Throughout the years, there have been a lot of athletes who have competed in both the NFL and CFL. The Canadian Football League provides a great source of top talent, with plenty of excellent athletes over the years coming up through the CFL to join Canada. Although the NFL might be the world’s biggest and most popular football league, the level of competition in the CFL is still extremely high.
Around one in twenty CFL players will go on to make an NFL roster at some point in their careers. The close proximity of Canada and the US, as well as the close difference in terms of skill, means that it’s common for players to move between them. Occasionally, some of the best players in the NFL make their start in the CFL, making it an exciting league to watch for scouts. You can find all the latest NFL odds at Betway, but to find out the best players who have also played in the CFL, read on.
Warren Moon
Warren Moon is perhaps one of the biggest football stars who excelled in both the CFL and the NFL. The Hall of Fame quarterback won an incredible five Grey Cups while playing for the Edmonton Eskimos between 1978 and 1982. In addition, he picked up two Grey Cup MVP awards and was the league passing touchdown leader for three seasons.
Moon joined the Eskimos in 1978 after not receiving much interest from NFL teams despite a decent college career at the University of Washington. He opted to skip the NFL draft and signed for the Eskimos, where he immediately became a huge star. He picked up numerous awards during this time and was even inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame.
In 1985, Moon joined the NFL for the first time, being signed by the Houston Oilers after a bidding war between multiple teams. His first season was a difficult adjustment, but he soon became a valuable asset to the team. He spent seventeen seasons in the NFL, which included being named Offensive Player of the Year in 1990. While he never reached the Super Bowl, he helped the Oilers to seven playoff appearances in ten seasons.
Brandon Browner
Browner spent four seasons in the CFL, where he was one of the top players at the time, making the CFL All-Star team three times and winning the Grey Cup. The cornerback would later go on to have a lot of success in the NFL too, winning the Super Bowl twice in consecutive years with two different teams, one of the few players to ever achieve such a feat.
Playing college football for Oregon State University, Browner was chosen as the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and was a member of the All-Pac-10 second team. His stats in college were excellent, although he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Denver Broncos. Unfortunately, he broke his arm and was released the following season after not being able to play.
Thankfully, Browner still got a second chance to impress when he was signed by the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL. He quickly became a big favourite thanks to his speed and strength and helped his side win the Grey Cup. Browner would go on to sign for the Seattle Seahawks in 2011, where he would help his side reach the Super Bowl.
O.J. Brigance
Brigance was a linebacker who had success with the B.C. Lions and the Baltimore Stallions in the CFL before moving to the NFL. He made the CFL West All-Star team at the Lions and later helped the Stallions lift the Grey Cup.
In 1996, Brigance joined the Miami Dolphins in the NFL, where he became a fan favourite thanks to his hard work on and off the field. Later, he would join the Baltimore Ravens, where he was a key contributor in their title-winning season. He remains the only player in history to win both the Super Bowl and Grey Cup for the same city.
