1998-2002 CFL Season Recaps

Originally published on Feb. 9, 2021

By Zane Miller

In seasons 41 through 45 of the Canadian Football League, the Calgary Stampeders earned the most championships during this span, winning the Grey Cup in 1998 and 2001. Also nabbing the title were the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1999 and the BC Lions in 2000, as well as the Montreal Alouettes ending a 25-year-long championship drought in 2002.

The Tiger-Cats fell in the Grey Cup in 1998, while the Stampeders came up just short of repeating as champions in 1999. The Alouettes made their first Cup appearance since 1979 in 2000 but were unable to get the win, as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lost in 2001 as did the Edmonton Eskimos (now Edmonton Football Team) in 2002. The Most Outstanding Player award was taken by five different players during this span.

1998 MVP: Mike Pringle (Montreal Alouettes, RB)- 9 TD & 2,065 yds rushing

1999 MVP: Danny McManus (Hamilton Tiger-Cats, QB)- 28 TD & 5,334 yds passing

2000 MVP: Dave Dickenson (Calgary Stampeders, QB)- 36 TD & 4,636 yds passing

2001 MVP: Khari Jones (Winnipeg Blue Bombers, QB)- 30 TD & 4,545 yds passing

2002 MVP: Milt Stegall (Winnipeg Blue Bombers, WR)- 23 TD & 1,862 yds receiving

1998 best record: Hamilton Tiger-Cats (12-5-1, .706) Worst record: Winnipeg Blue Bombers (3-15, .167)

1999 best record: BC Lions (13-5, .722) Worst record: Saskatchewan Roughriders (3-15, .167)

2000 best record: Calgary Stampeders (12-5-1, .706) Worst record: Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-12-1, .294)

2001 best record: Winnipeg Blue Bombers (14-4, .777) Worst record: Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-12, .333)

2002 best record: Montreal Alouettes (13-5, .722) Worst record: Ottawa Renegades (4-14, .222)

1998 playoffs

Out in first round: BC Lions (L 40-33 to Eskimos), Toronto Argonauts (L 41-28 to Alouettes)

Out in second round: Montreal Alouettes (L 22-20 to Tiger-Cats), Edmonton Eskimos (L 33-10 to Stampeders)

1999 playoffs

Out in first round: Edmonton Eskimos (L 30-17 to Stampeders), Toronto Argonauts (L 27-6 to Tiger-Cats)

Out in second round: Montreal Alouettes (L 27-26 to Tiger-Cats), BC Lions (L 26-24 to Stampeders)

2000 playoffs

Out in first round: Edmonton Eskimos (L 34-32 to Lions), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (L 22-20 to Blue Bombers)

Out in second round: Calgary Stampeders (L 37-23 to Lions), Winnipeg Blue Bombers (L 35-24 to Alouettes)

2001 playoffs

Out in first round: BC Lions (L 28-19 to Stampeders), Montreal Alouettes (L 24-12 to Tiger-Cats)

Out in second round: Edmonton Eskimos (L 34-16 to Stampeders), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (L 28-13 to Blue Bombers)

2002 playoffs

Out in first round: BC Lions (L 30-3 to Blue Bombers), Saskatchewan Roughriders (L 24-14 to Argonauts)

Out in second round: Winnipeg Blue Bombers (L 33-30 to Eskimos), Toronto Argonauts (L 35-18 to Alouettes)

Grey Cup results

 

Link to stats database: https://www.cflapedia.com/Years/1998details.html through https://www.cflapedia.com/Years/2002details.html