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We’ve had numerous threads related to lists of BC Lions players on assorted topics, and in light of the Seattle Seahawks signing free agent Cooper Kuff who is a former NFL Player of the Year, Super Bowl MVP, and Pro Bowler, then I thought of a new topic related to lists which we haven’t talked about before. As an established veteran superstar, Cooper Kuff is immediately held to high standards and expectations and it could easily lead to disappointment if these expectations are not met. As such, what are some examples of past BC Lions players who were signed as a free agent who was already a well-established superstar with previous awards, accolades, and accomplishments?

One sad aspect about BC Lions history is that they lost several good players to free agency who then went on to do well with his new team – Doug Flutie, Darren Flutie, Danny McManus, Alondra Johnson, Mike Gray, and Willie Pless as a small example. That said, are there any examples in which the reverse is true in that the Lions managed to pick up well-established superstar?

What I consider a GOOD free agent superstar is if that player did well for his previous team and continued to do well as a Lion. And a BAD free agent superstar is if after being signed as a Lion failed to meet his high expectations and was eventually deemed expandable and released.

Please stick with FREE AGENT signings only and not other transactions such as trades as there are already threads about that: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12401 Here’s my list and I will list some pairs if their situations are very similar.

List of GOOD BC Lions Superstar free agents signings

#1. Dave Dickenson
Dave Dickenson won the 1998 GC as a backup, upset the Lions in the 1999 WDF, and won 2000 MOP. After a failed stint in the NFL in 2001-02, he was signed by the Lions in 2003 and was the 2003 runner-up MOP, had a 2004 GC appearance, and finally winning 2006 GC with his MVP performance.

#2. Jimmy “the Jet” Cunningham and Robert Drummond
As an Argonaut, Cunningham was a 1996 all-star and upon signing with the Lions in 1997 he won the 1999 John Agro Special Teams award – the first year it was awarded. Robert Drummond won the 1995 GC as a Stallion and again as an Argonaut from 1996-97 with his all-star status before he was signed by the Lions in 1998 and both were instrumental in the 13-5 1999 season and the 2000 GC playoff run and win highlighted by Drummond’s MVP performance.

#3. Damon Allen
This is probably the most controversial. Damon Allen was already an established long-time veteran having arrived in the CFL in 1985 and was highlighted by his 1987 and 1993 GC MVP performance as an Eskimo. In the 1996 season when the Lions realized Andre Ware was not capable as a starting QB, they signed Damon Allen who was without a team after the American-based teams all folded. He stayed as the starting QB for seven years total highlighted with a winning 13-5 season in 1999 and a 2000 GC playoff run and win.

#4. Paul McCallum
A long-time veteran for the Saskatchewan Roughriders who a west all-star in 2003 and also made CFL record 63-yard FG. Signed by the Lions in 2006, he finally gave the team some stability for placekicking and punting by replacing Duncan O’Mahony. He won 2006 GC MVC, was selected 2010 and 2011 all-star, and won the 2011 special teams award.

#5. Wally Buono
Best non-player example. As head coach for the Stampeders, he won Annis Stukus Trophy in 1992 and 1993 and 3 GC wins. Upon arriving as HC for the BC Lions in 2003, he won two more Annis Stukus Trophies in 2006 and 2011 along with GC wins.


List of BAD BC Lions Superstar free agents signings

#1. Mark Gastineau
As a New York Jet, he won NFL Defensive Player of the Year I 1982, selected as 5 straight Pro Bowls from 1981-85, led in NFL sacks twice in 1983-84, and inducted in the team’s ring of honour. Signed by the BC Lions in 1990 as an attempted comeback, he played just four games before being released.

#2. Robert Mimbs
As Winnipeg Blue Bomber, was selected an all-star in 1990 with a GC win, and in 1991 was an all-star again and was runner-up MOP. Signed by the Lions in 1992, played on 3 games that season and 2 games in 1993 before being released.

#3. Stewart Hill
After Willie Pless was signed by Edmonton in 1991, the Lions tried to exact some revenge by signing Stewart Hill who was a three time all-star in 1984, 1989, 1990 and was runner-up for the 1990 defensive player and also won 1987 GC MVP for defence. But had limited effect in his two seasons from 1991 and 1992 with a pathetic defence overall.

#4. Bob O'Billovich
Best non-player. Bob O’Billovich was a two-time Annis Stukus award in 1982 and 1987. Joining the Lions in the middle of the 1990 season, with help from Doug Flutie had an okay 11-7 season but was fired after the 1992 with a 3-15 season..

#5. Mervyn Fernandez and Casey Printers
These two players involve the same team the Lions but in different stints. Fernandez became the first Lion MOP in 1985 and that’s self-explanatory. Upon completing his NFL career he signed with the Lions in 1994 but played only a handful of games and was released before the playoffs. Likewise, Printers won MOP in 2004 and you all remember what happened upon his return when he was re-signed in 2009 and his release late in the 2010 season.

I think you have to toss anything that happened under Pezim's ownership out the window in this discussion.

Hambone wrote: Fri Mar 14, 2025 9:55 pm I think you have to toss anything that happened under Pezim's ownership out the window in this discussion.

Except you have to give Pezim credit for literally wining and dining Doug Flutie and being the one to convince Flutie to come to the CFL.

DanoT wrote: Sat Mar 15, 2025 7:47 am

Hambone wrote: Fri Mar 14, 2025 9:55 pm I think you have to toss anything that happened under Pezim's ownership out the window in this discussion.

Except you have to give Pezim credit for literally wining and dining Doug Flutie and being the one to convince Flutie to come to the CFL.

And for being the guy who let Flutie go to Calgary at the expense of roughly 14000 fans per game.

IIRC Doug Flutie fled to an equally bizarre owner in Calgary in Larry Ryckman.

I know some Lions were p'd off at Doug as he said he'd stay but fled for the money. He's not the first or last to do that.

Flutie IIRC didn't get fully paid in Calgary.

On Oct. 23, 1991, with the threat of the franchise’s extinction still looming menacingly, the Stamps were privatized under the ownership of Larry Ryckman.

Subsequent events, including a stock-trading scandal, tarnished Ryckman’s reputation in Calgary as the knight in shining armour who saved the franchise but at the time, new ownership provided the Stamps with stability and credibility. And sparkle.

Just a few months after purchasing the club, the flamboyant Ryckman made an audacious move that changed everything for the Red and White. He signed quarterback Doug Flutie, formerly of the BC Lions, to a personal-services contract and the rest, as the old cliché goes, was history.

Regardless of the club’s financial difficulties, the Stamps had already started to turn the corner on the field prior to Flutie’s arrival.

Makes one wonder how the CFL survived from th mid 80s thru until quite recent times. We endured quite the rogues's gallery of owners.

BC had Pez and Skalbania
CGY had Ryckman and Feterik
HAM had "Pal Hal" Harold Ballard
OTT had the Gliebermans (twice) and Horn Chen
MTL had Skalbania
TOR had McNall and Schwarz
Gliebermans also owned Shreveport.

Toppy Vann wrote: Sat Mar 15, 2025 3:10 pm IIRC Doug Flutie fled to an equally bizarre owner in Calgary in Larry Ryckman.

I know some Lions were p'd off at Doug as he said he'd stay but fled for the money. He's not the first or last to do that.

Flutie IIRC didn't get fully paid in Calgary.

A good friend used to work at a PetroCanada station in the late 1990s, and he likes the story of how Ryckman had to count change to put $20 of gas in the tank of his Porsche because his assets were frozen.

And Wally had to put the team's travel to the 1995 Grey Cup on his personal credit card.

Good Times. Good Times.

I'd add Major Harris as a bust. He was the other QB that came up north with Flutie.

I'm sure some people are going to add Duron Carter to this list but I think he did a lot of the dirty work at receiver and probably didn't get enough credit for that.

cromartie wrote: Mon Mar 17, 2025 9:32 am I'm sure some people are going to add Duron Carter to this list but I think he did a lot of the dirty work at receiver and probably didn't get enough credit for that.

I had high hopes for the prospects of Reilly airing it out to Carter in 2019. Those high hopes had a sopping wet blanket thrown on them as I watched Carter lolly-gag his way around training camp. There's a big difference between doing things effortlessly and putting in no effort. Carter was guilty of the latter in training camp. If he wasn't spending most of his time yukking it up with anybody within 15 feet of him while the rest of the guys were diligently going thru stretching exercises he was jogging thru the sideline to sideline gasser sprints going just fast enough to finish ahead of the OL. As Bob McCown liked to say "what a pantload".

Duron Carter had great potential but failed to realize his full potential due to his immaturity, something I believe he inherited from his father, NFLer Chris Carter.

DanoT wrote: Mon Mar 17, 2025 11:07 am Duron Carter had great potential but failed to realize his full potential due to his immaturity, something I believe he inherited from his father, NFLer Chris Carter.

Carter was a free spirit who got by on natural talent. He treated practice like a day in the park, wandering around the field chatting when others were grinding, and catching passes behind his back in drills. He wasn't the only Lion with that attitude. He set a bad example.

B.C.FAN wrote: Mon Mar 17, 2025 11:16 am

DanoT wrote: Mon Mar 17, 2025 11:07 am Duron Carter had great potential but failed to realize his full potential due to his immaturity, something I believe he inherited from his father, NFLer Chris Carter.

Carter was a free spirit who got by on natural talent. He treated practice like a day in the park, wandering around the field chatting when others were grinding, and catching passes behind his back in drills. He wasn't the only Lion with that attitude. He set a bad example.

And the downside to that is he can draw others into working with the same lackadasical attitude.

DanoT wrote: Sat Mar 15, 2025 7:47 am Except you have to give Pezim credit for literally wining and dining Doug Flutie and being the one to convince Flutie to come to the CFL.

cromartie wrote: I'd add Major Harris as a bust. He was the other QB that came up north with Flutie.

After trading away Matt Dunigan before the 1990 season, Murray Pezim was in need of an experienced quarterback and they took their chances by bringing in two QB's who were good in college, but were not established by any means as superstars - Doug Flutie and Major Harris.

Despite winning the Heisman Trophy, Doug Flutie was by all means not an established superstar with failed stints with the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots. Upon arriving in BC in 1990, he shared duties with Joe Paopao and overall the team was terrible with a 6-11-1 record.

And Major Harris was a Heisman Trophy runner-up and was younger and had a much lower salary and helped the Lions win their 1990 season finale. Despite this, Murray Pezim and Bob O'Billovich made the right decision by releasing Major Harris and take their chances on Doug Flutie as the starting QB for the 1991 season and that was certainly the right decision as Flutie became a superstar that season with his first of six MOP awards.