Paul Bennett (football player)
Encyclopedia
Paul Frederick Bennett is a former defensive back in the Canadian Football League
.
Paul attended General Brock Public School and W. A. Porter Collegiate Institute
in Scarborough, Ontario
. As a high school football player Paul played defensive back
and quarterback
in his senior year. He was named Toronto All Star for the 1972 season.
On the strength of his 1972 high school performance he was offered a full football scholarship to the University of Missouri
, in Columbia, Missouri. He played on the University of Missouri Tigers Freshman team in the 1973 season. He was redshirt
ed on the varsity squad for his sophomore year.
Paul returned to Canada for the 1974 season when he enrolled at Wilfrid Laurier University
in Waterloo, Ontario
. He played for WLU for the 1975 and 1976 season under Canadian Football Hall of Fame
coach, Tuffy Knight
. He was protected by the Toronto Argonauts
and did not participate in the CFL draft.
He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and won a Grey Cup
with Hamilton
in 1986 (whom he played with from 1985 to 1987,) after stints at the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
(1980 to 1983), and Toronto Argonauts
(1977 to 1979 and 1984). He played free safety and was a punt returner.
Paul played his remaining years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. In 1985, he continued to win All-Star accolades and was awarded the James P. McCaffrey Trophy
as Outstanding Defensive Player in the Eastern Division. And, for the second time in his career, was given the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award
.
Bennett retired from the CFL in 1987 after eleven years. At his leaving the game, he had 45 interceptions and acquired CFL records in punt return yards (6,358), punt return carries (659) and interception return yards (1,004).
Paul was a hard-hitting safety and a fierce punt returner.
He won the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award
in 1983 and 1985 and the James P. McCaffrey Trophy
in 1985. He was a 4 time all star. He finished his career with 45 interceptions and holds CFL records in punt return yards (6,358), punt return carries (659) and interception return yards (1,004).
He currently lives in Winnipeg, and had successfully brought the 2009 Canadian Football Hall of Fame Induction events to the city. He is currently Head Coach for the Oak Park High School Raiders Junior Varsity football team.
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
.
Paul attended General Brock Public School and W. A. Porter Collegiate Institute
Satec at W.A.Porter Collegiate
Scarborough Academy of Technological, Environmental and Computer Education @ W. A. Porter Collegiate Institute is a secondary school located in Scarborough, Toronto, Canada. The school, part of the Toronto District School Board, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008, coinciding with the PEO...
in Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
. As a high school football player Paul played defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
and quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in his senior year. He was named Toronto All Star for the 1972 season.
On the strength of his 1972 high school performance he was offered a full football scholarship to the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
, in Columbia, Missouri. He played on the University of Missouri Tigers Freshman team in the 1973 season. He was redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
ed on the varsity squad for his sophomore year.
Paul returned to Canada for the 1974 season when he enrolled at Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....
in Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
. He played for WLU for the 1975 and 1976 season under Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
coach, Tuffy Knight
Tuffy Knight
David "Tuffy" Knight is a former coach of Canadian university football and a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame....
. He was protected by the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
and did not participate in the CFL draft.
He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and won a Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
with Hamilton
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
in 1986 (whom he played with from 1985 to 1987,) after stints at the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
(1980 to 1983), and Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
(1977 to 1979 and 1984). He played free safety and was a punt returner.
Paul played his remaining years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. In 1985, he continued to win All-Star accolades and was awarded the James P. McCaffrey Trophy
James P. McCaffrey Trophy
The James P. McCaffrey Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy, awarded to the outstanding defensive player in the East Division. Each team in the East division nominates a candidate, from which the winner is chosen...
as Outstanding Defensive Player in the Eastern Division. And, for the second time in his career, was given the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award
CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award
The Most Outstanding Canadian Award is annually rewarded to the best Canadian player in the Canadian Football League. This is the second-last award to be given during the CFL Awards banquet, which takes place the week before Grey Cup weekend in the same city where it is hosted. The two nominees...
.
Bennett retired from the CFL in 1987 after eleven years. At his leaving the game, he had 45 interceptions and acquired CFL records in punt return yards (6,358), punt return carries (659) and interception return yards (1,004).
Paul was a hard-hitting safety and a fierce punt returner.
He won the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award
CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award
The Most Outstanding Canadian Award is annually rewarded to the best Canadian player in the Canadian Football League. This is the second-last award to be given during the CFL Awards banquet, which takes place the week before Grey Cup weekend in the same city where it is hosted. The two nominees...
in 1983 and 1985 and the James P. McCaffrey Trophy
James P. McCaffrey Trophy
The James P. McCaffrey Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy, awarded to the outstanding defensive player in the East Division. Each team in the East division nominates a candidate, from which the winner is chosen...
in 1985. He was a 4 time all star. He finished his career with 45 interceptions and holds CFL records in punt return yards (6,358), punt return carries (659) and interception return yards (1,004).
He currently lives in Winnipeg, and had successfully brought the 2009 Canadian Football Hall of Fame Induction events to the city. He is currently Head Coach for the Oak Park High School Raiders Junior Varsity football team.
Awards and honours
- Grey Cup Champion - 1986
- CFL All-Star - 1977, 1983, 1985
- Eastern All-Star - 1977, 1985
- Western All-Star - 1982, 1983
- Schenley Most Outstanding Canadian Player - 1983, 1985
- James P. McCaffrey Trophy: Outstanding Defensive Player Eastern Division - 1985
- Lew Hayman Trophy: Outstanding Canadian Eastern Division - 1985
- Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy: Outstanding Canadian Player Western Division - 1983
- Grey Cup Participation - 1984, 1985, 1986