CFL TOP PERFORMERS – SEPTEMBER
Whitehead, Lawrence and Reilly named CFL Top Performers
TORONTO (September 29, 2021) – Lucky Whitehead, Simoni Lawrence and Michael Reilly were named the CFL Top Performers of the month for September of the CFL’s 2021 season. The selections include all appearances from Weeks 5 to 8.
The three players were chosen by a panel of judges made up of former CFL players Matt Dunigan and Duane Forde of TSN, as well as Pierre Vercheval of RDS, who independently send their selections to the CFL head office.
WR | LUCKY WHITEHEAD | BC LIONS
BC Lions receiver Lucky Whitehead continued his torrid start to the season as the CFL calendar flipped to September.
In three games this month, Whitehead recorded 15 receptions for 326 yards (21.7 yards per reception) and three offensive touchdowns. His 119-yard missed field goal return in Week 6 powered BC to a 45-13 victory.
In Week 7, he recorded 133 receiving yards and scored a 75-yard touchdown in a win over the Alouettes. The Florida Atlantic product tallied two more majors, while hauling in 111 receiving yards in Week 8 action against Saskatchewan.
Whitehead leads the league in receiving yards (665) and number of 100+ receiving yard games (four), and sits third in receptions (36) this season.
LB | SIMONI LAWRENCE | HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
Hamilton linebacker Simoni Lawrence recorded 24 tackles, one sack, two knockdowns, two interceptions and two touchdowns as the Tiger-Cats went 3-1 in September.
In the Labour Day Classic against the Argonauts, a pass from Nick Arbuckle was batted up in the air and secured by Lawrence, who easily scored from five yards out.
He intercepted a deflected ball from Bo Levi Mitchell and returned it 15 yards for the touchdown as Hamilton secured a 23-17 victory over Calgary in Week 7.
This season, the former Minnesota Golden Gopher is fourth in the league with 42 tackles, while adding two sacks and two interceptions.
QB | MICHAEL REILLY | BC LIONS
Michael Reilly completed 77.6 per cent of his passes for 868 yards and threw eight touchdowns as BC went 2-1 in September. Reilly also averaged seven yards per rush on 11 attempts during the three-game stretch.
In Week 6, Reilly tallied 319 passing yards, four touchdown passes and 27 rushing yards in a 45-13 win over Ottawa. He then completed 21-of-25 passes (84 per cent) for 309 yards and two touchdown passes, while adding 33 yards on the ground, as BC secured a 27-18 road victory in Montreal.
The two performances garnered Reilly back-to-back Top Performer of the Week honours.
Reilly currently leads the league in passing with 1,870 yards. He sits second in touchdown passes (10) and rushing touchdowns among quarterbacks (three).
