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CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers

'SWAC' is back

July 4, 2004 - Canadian Football League (CFL)
Winnipeg Blue Bombers News Release


Winnipeg, MB– Defensive end Elfrid "SWAC" Payton today agreed to join the Winnipeg Blue Bombers practice roster.

Payton – who returns for his 3rd tour of duty with the Blue & Gold – will likely be activated for next Thursday's game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Canad Inns Stadium.

Payton (6-1, 230, Grambling '89, DOB: Sept. 22, 1967 in Gretna, LA) is a four- time CFL All-Star, seven-time divisional all-star and a four-time CFLPA All- Star. He is a 16-time CFL Player of Week Award winner, a three-time CFL Player of the Month Award winner and the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2002.

Payton enters his 14th CFL season and his 5th with Winnipeg. He has played in 189 regular-season games, 17 playoff games and four Grey Cups. His Winnipeg totals are 55 regular-season games, five playoff contests and one Grey Cup. He was an injured member of two other sides that advanced to the Grey Cup: Winnipeg in 1992 and Edmonton in 2003.

Payton is one of the best players ever at bringing down opposing quarterbacks. He has 149 career quarterback sacks and needs nine more to surpass the CFL record of 157 set by former Hamilton Tiger-Cat Grover Covington.

"The Maestro of Madness" – as he is also known – holds five Winnipeg Football Club records and is in the Top-10 in six other categories. He shares the CFL record for quarterback sacks in a single-game with five (Montréal vs. Winnipeg, July 22, 1999) and is in the CFL Top-10 in two other categories.

THE CFL YEARS – EDMONTON ESKIMOS – 2004 Payton attended the Edmonton Eskimos training camp in 2004, only to be released.

THE CFL YEARS – EDMONTON ESKIMOS – 2003 Payton played in two regular-season games for the Eskimos before suffering a season-ending knee injury in a game against the Calgary Stampeders.

THE CFL YEARS – EDMONTON ESKIMOS – 2002 At a time when many observers though he might be washed up, Payton had his best CFL campaign. The Football Reporters of Canada named him the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player and placed him on both the CFL and West Division All-Star Teams. The CFLPA also named him to it all-star team.

Payton played in 18 regular-season games, the West Division Championship and the Grey Cup. He led the CFL with 16 quarterback sacks and 87 quarterback sack yards, adding 49 defensive tackles, four forced fumbles and three pass knockdowns.

He was the CFL Player of the Week four times (Weeks 1, 9, 10 & 18) and CFL Lineman of the Month twice (September & October/November).

THE CFL YEARS – TORONTO ARGONAUTS – 2001 Payton appeared in all 18 regular-season games for the Toronto Argonauts in 2001. He was an East Division All-Star after leading the CFL in fumble returns (4), fumble return yards (88) and fumble return touchdowns (1). He was also a CFLPA All-Star.

He was the CFL Player of the Week four times (Weeks 4, 5, 10 & 13) and the CFL Player of the Month once (July).

His 15 quarterback sacks for 96 yards were 2nd best in the league. He added 41 defensive tackles and five tackles for a loss of 10 yards.

THE CFL YEARS – WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS – 2000 In his 2nd stint with the Blue Bombers, Payton played in 16 regular-season games plus the 2000 East Division Semifinal and the 2000 East Division Championship.

He led the club in quarterback sacks (8), tackles for a loss (8) and tackles for a loss yardage (26). His 36 quarterback sack yards was 2nd best on the club. He added 41 defensive tackles and five pass knockdowns to his totals.

THE CFL YEARS – MONTRÉAL ALOUETTES – 1999 Payton had another one of his typical dominating seasons in 1999, this time for the Montréal Alouettes. He played in 17 regular-season games along with the 1999 East Division Championship.

Payton was an East Division All-Star and a CFLPA All-Star. He was the CFL Player of the Week three times (Weeks 1, 3, & 11). He tied the CFL record for quarterback sacks in a game with five in a July game against the Blue Bombers (Montréal vs. Winnipeg, July 22, 1999).

He tallied 40 defensive tackles, 16 quarterback sacks for a loss of 108 yards, 12 tackles for a loss of 31 yards, three pass knockdown, two fumble returns for 18 yards and a touchdown, and two forced fumbles.

THE CFL YEARS – MONTRÉAL ALOUETTES – 1998 Payton played in 18 regular-season games, the East Division Semifinal and the East Division Championship. He was a CFL All-Star, East Division All-Star and a CFLPA All-Star for the Als. He won CFL Player of the Week honors in Week 2.

He recorded 42 defensive tackles, 16 quarterback sacks for a loss of 118 yards, five tackles for a loss of 11 yards and two forced fumbles.

THE CFL YEARS – MONTRÉAL ALOUETTES – 1997 Payton appeared in 18 regular-season games, the East Division Semifinal and the East Division Championship. He was a CFL All-Star and an East Division All-Star. He earned CFL Player of the Week honors in Week 1.

Payton led the CFL in quarterback sacks with 14 for 107 yards lost. He notched 42 defensive tackles, four tackles for a loss of 13 yards, four forced fumbles, one blocked kick and one special teams tackle.

THE CFL YEARS – MONTRÉAL ALOUETTES – 1996 Payton appeared in nine regular-season games, the East Division Semifinal and the East Division Championship. He compiled 21 defensive tackles, six quarterback sacks for a loss of 51 yards and five tackles for a loss of nine yards.

THE CFL YEARS – BALTIMORE STALLIONS – 1995 Payton was a member of the only U.S.-based team to win a Grey Cup Championship – the 1995 Baltimore Stallions. He played in 18 regular-season games, the South Division Semifinal, the South Division Championship and the Grey Cup.

He was a South Division All-Star and CFL Player of the Week twice (Weeks 2 & 9). He had 40 defensive tackles, 18 quarterback sacks for 144 yards lost, five tackles for a loss of 18 yards and four fumble returns for 37 yards.

THE CFL YEARS – BALTIMORE STALLIONS – 1994 Payton joined Baltimore after playing briefly for the Shreveport Pirates. He played in 11 regular-season games for the Stallions plus the East Division Semifinal, East Division Championship and the Grey Cup.

He was the CFL Player of the Week after the East Division Championship Game.

He tallied 36 defensive tackles, four quarterback sacks for 30 yards lost, two tackles for a loss of three yards, one fumble return for one yards and a special teams tackle.

THE CFL YEARS – SHREVEPORT PIRATES – 1994 Payton began the 1994 season with the Shreveport Pirates. He only played five games for the Pirates before moving on to Baltimore. He had one tackle for a loss of four yards and one uarterback sack for a loss of one yard.

THE CFL YEARS – WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS – 1993 Payton had one of his best CFL campaigns in 1993, leading the Blue Bombers to their 2nd-straight appearance in the Grey Cup. Payton played in 18 regular-season games, the East Division Championship and the Grey Cup.

He was the East Division's Most Outstanding Defensive Player, the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Defensive Player, a CFL All-Star and an East Division All-Star. He was the CFL Player of the Week for Week 7.

He led the CFL in quarterback sacks with 22, which set a Winnipeg Football Club record. That total remains the 6th-highest single-season mark in league history. It was the 4th-best when he achieved the total in 1993.

His 150 quarterback sack yards led the CFL and set another Winnipeg Football Club record. He added 28 defensive tackles, six tackles for a loss of 19 yards, two fumble returns for 48 yards and a touchdown plus one special teams tackle.

THE CFL YEARS – WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS – 1992 Payton played in nine regular-season games for Winnipeg in 1992. He had 26 defensive tackles, eight tackles for a loss of 26 yards, six quarterback sacks for 43 yards lost, one fumble return for zero yards and one special teams tackle.

THE CFL YEARS – WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS – 1991 Payton had a remarkable debut campaign for the Big Blue, winning the club's Most Outstanding Rookie Award. He appeared in 12 regular-season games, the East Division Semifinal and the East Division Championship.

He had 30 defensive tackles, seven special teams tackles, six quarterback sacks, three tackles for a loss of seven yards, two fumble returns for zero yards and one interception return for 50 yards.

THE COLLEGE YEARS – GRAMBLING TIGERS Payton played three years of U.S. College Football for the Grambling University Tigers under famed head coach Eddie Robinson.

As a senior in 1989, he led the school with 20 tackles for a loss, 13 quarterback sacks and two fumble returns. A linebacker in college, Payton won the school's Most Outstanding Player Award in both 1988 & 1989. He was a Second-Team All-Louisiana All-Star as a senior.

He graduated from Grambling with a degree in criminal justice.

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