Doug Flutie, the former Heisman Trophy winner from Boston College, became the first player in CFL history Thursday night to be honored as the league's outstanding performer for the fourth straight year.
The Calgary Stampeders quarterback had been tied with Jackie Parker and Russ Jackson as the only consecutive three-time winners."I'm shaking up here because this is really special to win it for a fourth time," he said. "We'll come back next year, win our share of games and give it another run."
Flutie, who threw a record 48 touchdown passes this year, edged Baltimore running back Mike Pringle 33-19 for the Chrysler Canada Award in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada in each CFL city.
Flutie has played five seasons in the CFL, and the only time he didn't win the award was as a rookie in 1990 with the B.C. Lions.
Pringle set a CFL rushing record with 1,972 yards, but it was Flutie who led Calgary to best regular-season record (15-3) and a first-place finish in the Western Division.
"Great year, Mike," Flutie said. "It was a phenomenal year for you and the Baltimore team."
Other CFL winners: linebacker Willie Pless of the Edmonton Eskimos (defensive player), slotback and former Weber State great Gerald Wilcox of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Canadian); Baltimore tackle Shar Pourdanesh (offensive lineman) and Baltimore linebacker Matt Goodwin (rookie).
The five awards were presented during Grey Cup week festivities.