CFLPA: Tom Pate Award
Every year the Canadian Football League Players’ Association (CFLPA) presents the Tom Pate Award; an award held in high regard. It is an award given to players who display qualities that distinguish them from their peers.
It is this rare quality that these players maintained and made them recipients of the award. Tom Pate had a unique combination of outstanding sportsmanship and dedication to the league and his community.
Tom Pate was educated at the University of Nebraska and played first-stringer with the Cornhuskers. After shuffling through various teams, he became a star with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
In October 1975, however, his stardom as well as his life, was abruptly ended, when in his fourteenth game, against the Calgary Stampeders, he suffered an aneurysm in the fourth quarter. Pate, only 23 at the time, never regained consciousness and died two days later.
Each year each team nominates a team member for this award. The recipient should embody the qualities that distinguished Tom Pate; qualities that recognize a player with outstanding sportsmanship, who has made a contribution to this team as well as to his community Association.
Past Winners |
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| 2017 |  |
Edmonton Eskimos | Adarius Bowman |
| 2016 |  |
BC Lions | Marco Iannuzzi |
| 2015 |  |
Ottawa REDBLACKS | Henry Burris |
| 2014 |  |
Calgary Stampeders | Randy Chevrier |
| 2013 |  |
Montreal Alouettes | Kyries Hebert |
| 2012 | |
Montreal Alouettes | Brian Bratton |
| 2011 |  |
Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Kevin Glenn |
| 2010 | |
Calgary Stampeders | Wes Lysack |
| 2009 | |
Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Marwan Hage |
| 2008 |  |
Saskatchewan Roughriders | Jeremy O’Day |
| 2007 |  |
Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Milt Stegall |
| 2006 | |
BC Lions | Mark Washington |
| 2005 | |
Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Danny McManus |
| 2004 | |
Montreal Alouettes | Barron Miles |
| 2003 | |
BC Lions | Steve Hardin |
| 2002 | |
Calgary Stampeders | Greg Frers |
| 2001 | |
Edmonton Eskimos | Rick Walters |
| 2000 | |
Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Mike Morreale |
| 1999 | |
BC Lions | Jamie Taras |
| 1998 | |
Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Glen Scrivener |
| 1997 | |
Calgary Stampeders | Mark McLoughlin |
| 1996 |  |
Toronto Argonauts | Michael “Pinball” Clemons |
| 1995 | |
Calgary Stampeders | Mark McLoughlin |
| 1994 |  |
Baltimore Stallions | O.J. Brigance |
| 1993 | |
Toronto Argonauts | Michael “Pinball” Clemons |
| 1992 | |
BC Lions | Danny Barrett |
| 1991 | |
Calgary Stampeders | Stu Laird |
| 1990 | |
Saskatchewan Roughriders | Ritchie Hall |
| 1989 | |
BC Lions | Matt Dunigan |
| 1988 | |
Edmonton Eskimos | Hector Pothier |
| 1987 | |
Montreal Alouettes | Nick Arakgi |
| 1986 | |
BC Lions | Tyrone Crews |
| 1985 | |
Saskatchewan Roughriders | Jerry Friesen |
| 1984 | |
Ottawa REDBLACKS | Bruce Walker |
| 1983 | |
Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Henry Waszczuk |
| 1982 | |
Edmonton Eskimos | David Boone |
| 1981 | |
Saskatchewan Roughriders | Ken McEachern |
| 1980 | |
Ottawa REDBLACKS | Jim Coode |
| 1979 | |
Toronto Argonauts | Peter Muller |
| 1978 | |
Calgary Stampeders | John Helton |
| 1977 | |
Saskatchewan Roughriders | Ron Lancaster |
| 1976 | |
Saskatchewan Roughriders | George Reed |