Minas Panagiotakis/CFL.ca
TORONTO — If you’ve watched a CFL game, you know that it’s fun, fast and entertaining.
Along with high-scoring contests that go right down to the wire (never leave a CFL game early!), what makes the league so exciting to watch are the big plays.
A ‘big play’ is:
- a rush that goes for more than 20 yards
- a pass that goes for more than 30
- a punt return that is more than 30 yards
- a kickoff return that is more than 40 yards
- a missed field goal that is returned for more than 30 yards
- a missed convert (including two-point converts) that is returned for more than 50
Through Week 5 this year, the Montreal Alouettes are leading the way with 19 big plays (3.80 per game). Twelve of those big plays have been Cody Fajardo throwing deep for 30+ yards. The team has also tallied three 30+ yard rushes, three 30+ yard punt returns and a missed convert for more than 50.
So far in 2024 through Week 5, there have been 87 big plays, 4.35 per game. Here’s how many big plays have occurred since 2017:
| Year | Total Big Plays | Per Game |
| 2023 | 453 | 5.59 |
| 2022 | 377 | 4.65 |
| 2021 | 277 | 4.40 |
| 2019 | 389 | 4.80 |
| 2018 | 435 | 5.37 |
| 2017 | 447 | 5.52 |
Here are some examples of a ‘big play’ from 2024:
20+ YARD RUSHES
30+ YARD PASSES
30+ YARD PUNT RETURNS
40+ YARD KICKOFF RETURNS
30+ YARD MISSED FIELD GOAL RETURNS
50+ YARD MISSED CONVERT RETURNS
