It's time to turn to the offensive side of the ball for Drew's CFL Top Fives. First, Drew takes a look at the best men to ever run the ball from Canadian Football backfields.
5. Jon Cornish
Jon Cornish was one of the best tailbacks with a Canadian passport in CFL History. Cornish has the fourth-best rushing season by any CFL running back, the two best season by a Canadian running back, and in 2013 was able to post the fourth-best single-season for yards from scrimmage by any CFL player at 2157 yards. The two time Grey Cup champion played9 seasons in the league, was a 3 time CFL all-star, and four-time West all-star. Cornish was also able to win three straight CFL Most Outstanding Canadian Awards from 2012-2014, was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2013, and was the Lou Marsh Trophy in 2013, which is awarded to Canada’s Top athlete, professional or amateur. That alone is good enough to get on this list.
4. Charles Roberts
Charles Roberts is a sneaky guy on this list. Roberts was able to play 8 years in the CFL with Winnipeg (2001-2008) and BC (2008). Roberts was a CFL All-star each of his first 7 seasons in the league, is the Winnipeg Career Rushing Leader at 9,987 yards, is fourth on the CFL all-time rushing list at 10,285, fourth-most all-time in CFL rushing attempts at 1918, is tied for fourth all-time for most 1000+ rushing seasons at 6, and has the third most 100+ yard rushing games in CFL history at 38. Roberts CFL championship hopes fell victim to play for the Bombers during their drought, but his career has ranked him fourth all-time.
3. Andrew Harris
Andrew Harris has been able to play in the CFL for 11 years. In those 11 years, Harris has posted 9083 yards rushing, 48 touchdowns on the ground, 5107 yards receiving, and 31 touchdowns through the air. That adds up to 14145 all-purpose yards and 79 total touchdowns. Add to that the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian in 2017, and the current three-time defending CFL rushing yards leader. Harris won the Grey Cup in 2011 with the BC Lions and won the game’s Most Valuable Canadian award, but his most impressive game of his career was the 2019 Grey Cup in which he was the Most Valuable Canadian, and Most Outstanding Player, the first player in history to achieve said feat, and help end a 29 year Grey Cup drought. Add 5 All-CFL nods and 6 CFL West all-star nods to the resume and that totals to being third on the all-time CFL running back list.
2. George Reed
George Reed was able to play for 13 seasons in the CFL, all with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, form 1963-1975. In those 13 seasons, Reed was a CFL West all-star 10 times, and received 9 All-CFL nods. Reed has 1 ring to his name winning the 54th Grey Cup in 1966, bringing the Riders their first championship and winning the game’s MVP award. Reed is tied for second all-time in CFL touchdowns at 137, is second all-time in career rushing yards at 16116 yards, has the second-best single-game rushing performance at 268 yards, has the most rushing attempts in a career at 3243, has the most 1000+ yard rushing season at 11, has the most 100+ rushing yard games at 66 in a career, and is second on the all-time scrimmage yards list with 18888 yards over his career. Reed was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1979 and enshrined on this list at number two.
1. Mike Pringle
It would be near impossible to find anyone else to top this list. Over a 13 year CFL career with Edmonton, Sacramento, Baltimore, and Montreal, Mike Pringle was able to earn 7 All-CFL nods, 8 Division all-star nods, was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 1995 and 1998, and added three Grey Cup rings to his accolades in 1995, 2002, and 2003. Adding to those accolades would be the facts that Pringle is tied for second on the all-time touchdown list at 137, has the most rushing touchdowns in a single season at 19 in 2000, is number one in career rushing yards at 16425, and has the two best rushing seasons in CFL history with 2065 in 1998 and 1972 in 1994. Let’s add to it that Pringle has the second-most rushing attempts in CFL history at 2962, has the second most 1000+ yard seasons at 9, has the most 100+ rushing yard games at 70 over his career, has the most 100+ rushing yard games in a season at 14 in 1998, has the most yards from scrimmage in a career at 20255, and has the two best season in terms of yards from scrimmage, posting 2414 yards twice in 1994 and 1998, if that isn’t enough to make Mike Pringle the greatest running back in CFL history, then I don’t know who is.
If you think Drew's ranking is wrong, tell him! He'd love to hear what you would have changed about his list.
Come back tomorrow to hear who Drew thinks are the best pass catchers to ever play Canadian football.
La Cheeserie, Littles
Fight On, Sleepers
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