Stampeders' Bo Levi Mitchell wins CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award

It was business as usual for the Calgary Stampeders at Grey Cup in Edmonton on Thursday.

Not only are they in Sunday’s game for a third straight year, one of their players has been named CFL Most Outstanding Player (MOP).

Oh, and their horse walked into a hotel.

HORSE IN THE HOTEL!

Welcome to #yeg, Tuffy! pic.twitter.com/6O6KBEhDaT

— Calgary Stampeders (@calstampeders) November 22, 2018

Stamps quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell won the MOP award for the second time in three years. A Calgary player has now taken home the league’s highest individual honour four times in the last nine seasons.

This is the 11th time a Stampeders player has won MOP. The only other Stamps player to win it on multiple occasions is Doug Flutie, who won three straight MOP awards from 1992 to 1994.

That’s elite company.

Stampeders MOPs

2018 – Bo Levi Mitchell
2016 – Bo Levi Mitchell
2013 – Jon Cornish
2010 – Henry Burris
2000 – Dave Dickenson
1994 – Doug Flutie
1993 – Doug Flutie
1992 – Doug Flutie
1975 – Willie Burden
1967 – Peter Liske
1964 – Lovell Coleman

Mitchell helped the Stampeders to a league-best record (13-5) for a third straight season. He led the CFL with 35 touchdown passes and completed 356 of 585 passes for 5,124 yards. He also had a league-leading touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio of 2.5.

But you know Mitchell would give this all away for a victory on Sunday. Despite him downplaying it, there is enormous pressure on the Stamps to win the Grey Cup and avoid a third straight upset loss in the championship game.

“You got to go out and win a football game. Don’t make it bigger than it is. Don’t build it up to be different than the last two,” Mitchell told reporters this week.

“Just go out there and finish your job.”

Follow the #CFL's MOP, Bo Levi Mitchell, backstage after he received his award! pic.twitter.com/usiZEfLyRQ

— Calgary Stampeders (@calstampeders) November 23, 2018

2018 CFL Award winners

Most Outstanding Player: Bo Levi Mitchell (Calgary)
Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Adam Bighill (Winnipeg)
Most Outstanding Canadian: Brad Sinopoli (Ottawa)
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman: Stanley Bryant (Winnipeg)
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: Lewis Ward (Ottawa)
Most Outstanding Rookie: Lewis Ward (Ottawa)
CFL Coach of the Year: Chris Jones (Saskatchewan)

See also