On Thursday night, the Canadian Football League hosted the CFL Awards from Vancouver, British Columbia. Among the awards that were handed out were the Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Most Outstanding Canadian, Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Most Outstanding Special Teams Player, Most Outstanding Rookie, and Coach of the Year.
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman: Ryan Hunter, Toronto Argonauts
Ryan Hunter is six foot three and weighs 315 pounds. The 29-year-old from North Bay, Ontario, re-signed with the Argonauts on February 12, 2024. In 2024, Hunter started 17 games. Toronto’s offense averaged 28.6 points per game (1st), 368.7 net offense (3rd), 121.3 rushing yards (2nd), 265.2 passing yards (6th), 49 touchdowns (3rd), and allowed 40 sacks (8th). Hunter was named CFL East All-Star and the All-CFL Team.
The Toronto Argonauts drafted Hunter in the first round (9th pick) in the 2018 CFL Draft. However, he did not sign with them and instead went to the NFL.
Hunter signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent and played three games in 2019, including Super Bowl LIV, when the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers to win its first championship since 1969.
After Kansas City, Hunter signed with the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad. The Chargers released him on August 30, 2022. He signed with the Toronto Argonauts on September 23, 2022. He played one game for Toronto in 2022 when they won the 109th Grey Cup over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
In 2023, Hunter played 18 games for the Argonauts in 2023. Toronto’s offense ranked second in offensive average points (29.3), second in offensive touchdowns (56), second in average net offense (377.8), fourth in average rushing yards (113.7), fourth in average passing yards (272.2), and first the least number of sacks allowed (19).
Collegiately, Hunter spent five seasons at Bowling Green (2013-17), playing 52 games at left tackle and right tackle. In 2017, The Falcons’ offense helped a run game that produced a pair of 700-yard running backs, including true freshman Andrew Clair, who was named Third Team All-MAC. He is a four-time Academic All-MAC and three-time MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete.
Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Rolan Milligan Jr., Saskatchewan Roughriders
Rolan Milligan Jr. is five foot eleven and weighs 200 pounds. The 30-year-old from Lake Wales, Florida, re-signed with the Roughriders on January 31, 2024. In 2024, Milligan Jr. made 71 tackles, 20 tackles on special teams, and eight interceptions in 16 games on his way to being named to the All-CFL Team and CFL West All-Star.
Milligan Jr. signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He also had stints with the Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts playing 11 games in 2019 with the Colts making 15 tackles (11 solo, 4 assists), and one quarterback hit.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders signed Milligan Jr. on October 21, 2021. made 17 tackles, three tackles on special teams, and two interceptions in four games for the Roughriders in 2023. In four seasons, Milligan Jr. has made 164 tackles, 35 tackles on special teams, two sacks, 11 interceptions, and one forced fumble in 38 games for the Roughriders.
Collegiately, Milligan Jr. played one season at Reedley College in 2013 with 44 tackles (33 solo, 11 assists), three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, three interceptions for 116 yards, and eight pass breakups in nine games for the Tigers.
Next, he transferred to the University of Birmingham-Alabama in 2014 with 54 tackles (37 solo, 17 assists), four tackles for loss, two sacks, and six pass breakups in ten games for the Blazers.
Then, he transferred to Toledo in 2015 with 48 tackles (34 solo, 14 assists), four tackles for loss, two interceptions for 36 yards, one touchdown, five pass breakups, and three forced fumbles in 11 games for the Rockets.
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: Janarion Grant, Toronto Argonauts
Janarion Grant is five foot nine and weighs 160 pounds. The 30-year-old from Fort Trilby, Florida, signed with the Toronto Argonauts on May 28, 2024.
In 2024, Grant made 9 catches for 52 yards, two carries for 15 yards, 41 kick returns for 1,000 yards, one touchdown, 67 punt returns for 989 yards, and one touchdown in 16 games. He was named to the All-CFL Team in 2024.
Grant signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He played two games on special teams with two kick returns for 56 yards and seven punt returns for 52 yards. After the Ravens, he signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2019 and was placed on the practice squad.
He did not play a game for the Ticats and was later signed by the Blue Bombers in the same year. In 57 games, Grant has 21 catches for 148 yards, one touchdown, 12 carries for 104 yards, 128 kick returns for 3,092 yards, two touchdowns, 241 punt returns for 3,245 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 10 missed field goal returns for 253 yards.
In 2022, Grant made six catches for 54 yards, eight carries for 74 yards, 31 kick returns for 782 yards, one touchdown, 63 punt returns for 817 yards, two touchdowns, and three missed field goal returns for 90 yards in 16 games for the Blue Bombers.
In 2023, Grant made four catches for 36 yards, one touchdown, two carries for 15 yards, and 19 kick returns for 427 yards in eight games helping Winnipeg to reach its fourth straight Grey Cup.
Collegiately, Grant played five seasons at Rutgers University (2013-17) with 99 catches for 1,062 yards, two touchdowns, 36 carries for 344 yards, four touchdowns, 115 kick returns for 2,857 yards, five touchdowns, 52 punt returns for 588 yards, and three touchdowns in 49 games for the Scarlet Knights. Grant was a 2013 Second Team All-American Athletic Conference, 2015 Second Team All-Big Ten, and 2015 Rutgers Special Teams MVP.
Most Outstanding Rookie: Nick Anderson, Edmonton Elks
Nick Anderson is five foot eleven and weighs 230 pounds. The 24-year-old from Vicksburg, Mississippi, signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent on May 12, 2023. He played three preseason games with eight tackles (4 solo, 4 assists) and one pass breakup.
The Edmonton Elks signed Anderson on March 11, 2024. In 2024, Anderson made 111 tackles, five tackles on special teams, three sacks, one interception, and two forced fumbles in 18 games on his way to being named CFL West All-Star and the All-CFL Team.
Collegiately, Anderson played four seasons at Tulane University (2019-22) making 275 tackles (171 solos, 104 assists), 27 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, six pass breakups, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one blocked punt, one carry for three yards, and one kick return for nine yards in 49 games for the Mean Green. He was named Fourth Team All-American by Phil Steele in 2021.
In his senior season, Anderson made 105 tackles (56 solo, 49 assists), seven tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one blocked punt, one carry for three yards, and one kick return for nine yards in 13 games. He was named Second Team All-AAC in 2022.
Coach of the Year: Jason Maas, Montreal Alouettes
Jason Maas is 48 years old from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. He coached Montreal to a 12-5-1 record winning first place in the East Division in his second season as Montreal’s head coach. In 2024, Montreal averaged 25.3 points per game (5th), 332.9 net offense per game (9th), 84.3 rushing yards per game (8th), 264.4 passing yards per game (7th), and 46 touchdowns (4th).
In his first season, Maas guided the Alouettes to win the 110th Grey Cup title over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Montreal’s offense finished seventh in offensive points per game (20.6), fourth in touchdowns (43), sixth in average net offensive yards (329.7), fifth in average rushing yards (102.2), sixth in average passing yards (250.0), and eighth in sacks allowed (61).
In the 110th Grey Cup, quarterback Cody Fajardo completed 21 of 26 passes (81%) for 290 yards, three touchdowns, one interception, and two carries for 18 yards. Fajardo threw a game-winning 19-yard touchdown pass to Tyson Philpot.
Before he was a head coach, Maas had a brief stint with the Baltimore Ravens in 1999 before making the jump to the CFL in 2000. Maas played 11 seasons in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and Montreal Alouettes completing 1,256 of 2,055 passes (61.1%) for 17, 126 yards, 81 touchdowns, 64 interceptions, 248 carries for 1,135 yards, and 14 touchdowns in 198 games, of which 61 were starts. He won two Grey Cups as a player and was a two-time named Edmonton’s Most Outstanding Player.
As a coach, Maas was a quarterbacks coach for the Toronto Argonauts (2012-14) winning one Grey Cup in 2012, before becoming the Ottawa Redblacks Offensive Coordinator in 2015. Next, he returned to Edmonton as the Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator from 2016 to 2019 and was the Saskatchewan Roughriders Offensive Coordinator from 2020 through 2022.
Most Outstanding Canadian and Most Outstanding Player: Brady Oliveira, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Brady Oliviera is five foot ten and weighs 222 pounds. The 27-year-old from Winnipeg, Manitoba, re-signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on February 6, 2024. In 2024, Oliveira had 239 carries for 1,353 yards, three touchdowns, 57 catches for 476 yards, and one touchdown in 17 games. He was named a CFL West All-Star and the All-CFL Team.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers drafted Oliveira in the second round (14th pick) in the 2019 CFL Draft. In 2023, had 260 carries for 1,534 yards, nine touchdowns, 38 catches for 482 yards, and four touchdowns in 18 games for the Blue Bombers in 2023.
Oliviera was the league’s rushing yards leader and co-leader in touchdowns. He was named a CFL West All-Star, and a CFL All-Star, and won both the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy and CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian after the season.
In four seasons in Winnipeg, Oliveira has 795 carries for 4,317 yards, 18 touchdowns, 127 catches for 1,84 yards, and six touchdowns in 64 games. He is a two-time Grey Cup champion.
Collegiately, Oliveira played four seasons at North Dakota (2015-18) with 486 carries for 2,760 yards, 22 touchdowns, 25 catches for 241 yards, and one kick return for 23 yards in 41 games for the Fighting Hawks. He was named Third Team All-Big Sky Conference in 2016.
