Geoff Robins/CFL.ca
TORONTO — With Grey Cup Unite Week underway, fans and media alike are looking back at Grey Cups of the past.
From the team with the most Grey Cup wins to the all-time leaders in receptions and rushes in a Grey Cup, CFL.ca has you covered with all the numbers you need to know.
Here are some Grey Cup statistics that you may not have known about:
MOST GREY CUP WINS
Ricky Ray led the Toronto Argonauts to their 17th Grey Cup victory in 2017 (Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca)
The Toronto Argonauts have the title of the team to have won the most Grey Cups in league history. The Boatmen have hoisted the trophy over their heads an incredible 17 times since their first win in 1914. Their last win in 2017 is one of the most memorable Grey Cups in recent memory, with Ricky Ray leading the double blue to victory over the Calgary Stampeders through the snow in Ottawa.
| Team | Wins | First | Last |
| Toronto Argonauts | 17 | 1914 | 2017 |
| Edmonton Football Team | 14 | 1954 | 2015 |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 11 | 1935 | 2019 |
| Ottawa Based Teams | 10 | 1925 | 2016 |
MOST GREY CUPS PARTICIPATED IN
Getting to the Grey Cup is the ultimate goal of every CFL player. It’s what they work their entire season for, making sure they and their team get to to play in the final game of the year for the coveted trophy. Here’s a look at the players who suited up in the Grey Cup the most.
| Name | Total GC Games | Last | Years Participated | No. of Teams | Won |
| John Barrow | 9 | 1967 | 1957-59, 61-65, 67 | 1 (HAM) | 4 |
| Tommy Grant | 9 | 1967 | 1957-59, 61-65, 67 | 1 (HAM) | 4 |
| Angelo Mosca | 9 | 1972 | 1958-60, 62-65, 67, 72 | 2 (HAM, OTT) | 5 |
| Dave Cutler | 9 | 1982 | 1973-75, 77-82 | 1 (EDM) | 6 |
| Larry Highbaugh | 9 | 1982 | 1973-75, 77-82 | 1 (EDM) | 6 |
| Hank Ilesic | 9 | 1991 | 1977-83, 87, 91 | 2 (EDM, TOR) | 7 |
MOST DEFENSIVE TACKLES (1952-2018)
They say that defence wins championships and for these defensive players, they have written themselves into the history books with their clutch tackles over their career in the Grey Cup. Here’s a look at the players who have racked up the most tackles.
| Player | Teams | DT |
| John Barrow | HAM | 48 |
| Dan Kepley | EDM | 42 |
| Juan Sheridan | MTL | 34 |
| Dale Potter | EDM | 32 |
| Vince Scott | HAM | 30 |
| Angelo Mosca | HAM, OTT | 29 |
| Herb Gray | WPG | 26 |
| Garney Henley | HAM | 26 |
| Ron Estay | EDM | 24 |
| Ed Jones | EDM | 24 |
GREY CUP RUSHING LEADERS (1952 to 2018)
Mike Pringle sits on top of the list of Grey Cup rushing leaders from 1952 to 2018 (The Canadian Press)
As we all know, cold weather games usually rely heavily on the men running the rock. Since the Grey Cup is played near the end of November somewhere in Canada, you can almost guarantee the weather will be chilly or even downright freezing. Here’s a look at the rushing leaders in Grey Cup contests.
| Player | Teams | GP | Car | Yds | LG | TD | Max |
| Mike Pringle | BAL, MTL, EDM | 4 | 76 | 391 | 40 | 2 | 135 |
| Leo Lewis | WPG | 6 | 74 | 356 | 36 | 2 | 98 |
| George Reed | SSK | 4 | 77 | 346 | 21 | 1 | 133 |
| Norm Kwong | CGY, EDM | 7 | 76 | 332 | 21 | 4 | 145 |
| Robert Drummond | BAL, TOR, BC | 5 | 39 | 312 | 44 | 2 | 128 |
| Jackie Parker | EDM | 4 | 40 | 275 | 24 | 2 | 116 |
| Jim Germany | EDM | 6 | 68 | 263 | 18 | 4 | 70 |
| Johnny Bright | EDM | 4 | 39 | 261 | 42 | 4 | 169 |
| Gerry McDougall | HAM | 5 | 54 | 232 | 27 | 2 | 91 |
| Wes Cates | SSK | 3 | 36 | 232 | 24 | 1 | 86 |
GREY CUP RECEIVING LEADERS (1952 to 2018)
These receivers are the ones their quarterbacks relied on the most in the championship games. Here’s a look at the leading pass-catchers in Grey Cups.
| Player | GP | Last | Teams | No | Yds | TD | Max |
| Ben Cahoon | 8 | 2010 | MTL | 46 | 658 | 3 | 148 |
| Hal Patterson | 7 | 1965 | MTL HAM | 29 | 575 | 4 | 139 |
| John ‘Red’ Patterson | 3 | 1956 | MTL | 23 | 465 | 2 | 290 |
| Tom Scott | 5 | 1982 | EDM | 26 | 402 | 4 | 174 |
| Brian Kelly | 6 | 1982 | EDM | 22 | 394 | 5 | 111 |
| Allen Pitts | 5 | 1999 | CGY | 25 | 364 | 3 | 95 |
| Ernie Pitts | 6 | 1965 | WPG | 20 | 361 | 1 | 93 |
| Andy Fantuz | 5 | 2014 | SSK, HAM | 26 | 360 | 2 | 81 |
| Jamel Richardson | 3 | 2010 | MTL | 22 | 345 | 1 | 123 |
| Rick House | 4 | 1990 | WPG, EDM | 17 | 318 | 1 | 134 |
GREY CUP KICKING LEADERS (to 2018)
Special teams are just as important as offence and defence; teams need all the points they can get as they look to win a championship. Here’s a look at the best kickers to boot the ball in a Grey Cup.
| Player | Last | Teams | Att | Made | Pct | LG |
| Rene Paredes | 2018 | CGY | 11 | 11 | 100.0 | 39 |
| Mike Vanderjagt | 1997 | TOR | 9 | 9 | 100.0 | 38 |
| Sandro Deangelis | 2008 | CGY | 5 | 5 | 100.0 | 50 |
| Paul McCallum | 2011 | SSK, BC | 12 | 11 | 91.7 | 47 |
| Trevor Kennerd | 1990 | WPG | 11 | 10 | 90.9 | 46 |
BY THE NUMBERS: ODDS AND ENDS
4 – Most touchdowns in a Grey Cup game (Art Wilson, 1913)
197 – Most rushing yards in a Grey Cup game (Kory Sheets, 2013)
53 – Longest field goal made in a Grey Cup game (Carlos Huerta, 1995)
100 – Longest pass reception in a Grey Cup game (DeVier Posey, 2017)
35 – Most pass completions in a Grey Cup game (Ricky Ray, 2005)
290 – Most pass receiving yards in a Grey Cup game (Red O’Quinn, 1954)
4 – Most TD passes in a Grey Cup game (Russ Jackson, 1969)
5 – Most quarterback sacks in a Grey Cup game since 1954 (Grover Covington, 1986)
16 – Most defensive tackles in a Grey Cup game since 1953 (Juan Sheridan, 1995)
7 – Most special teams tackles in a Grey Cup game since 1953 (Billy Graham, 1957)
