Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
TORONTO — Six years after winning the Grey Cup and the Most Outstanding Player, Travis Lulay is back in the news.
On Saturday, after a long wait as the backup, the 34-year-old turned back the clock with a remarkable 436-yard performance following Jonathon Jennings‘ first-quarter injury.
Lulay’s big day (including three touchdowns and completions on 29 of 36 passes) not only pivoted the Lions to their third straight victory, 41-26 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, but also made league history.
Lulay became the third quarterback in CFL history to go over 400 yards off the bench while his 436-yard total was the highest for an in-game substitute quarterback ever:
With Jennings going out of the game after just one passing attempt, Saturday’s result offered some other historic significance as well. For the fourth time ever, the ‘decision’ (win, tie or loss) would be shifted to the second-string quarterback rather than the starter.
The Lions’ victory means that Lulay is the third quarterback to register a win despite not starting the game, a luxury only Matt Nichols and Reggie Slack, who entered for Mike Reilly in 2014 and Kent Austin in 1996, respectively, have enjoyed. The Lions pivot moves to 40-26 in his CFL career.
Las Vegas quarterback Lenny Williams was the first quarterback taking on the result when he was handed a loss after stepping in for Anthony Calvillo in 1994.
Wins and losses aside, there have now been 24 games in which a backup quarterback has entered and thrown for 300-plus yards. Lulay, meanwhile, becomes the seventh replacement quarterback to lead his team to a win dating back to the 2014 season.
