Longtime CFL kicker Zenon Andrusyshyn passes away at 76

Photo courtesy: Scott Grant/CFLPhotoArchive.com

Longtime CFL kicker Zenon Andrusyshyn has passed away at the age of 76.

The six-foot-two, 210-pound specialist was born in Günzburg, Germany before immigrating to Canada where he attended high school in Oakville, Ont. He earned a track and field scholarship to UCLA where he joined the football team as a walk-on and was twice named an All-American at punter.

Andrusyshyn was selected in the ninth round of the 1970 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys but was released by the team before the start of the season. He signed with the Toronto Argonauts the following year, starting a long and successful run in the CFL.

He played seven seasons with the Argos (1971-77) before making the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1978. He returned to the CFL the next year with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1979) before rejoining Toronto for three seasons (1980-82) prior to his release. He had a brief stint with the Edmonton Football Team before spending three years with the USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits (1983-85) and playing one final CFL season with the Montreal Alouettes (1986).

“We mourn the passing of Zenon Andrusyshyn, who for a decade wore the Double Blue with pride, and whose name is etched the Argos record book,” wrote the Argos in a statement. “His contributions to the team and the sport will never be forgotten. Our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”

Andrusyshyn was a two-time East Division all-star and recorded 215 field goals, 222 one-point converts, 61,342 punt yards, 28,703 kickoff yards, and 1,010 points over 163 career games. He still holds the CFL record for longest punt with a length of 108 yards.