MATT DUNIGAN HONOURED

CFL Hall of Fame quarterback Matt Dunigan will be among this year’s inductees into Mike Ditka’s Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund’s Hall of Fame.

Dunigan will be joined in the Hall this year by a number of former NFL players including Dan Reeves and Eddie Murray. Previous inductees to the Hall include “Mean” Joe Greene, Greg Landry and Marv Levy.

Dunigan will be the fourth former CFL great inducted into the Hall, joining Hugh Campbell and George Reed, who were inducted last year and Angelo Mosca who was selected in 2012.

Dunigan played in the CFL for 14 seasons with six different teams Edmonton, BC, Toronto, Winnipeg, Birmingham and Hamilton, (guiding 5 of the 6 teams to the play-offs and 4 of them to the Grey Cup.) He won Grey Cups with Edmonton in 1987 and Toronto in 1991. He finished his career with 43,859 passing yards and 3,057 completions in 5,476 attempts (306 TD passes). He rushed for 5,031 yards and scored another 77 TD’s via the run. Inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2006, the Winnipeg Blue Bomber Hall of Fame in 2003 and into his alma mater, Louisiana Tech Hall of Fame in 2011, where he was a 2-Time All-American.

 He still holds the CFL record for most passing yards in a game. Dunigan threw for an incredible 713 yards with Winnipeg in 1994 in a game against the Eskimos.

“I’m extremely honoured by this selection,” said Dunigan. “I’m baffled by it all. It’s exceptional company to be in. Those guys are some of the legends that played the game and paved the way for all of us. I look at some of the people who have gone in to the Hall and it gets more and more overwhelming and humbling. Football has a way of humbling a player. 

“I think it’s a tremendous opportunity to bridge the CFL and NFL together,” added Dunigan. There are so many great players that have competed on the gridiron and the same life lessons are taught on both sides of the border.”

Dunigan has been equally successful off the field. He has contributed to the community through his involvement with (Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Canadian Association of Community Living, Kids, Cops & Computers – Merry Go Round Children’s Foundation, DEBRA Canada as well as through many other community endeavours. He has also made significant contributions to the study and effects of concussion on athletes with his involvement with ThinkFirst Canada/Parachute.  Dunigan has been a Football analyst and commentator for TSN since 1999.  

“Matt has been an important part of the CFL Alumni Association since our inception,” said Leo Ezerins, Executive Director of the CFLAA. “We are particularly grateful for his support on the Canadian Sports Concussion Project.”