3DownNation has recently reported lists for the top passers, rushers, and receivers in CFL history, so it’s time to do the same at the team level. Today, we’re starting with the top ten passers in the history of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
10) Jack Jacobs — 11,094 yards
1950-1954
The six-foot-one, 186-pound passer signed with the Blue Bombers after six years in the NFL and drew crowds so large that Winnipeg built a brand-new stadium just to accommodate them. The three-time All-CFL selection became the first quarterback in professional football to throw for 3,000 yards in a single season in 1951 and retired as the league’s all-time leading passer. Jacobs is a member of the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame, Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and Ring of Honour at Princess Auto Stadium.
9) Matt Dunigan — 11,504 yards
1992-1994
The Louisiana Tech product played only three seasons in Winnipeg but they were highly memorable as the team made two Grey Cup appearances and he earned the East Division’s nomination for Most Outstanding Player in 1993. Dunigan recorded the two best single-season passing totals in club history and had his legendary 713-yard performance in 1994, which remains a professional football single-game record. He is a member of the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame and Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
8) Don Jonas — 12,291 yards
1971-1974
The native of Scranton, Pa. was a two-time All-CFL selection and two-time All-West Division selection in Winnipeg and became the first passer in team history to throw for 4,000 yards in a single season. Jonas was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award in 1971, the same year he set the team’s single-season interceptions record, throwing 31. He was inducted into the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame in 1989 and recently turned 87.
7) Tom Clements — 14,917 yards
1983-1987
The Notre Dame product was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 1987, his final season in the league, and helped lead the Blue Bombers to a Grey Cup victory in 1984. Clements is one of only three quarterbacks in team history to win more than two-thirds of his starts alongside Jim Van Pelt and Zach Collaros. The native of McKees Rocks, Pa. is a member of the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame and Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Photo: Handout/Winnipeg Blue Bombers
6) Matt Nichols — 14,977 yards
2015-2019
The six-foot-two, 215-pound passer helped lift the Blue Bombers out of the West Division’s cellar to become Grey Cup champions, though he finished the 2019 season on injured reserve. The Eastern Washington product ranks second all-time in career passer rating for the Blue Bombers at 97.4 (min. 3,000 passing yards), second in completion percentage at 68.0 (min. 500 attempts), and fifth in winning percentage at .650 (min. 20 starts).
5) Kenny Ploen — 16,470 yards
1957-1967
The native of Lost Nation, Iowa won four Grey Cups in Winnipeg, which is two more than any other quarterback in franchise history. The three-time All-West Division selection made 135 starts for the Blue Bombers, which remains the most in club history among passers, and also holds the team record for wins as a starter with 82. Ploen is a member of the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame, Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and Ring of Honour at Princess Auto Stadium. He passed away in Winnipeg in 2024 at the age of 88.
4) Kevin Glenn — 18,116 yards
2004-2008, 2016
The Illinois State product had his best year in 2007 when he led the league in passing yards, was named All-East Division, the East Division’s nominee for Most Outstanding Player, and helped Winnipeg earn a Grey Cup berth. The native of Detroit, Mich. was famously a member of all nine CFL teams and remains sixth all-time in league passing yards, sixth in quarterback starts, and tied for seventh in games played.
3) Zach Collaros — 19,225 yards
2019-present
The 37-year-old’s production has decreased in recent years but his tenure in Winnipeg has still been extremely fruitful, including two Grey Cup victories, two CFL Most Outstanding Player awards, two All-CFL selections, and three CFL passing titles. With the Blue Bombers committed to their franchise quarterback for another year, it seems like only a matter of time before Collaros moves further up this list.
Photo: Handout/Winnipeg Blue Bombers
2) Khari Jones — 20,175 yards
2000-2004
The five-foot-eleven, 195-pound passer was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2001, though his best numbers came the following year when he threw for 5,334 yards and 46 touchdowns, which remains the third-most single-season passing touchdowns in CFL history. Jones led the Blue Bombers to one Grey Cup appearance during his run with the team and was inducted into the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame in 2008.
1) Dieter Brock — 29,623
1974-1983
The native of Birmingham, Ala. was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in back-to-back seasons near the end of his decade-long stint in Winnipeg and remains the club’s all-time leader in completions, attempts, passing touchdowns, and interceptions. Brock led the CFL in passing yards four separate times and remains one of the league’s top-20 all-time passers. He is a member of the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame, Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and Ring of Honour at Princess Auto Stadium.
