Matt Dunigan inducted in Gridiron Greats Funds Hall of Fame

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TheLionKing
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Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2005 10:13 pm
Location: Vancouver

TheLionKing
Hall of Famer
Posts: 25103
Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2005 10:13 pm
Location: Vancouver

CFL.ca Staff

TORONTO -- CFL Hall of Fame quarterback Matt Dunigan will be among this year's inductees into Mike Ditka's Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund's Hall of Fame.

Dunigan will be joined in the Hall this year by a number of former NFL players including Dan Reeves and Eddie Murray. Previous inductees to the Hall include "Mean" Joe Greene, Greg Landry and Marv Levy.

Dunigan will be the fourth former CFL great inducted into the Hall, joining Hugh Campbell and George Reed, who were inducted last year and Angelo Mosca who was selected in 2012.

Dunigan played in the CFL for 14 seasons with six different teams Edmonton, BC, Toronto, Winnipeg, Birmingham and Hamilton, (guiding 5 of the 6 teams to the play-offs and 4 of them to the Grey Cup.) He won Grey Cups with Edmonton in 1987 and Toronto in 1991. He finished his career with 43,859 passing yards and 3,057 completions in 5,476 attempts (306 TD passes).

He rushed for 5,031 yards and scored another 77 TD's via the run. Inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2006, the Winnipeg Blue Bomber Hall of Fame in 2003 and into his alma mater, Louisiana Tech Hall of Fame in 2011, where he was a 2-Time All-American.

He still holds the CFL record for most passing yards in a game. Dunigan threw for an incredible 713 yards with Winnipeg in 1994 in a game against the Eskimos.

"I'm extremely honoured by this selection," said Dunigan. "I'm baffled by it all. It's exceptional company to be in. Those guys are some of the legends that played the game and paved the way for all of us. I look at some of the people who have gone in to the Hall and it gets more and more overwhelming and humbling. Football has a way of humbling a player.

"I think it's a tremendous opportunity to bridge the CFL and NFL together," added Dunigan. There are so many great players that have competed on the gridiron and the same life lessons are taught on both sides of the border."

Dunigan has been equally successful off the field. He has contributed to the community through his involvement with (Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Canadian Association of Community Living, Kids, Cops & Computers - Merry Go Round Children's Foundation, DEBRA Canada as well as through many other community endeavours.

He has also made significant contributions to the study and effects of concussion on athletes with his involvement with ThinkFirst Canada/Parachute. Dunigan has been a Football analyst and commentator for TSN since 1999.

"Matt has been an important part of the CFL Alumni Association since our inception," said Leo Ezerins, Executive Director of the CFLAA. "We are particularly grateful for his support on the Canadian Sports Concussion Project."

"The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund's Hall of Fame event started six years ago to honour retired players for their fabulous careers on the field, and the equally outstanding deeds off the field," says Shannon Jordan, President of the Gridiron Greats. "This is a great way for us to honor deserving individuals not just because they were great players but because they have given so much back to the community."

All profits from the event go to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund to support former players who have fallen upon hard times. Mike Ditka, Marv Levy, Gale Sayers, Kyle Turley and Matt Birk sit on the Board of Directors for GGAF. T

he Fund is supported through numerous donations and fundraising activities throughout the year including special events, auctions of memorabilia, autograph events, corporate and public donation drives, sponsorships and special Super Bowl related events.

The annual Gridiron Greats Hall of Fame dinner and induction will be held on May 16, 2014 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated back to the CFL Alumni Support Fund
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WestCoastJoe
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Wonderful honour for Matt Dunigan. :thup:

I had no idea he was so active in good causes, although I do know he has been involved with the advance of research into concussions.

Well done, Matt. You make us proud of our little old league, the CFL. :beer:
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.

Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.

Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
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Toppy Vann
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Great honour but why is Joe Kapp not in there? None were tougher than these two.
"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
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