CFL Most Outstanding Canadian winner Kamau Peterson inducted into Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame

Photo courtesy: B.C. Lions

Former CFL receiver Kamau Peterson has been inducted into the Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026.

Peterson was selected sixth overall in the 2001 CFL Draft out of the University of New Hampshire and went on to play 11 seasons in the CFL. He spent time with the Calgary Stampeders (2001-03), Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2004-05), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2005-06), Edmonton Elks (2007-10), and B.C. Lions (2011) in his career, winning a Grey Cup as a rookie.

The six-foot-one, 195-pound target was twice named a West Division all-star while in Edmonton and won the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian award in 2008. In 159 career games, he caught 534 passes for 6,879 yards and 29 touchdowns, while also notching 31 total tackles.

Peterson was born in Los Angeles, Cal., and lived in Detroit, Mich., before moving to LaSalle, Ont., where he attended Sandwich Secondary School. Since his retirement from pro football, he has been active as an amateur coach, winning two IFAF World Championship gold medals and silver as a receiver coach for Football Canada’s junior national team. He also served as offensive coordinator at York University, and was most recently the head coach of Team Ontario’s U16 program.

Peterson is the third Most Outstanding Canadian winner to be enshrined in the WECSHOF, joining Tommy Grant and Zeno Karcz. Other notable CFL players to be inducted include Josh Bourke, Gino Fracas, Joe Krol, Ed Philion, Bob Simpson, Dick Suderman, and Whit Tucker. NFL inductees include O.J. Atogwe, Tyrone Crawford, Brett Romberg, and Luke Willson.

This year’s class will be honoured during a dinner at the Caboto Club in Windsor on October 10. Peterson is being enshrined alongside Olympic runner Brandon McBride, wrestler David Tremblay Jr., swimmer Amanda Reason, and Paralympic wheelchair rugby player Mike Whitehead, as well as disability advocate Egidio Novelletto, wrestling coach David Tremblay Sr., and high school football coach Ross Spettigue.