DOUBLING UP: OLIVEIRA NAMED GEORGE REED MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER AND MOST OUTSTANDING CANADIAN
Winnipeg running back becomes the fourth player to claim both awards in the same season
VANCOUVER (November 14, 2024) – Winnipeg Bue Bombers running back Brady Oliveira has been named the George Reed Most Outstanding Player and the Most Outstanding Canadian at the 2024 CFL Awards, presented by Securian Canada. He joins Jon Cornish, Russ Jackson and Tony Gabriel as the only players to manage the feat in the same year.
The winners were selected by the national and local members of the Football Reporters of Canada, and the league’s nine head coaches. In total, 56 ballots were completed.
The CFL Awards hosted by the CFL ON TSN’s Kate Beirness and Milt Stegall were presented as part of the 2024 Grey Cup Festival. The 111th Grey Cup, featuring the internationally-acclaimed Jonas Brothers in the Twisted Tea Grey Cup Halftime Show, will be played at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver on Sunday, November 17, with kickoff slated for 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. A limited number of tickets are still available via Ticketmaster. The championship contest will be broadcast live across the nation on TSN, CTV and RDS. CBS Sports Network will exclusively televise the Grey Cup in the U.S. Viewers outside of North America can tune-in via the league’s livestreaming platform, CFL+.
2024 CFL AWARDS WINNERS
- Most Outstanding Player: Brady Oliveira, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Rolan Milligan Jr., Saskatchewan Roughriders
- Most Outstanding Canadian: Brady Oliveira, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman: Ryan Hunter, Toronto Argonauts
- Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: Janarion Grant, Toronto Argonauts
- Most Outstanding Rookie: Nick Anderson, Edmonton Elks
- Coach of the Year: Jason Maas, Montreal Alouettes
Brady Oliveira topped the league in rushing yards (1,353) for the second consecutive season, becoming the first player to accomplish the feat since Andrew Harris from 2017-19. He has now eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in the past three seasons. Oliveira was instrumental to the Blue Bombers claiming their fourth consecutive West Division title. The former North Dakota Fighting Hawk led the CFL in yards from scrimmage (1,829) for a second straight year.
Oliveira garnered 31 votes to become the ninth Blue Bomber to win the award, including a pair of two-time recipients – Dieter Brock (1980-81) and Zach Collaros (2021-22).
Rolan Milligan Jr. recorded 111 defensive plays this season – good for fifth overall. The Lake Wales, Fla., native tallied a career-high eight interceptions to sit atop the league leaderboard and he equaled his personal best with 71 defensive tackles. Milligan led a stout Roughriders defence that allowed the third-fewest points (24.1 per game) and the second-fewest yards (356.1 per game) while forcing a league-high 49 turnovers. The team went on to host its first playoff game since 2021.
Milligan received 35 votes to become the fourth Roughrider to claim the award and the first since 2009. No defensive back has earned the honour since Jovon Johnson in 2011.
Oliveira is the sixth player to win the award in consecutive seasons. In addition to being the league’s premiere rusher, the Winnipeg native set a new career-high with 57 receptions, while eclipsing the 475-receiving yard mark for a second straight year. Oliveira joins Jon Cornish, Russ Jackson and Tony Gabriel as the only players to claim George Reed Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian in the same season.
Oliveira received 55 votes.
Ryan Hunter was key to an Argonauts offence that scored a league-high 514 points (28.6 per game), while allowing Ka’Deem Carey to set a new career-high with 1,416 yards from scrimmage. The team also topped the East Division in rushing yards (121.3 per game), rushing first downs (158) and time of possession (30:33). The Bowling Green product started 17 games, including time spent at guard and tackle.
Hunter received 40 votes to become the third Argonaut to win the award after Dejon Allen (2023) and Mike Kiselak (1996-97).
Janarion Grant led the CFL with a 14.8-yard punt return average (minimum 22 returns), three punt return touchdowns and a career-best four total return touchdowns. The Rutgers product dwarfed his previous career-highs, setting new personal marks in punt returns (67), punt return yards (989), kickoff returns (41) and kickoff return yards (1,000). His season was punctuated by a stretch of three consecutive games with a return touchdown, including a career-long 103-yard effort in Week 6.
Grant tallied 45 votes to become the second consecutive Argonaut to win the award (Javon Leake) and the fifth overall.
Nick Anderson led the league in total tackles, while finishing tied for first with 111 defensive tackles alongside fellow Elk, Nyles Morgan. The dominant duo became the first teammates to record 110-or-more defensive tackles in the same season. The former Tulane Green Wave finished second in defensive plays with 130, including three sacks, one interception and two forced fumbles on the year.
The Vicksburg, Miss., native received 43 votes to become the fifth Edmonton player to win the award and the first since Derel Walker in 2015.
In his second season with the team, Jason Maas guided the Alouettes to their first division title since 2012. Montreal had not recorded 12 victories since 2010. The team led the league in quarterback completion percentage (71.3), offensive touchdowns allowed (31) and yards allowed per play (6.32).
Maas collected 30 votes to join Marc Trestman (2009), Don Matthews (2002), Charlie Taaffe (2000 and 1999) and Marv Levy (1974) as the only Alouettes to win the award.