The George Reed Most Outstanding Player Award is an award given annually to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The two nominees for the award are the Terry Evanshen Trophy winner from the East Division, and the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy winner from the West Division. The winner of the award is chosen by the Football Reporters of Canada.
The award was created in 1953 as the Schenley Award, named after Schenley Distillers Corporation, to honour the most outstanding player in Canadian Rugby Union, one of the forerunner leagues of the CFL; Schenley ended its sponsorship of the awards in 1988, and the awards have been unsponsored since. Broadcasters Ernie Calcutt, John Badham and Pierre Dufault were regular presenters of the Schenley Award.
CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award winners + CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award winners 2025 Nathan Rourke QB BC Lions 2024 Brady Oliveira RB Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2023 Chad Kelly QB Toronto Argonauts 2022 Zach Collaros QB Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2021 Zach Collaros QB Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2020 Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2019 Brandon Banks WR Hamilton Tiger-Cats 2018 Bo Levi Mitchell QB Calgary Stampeders 2017 Michael Reilly QB Edmonton Eskimos 2016 Bo Levi Mitchell QB Calgary Stampeders 2015 Henry Burris QB Ottawa RedBlacks 2014 Solomon Elimimian LB BC Lions 2013 Jon Cornish RB Calgary Stampeders 2012 Chad Owens WR/KR Toronto Argonauts 2011 Travis Lulay QB BC Lions 2010 Henry Burris QB Calgary Stampeders 2009 Anthony Calvillo QB Montreal Alouettes 2008 Anthony Calvillo QB Montreal Alouettes 2007 Kerry Joseph QB Saskatchewan Roughriders 2006 Geroy Simon SB BC Lions 2005 Damon Allen QB Toronto Argonauts 2004 Casey Printers QB BC Lions 2003 Anthony Calvillo QB Montreal Alouettes 2002 Milt Stegall SB Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2001 Khari Jones QB Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2000 Dave Dickenson QB Calgary Stampeders 1999 Danny McManus QB Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1998 Mike Pringle RB Montreal Alouettes 1997 Doug Flutie QB Toronto Argonauts 1996 Doug Flutie QB Toronto Argonauts 1995 Mike Pringle RB Baltimore Stallions 1994 Doug Flutie QB Calgary Stampeders 1993 Doug Flutie QB Calgary Stampeders 1992 Doug Flutie QB Calgary Stampeders 1991 Doug Flutie QB BC Lions 1990 Mike "Pinball" Clemons RB Toronto Argonauts 1989 Tracy Ham QB Edmonton Eskimos 1988 David Williams WR BC Lions 1987 Tom Clements QB Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1986 James Murphy WR Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1985 Mervyn Fernandez WR BC Lions 1984 Willard Reaves RB Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1983 Warren Moon QB Edmonton Eskimos 1982 Condredge Holloway QB Toronto Argonauts 1981 Dieter Brock QB Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1980 Dieter Brock QB Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1979 David Green RB Montreal Alouettes 1978 Tony Gabriel TE Ottawa Rough Riders 1977 Jimmy Edwards RB Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1976 Ron Lancaster QB Saskatchewan Roughriders 1975 Willie Burden RB Calgary Stampeders 1974 Tom Wilkinson QB Edmonton Eskimos 1973 George McGowan WR Edmonton Eskimos 1972 Garney Henley WR Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1971 Don Jonas QB Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1970 Ron Lancaster QB Saskatchewan Roughriders 1969 Russ Jackson QB Ottawa Rough Riders 1968 Bill Symons RB Toronto Argonauts 1967 Peter Liske QB Calgary Stampeders 1966 Russ Jackson QB Ottawa Rough Riders 1965 George Reed RB Saskatchewan Roughriders 1964 Lovell Coleman RB Calgary Stampeders 1963 Russ Jackson QB Ottawa Rough Riders 1962 George Dixon RB Montreal Alouettes 1961 Bernie Faloney QB Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1960 Jackie Parker QB Edmonton Eskimos 1959 Johnny Bright RB Edmonton Eskimos 1958 Jackie Parker QB Edmonton Eskimos 1957 Jackie Parker RB Edmonton Eskimos 1956 Hal Patterson OE/DB Montreal Alouettes 1955 Pat Abbruzzi RB Montreal Alouettes 1954 Sam Etcheverry QB Montreal Alouettes 1953 Billy Vessels RB Edmonton Eskimos
CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award runners up Note: Prior to 1973 the runner up for this award was not the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy or Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy winners. Finalists were first announced in 1953 and during the first years there were multiple runners-up.
1972 – Mack Herron (RB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1971 – Leon McQuay (RB), Toronto Argonauts 1970 – Tommy Joe Coffey (WR), Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1969 – George Reed (RB), Saskatchewan Roughriders 1968 – George Reed (RB), Saskatchewan Roughriders 1967 – Tommy Joe Coffey (WR), Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1966 – Ron Lancaster (QB), Saskatchewan Roughriders 1965 – Garney Henley (DB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1964 – Dick Shatto (RB), Toronto Argonauts 1963 – Joe Kapp (QB), BC Lions 1962 – Tommy Joe Coffey (WR), Edmonton Eskimos
1961 – Jackie Parker (QB), Edmonton Eskimos 1960 – Cookie Gilchrist (RB), Toronto Argonauts 1959 – Bernie Faloney (QB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats 1958 – Dick Shatto (RB), Toronto Argonauts 1957 – Hal Patterson (OE/DB), Montreal Alouettes 1956 – Jackie Parker (QB), Edmonton Eskimos 1955 – Jackie Parker, Edmonton; Dick Shatto, Toronto; Ken Carpenter, Saskatchewan 1954 – Rollie Miles, Edmonton and Alex Webster, Montreal 1953 – Tex Coulter, Montreal; John Henry Johnson, Calgary, Gene Roberts, Ottawa
All-time records
+ Most MOP Wins by Player Rank Player Position Team(s) Years won Total wins 1 Doug Flutie QB BC Lions, Calgary Stampeders, Toronto Argonauts 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997 6 T-2 Anthony Calvillo QB Montreal Alouettes 2003, 2008, 2009 3 T-2 Russ Jackson QB Ottawa Rough Riders 1963, 1966, 1969 3 T-2 Jackie Parker QB Edmonton Eskimos 1957, 1958, 1960 3 T-5 Bo Levi Mitchell QB Calgary Stampeders 2016, 2018 2 T-5 Zach Collaros QB Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2021, 2022 2 T-5 Henry Burris QB Calgary Stampeders, Ottawa Redblacks 2010, 2015 2 T-5 Dieter Brock QB Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1980, 1981 2 T-5 Mike Pringle RB Baltimore Stallions, Montreal Alouettes 1995, 1998 2
+ Breakdown of winners by franchise Rank Franchise Total wins Most recent win 1 Calgary Stampeders 9 2018 2 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 8 2022 3 Toronto Argonauts 7 2023 4 Montreal Alouettes 7 2009 5 BC Lions 6 2025 6 Edmonton Eskimos 5 1989 7 Saskatchewan Roughriders 4 2007 8 Ottawa Rough Riders 3 1978 9 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 2 1999 10 Baltimore Stallions 1 1995
+ Positional breakdown of winners Rank Position Total wins Most recent win 1 Quarterback (QB) 51 2025 2 Running Back (RB) 17 2024 3 Wide Receiver (WR) 10 2019 4 Slotback (SB) 5 2006 5 Linebacker (LB) 1 2014 6 Offensive End/Defensive Back (OE/DB) 1 1956 7 Tight End (TE) 1 1978
See also Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy Terry Evanshen Trophy Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy
References