CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Milt Stegall Named CFL's Most Outstanding Player

Published on November 22, 2002 under Canadian Football League (CFL)
Winnipeg Blue Bombers News Release


WINNIPEG, MB – Slotback Milt Stegall capped off one of the greatest individual seasons in CFL History tonight by winning the league's Most Outstanding Player Award.

Stegall (6-1, 185, Miami (OH) '91, DOB: Jan. 25, 1970 in Cincinnati, OH) won the honor tonight in Edmonton at the CFL's Annual Outstanding Player Awards event, held this year at the Winspear Centre. The Football Reporters of Canada voted on all the CFL awards, including the one taken home by Stegall this evening.

The award is the first for the highly talented slotback, who has been the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Player on three occasions: 1997, 2000 & 2002.

A four-time CFL All-Star, Stegall becomes the second straight Blue Bomber to capture the award. Quarterback Khari Jones won the honor in 2001. This is the 3rd time Blue Bombers players have won the award in back-to-back seasons.

Stegall's win marks the 7th time a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to win the award in the history of the awards presentations. The list of Winnipeg winners follows below:

WINNIPEG'S MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER AWARD WINNERS
PLAYER YEAR
Milt Stegall 2002
Khari Jones 2001
Tom Clements 1987
James Murphy 1986
Willard Reaves 1984
Dieter Brock 1981
Dieter Brock 1980
Don Jonas 1971

Stegall had one of the greatest individual seasons in CFL History during the 2002 campaign. Stegall led the CFL in receptions, receiving yards, yards from scrimmage, touchdowns, receiving touchdowns, 100-yard games, 100-yard receiving games, average yards per catch (50 min.) and non-kicker scoring.

"Turtle Man" also set two major CFL records this season. He set a new league single-season record for touchdowns with 23 and a new league single-season record for receiving touchdowns, also with 23. He amassed several other CFL single-season and career milestones along the way.

Stegall set personal highs in many categories: receptions, receiving yards, yards from scrimmage, touchdowns, receiving touchdowns, multiple touchdown games, 100-yard receiving games and points scored. He set or tied too many Winnipeg Football Club records this season to mention in this space.

Stegall's earlier nomination as West Division representative ended Calgary's streak of having the West nominee five straight years and nine of the last 10 seasons.

MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER MILT STEGALL

He is the CFL's biggest playmaker – bar none. Big plays, key plays and game-winning plays, slotback Milt Stegall does it all. Every game the graduate of Miami of Ohio makes a meaningful and/or thrilling catch.

Despite having players with big-play capabilities such as Arland Bruce III, Charles Roberts and Mike Sellers on his team, Stegall led the club in plays 40 yards or greater with nine, including seven of the club's nine longest plays.

Stegall, who entered the season with 7,007 career receiving yards, has passed the 8,000-yard barrier and is now within striking distance of reaching 9,000 yards.

He moved up 28 places in the CFL's All-Time touchdowns list (35th to 7th) in the 2002 season alone. Most players never advance 28 spots in the category in their entire careers.

The speedy slotback has totaled an incredible amount of records and accomplishments, despite the fact he is the most highly guarded player in the CFL. Each game Stegall is mugged, fouled, held, impeded, punched, shoved and double-teamed yet, he continues to flourish.

Stegall's nomination as the club's best marked the third time the Football Reporters of Canada have named Stegall the football club's Most Outstanding Player. The three-time CFL All-Star took home the honor in the 1997 & 2000 seasons.

THE 2002 CFL SEASON – A LEAGUE LEADER

- Milt Stegall led the CFL in the following categories:

- Touchdowns
- Receiving Touchdowns
- Yards From Scrimmage
- Receptions
- Receiving Yards
- 100-Yard Games
- 100-Yard Receiving Games
- Average Yards Per Catch (50 min.)
- Non-Kicker Scoring

- The CFL named Stegall its Player of the Week three times.
- He scored the game-winning touchdown against the Montreal Alouettes in Week 12 (Winnipeg vs. Montreal, Sept. 20, 2002), the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 15 (Winnipeg vs. Saskatchewan, Oct.12, 2002) and the Calgary Stampeders in Week 16 (Winnipeg @ Calgary, Oct. 18, 2002).
- He recorded nine 100-yard receiving games this season.

SINGLE-GAME RECORDS
- Stegall recorded the 2nd-highest receiving touchdown total for a single CFL game (4 TDs, Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan, Oct. 6, 2002). This was also 2nd-highest in football club history.

SINGLE-SEASON RECORDS
- Stegall set the CFL record for most receiving touchdowns in a season with 23.
- Stegall set the football club record for most total touchdowns in a season with 23, shattering the 45-year-old mark set by Canadian Football Hall of Fame member Gerry James.
- Stegall set the CFL record for most total touchdowns in a season with 23.
- Stegall set the football club record for most receiving touchdowns in a season with 23.
- Stegall set the football club record for most 100-yard receiving games in a season with nine.
- Stegall hauled in 105 receptions on the season.
- Stegall set the football club record for receiving yards with 1,862.

CAREER RECORDS
- Stegall set the Winnipeg Football Club record for career touchdowns.
- Stegall set the football club for most 100-yard receiving games in a career with 35.
- Stegall tied the club record for most 10-touchdown seasons.
- Stegall tied the club record for most consecutive 10-touchdown seasons.
- Stegall tied the club record for most consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
- Stegall recorded the second most 1,000-yard receiving seasons in club history.
- Stegall moved into 2nd place in the football club's career receiving yards list.
- Stegall moved into 6th place in the CFL record books for most 100-yard receiving games in a career with 35.
- Stegall moved into 7th spot on the CFL's All-Time touchdowns list.
- Stegall moved into 19th place on the CFL's All-Time receiving yards list.
- Stegall recorded his 20th multiple touchdown game.
- Stegall tied Canadian Football Hall of Fame member Tom Scott for 3rd place in the CFL record books for career receiving TDs with 88.

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Canadian Football League Stories from November 22, 2002


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