OG – Curtis Wester, BC Lions OT – Charlie Turner, Edmonton Eskimos OT – Larry Watkins, Edmonton Eskimos

Defence DT – John Helton, Calgary Stampeders DT – Jim Stillwagon, Toronto Argonauts DE – Wayne Smith, Ottawa Rough Riders DE – George Wells, Saskatchewan Roughriders LB – Jerry Campbell, Ottawa Rough Riders LB – Mike Widger, Montreal Alouettes LB – Roger Goree, Calgary Stampeders DB – Al Marcelin, Ottawa Rough Riders DB – Dick Adams, Ottawa Rough Riders DB – Larry Highbaugh, Edmonton Eskimos DB – Lorne Richardson, Saskatchewan Roughriders DB – Dickie Harris, Montreal Alouettes

1974 Eastern All-Stars

Offence QB – Jimmy Jones, Montreal Alouettes RB – Andy Hopkins, Hamilton Tiger-Cats RB – Art Green, Ottawa Rough Riders RB – Steve Ferrughelli, Montreal Alouettes TE – Tony Gabriel, Hamilton Tiger-Cats WR – Johnny Rodgers, Montreal Alouettes WR – Rhome Nixon, Ottawa Rough Riders C – Bob McKeown, Ottawa Rough Riders OG – Ed George, Montreal Alouettes OG – Ed Chalupka, Hamilton Tiger-Cats OT – Noah Jackson, Toronto Argonauts OT – Dan Yochum, Montreal Alouettes

Defence DT – Rudy Sims, Ottawa Rough Riders DT – Jim Stillwagon, Toronto Argonauts DE – Wayne Smith, Ottawa Rough Riders DE – Junior Ah You, Montreal Alouettes LB – Jerry Campbell, Ottawa Rough Riders LB – Mike Widger, Montreal Alouettes LB – Chuck Zapiec, Montreal Alouettes DB – Al Marcelin, Ottawa Rough Riders DB – Dick Adams, Ottawa Rough Riders DB – Rod Woodward, Ottawa Rough Riders DB – Al Brenner, Hamilton Tiger-Cats DB – Dickie Harris, Montreal Alouettes DB – Phil Price, Montreal Alouettes

1974 Western All-Stars

Offence QB – Tom Wilkinson, Edmonton Eskimos RB – George Reed, Saskatchewan Roughriders RB – Lou Harris, BC Lions RB – Roy Bell, Edmonton Eskimos SB – Rudy Linterman, Calgary Stampeders TE – Tyrone Walls, Edmonton Eskimos WR – Tom Forzani, Calgary Stampeders WR – Tom Scott, Winnipeg Blue Bombers C – Bob Swift, Winnipeg Blue Bombers OG – Ralph Galloway, Saskatchewan Roughriders OG – Curtis Wester, BC Lions OT – Charlie Turner, Edmonton Eskimos OT – Larry Watkins, Edmonton Eskimos

Defence DT – John Helton, Calgary Stampeders DT – Garrett Hunsperger, BC Lions DE – Jim Heighton, Winnipeg Blue Bombers DE – George Wells, Saskatchewan Roughriders LB – Ray Nettles, BC Lions LB – Pete Wysocki, Saskatchewan Roughriders LB – Roger Goree, Calgary Stampeders DB – Paul Williams, Winnipeg Blue Bombers DB – Chuck Wills, Winnipeg Blue Bombers DB – Larry Highbaugh, Edmonton Eskimos DB – Lorne Richardson, Saskatchewan Roughriders DB – Ted Provost, Saskatchewan Roughriders DB – Howard Starks, Calgary Stampeders

1974 CFL awards CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Tom Wilkinson (QB), Edmonton Eskimos CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Tony Gabriel (TE), Hamilton Tiger-Cats CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – John Helton (DT), Calgary Stampeders CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award – Ed George (OG), Montreal Alouettes CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award – Sam Cvijanovich (LB), Toronto Argonauts CFL's Coach of the Year – Marv Levy, Montreal Alouettes

References