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The 1988 CFL season is considered to be the 35th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 31st Canadian Football League season.

CFL News in 1988

The Canadian Football Network reached an agreement with the CFL to extend its network for two more seasons.

Game rosters were revised to consist of 20-Non Imports, 14-Imports and 2-Quarterbacks. The reserve list was lowered from 4 players to 2 players. In addition, if a team decided to dress 14-Imports, one of those imports had to be designated as a special teams player.

On June 23, the CFL All-Stars defeated the Edmonton Eskimos in the CFL All-Star Game in Edmonton, 17–4. Although the contest attracted an All-Star record 27,573 fans, no such game has been held since then.

On Monday, December 12, the CFL Board of Governors appointed Roy McMurty as Chairman/Chief Executive Officer and Bill Baker as President/Chief Operating Officer, succeeding Douglas Mitchell as the league's commissioner (both McMurtry and Baker served as the league's de facto co-commissioners for the 1989 season). Their appointments were confirmed on Sunday, January 1, 1989. The CFL Board of Governors also approved the sale of the Toronto Argonauts from Carling O'Keefe Breweries to Harry Ornest.

Regular season standings

Final regular season standings

• Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.
• Edmonton and Toronto have first round byes.

Grey Cup playoffs

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are the 1988 Grey Cup champions, defeating the BC Lions 22–21, at Ottawa's Lansdowne Park. This was the first Grey Cup game between two teams from west of Ontario, and the first to be won by a team which had only a .500 season. The Blue Bombers' James Murphy (WR) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Offence and Michael Gray (DT) was named Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Defence, while Bob Cameron (P) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.

Playoff bracket

CFL Leaders

• CFL Passing Leaders
• CFL Rushing Leaders
• CFL Receiving Leaders

1988 CFL All-Stars

Offence

• QB – Matt Dunigan, BC Lions
• RB – Anthony Cherry, BC Lions
• RB – Gill Fenerty, Toronto Argonauts
• SB – Ray Elgaard, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• SB – Emanuel Tolbert, Calgary Stampeders
• WR – David Williams, BC Lions
• WR – James Murphy, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• C – Ian Beckstead, Toronto Argonauts
• OG – Roger Aldag, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• OG – Gerald Roper, BC Lions
• OT – Chris Schultz, Toronto Argonauts
• OT – Jim Mills, BC Lions

Defence

• DT – Mike Walker, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• DT – Brett Williams, Edmonton Eskimos
• DE – Grover Covington, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• DE – Bobby Jurasin, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• LB – Danny Bass, Edmonton Eskimos
• LB – Greg Stumon, BC Lions
• LB – Willie Pless, Toronto Argonauts
• CB – Stanley Blair, Edmonton Eskimos
• CB – Reggie Pleasant, Toronto Argonauts
• DB – Selwyn Drain, Toronto Argonauts
• DB – Howard Fields, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• DS – Bennie Thompson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Special teams

• P – Bob Cameron, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• K – Dave Ridgway, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• ST – Earl Winfield, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

1988 Eastern All-Stars

Offence

• QB – Gilbert Renfroe, Toronto Argonauts
• RB – Orville Lee, Ottawa Rough Riders
• RB – Gill Fenerty, Toronto Argonauts
• SB – Gerald Alphin, Ottawa Rough Riders
• SB – Darrell Smith, Toronto Argonauts
• WR – Earl Winfield, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• WR – James Murphy, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• C – Ian Beckstead, Toronto Argonauts
• OG – Nick Bastaja, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• OG – Jason Riley, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• OT – Chris Schultz, Toronto Argonauts
• OT – Miles Gorrell, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Defence

• DT – Mike Walker, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• DT – Rodney Harding, Toronto Argonauts
• DE – Grover Covington, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• DE – Glen Kulka, Toronto Argonauts
• LB – James West, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• LB – Don Moen, Toronto Argonauts
• LB – Willie Pless, Toronto Argonauts
• CB – James Jefferson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• CB – Reggie Pleasant, Toronto Argonauts
• DB – Selwyn Drain, Toronto Argonauts
• DB – Howard Fields, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• DS – Bennie Thompson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Special teams

• P – Bob Cameron, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• K – Lance Chomyc, Toronto Argonauts
• ST – Earl Winfield, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

1988 Western All-Stars

Offence

• QB – Matt Dunigan, BC Lions
• RB – Anthony Cherry, BC Lions
• RB – Anthony Parker, BC Lions
• SB – Ray Elgaard, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• SB – Emanuel Tolbert, Calgary Stampeders
• WR – David Williams, BC Lions
• WR – Larry Willis, Calgary Stampeders
• C – Mike Anderson, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• OG – Roger Aldag, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• OG – Gerald Roper, BC Lions
• OT – Hector Pothier, Edmonton Eskimos
• OT – Jim Mills, BC Lions

Defence

• DT – Gary Lewis, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• DT – Brett Williams, Edmonton Eskimos
• DE – Vince Goldsmith, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• DE – Bobby Jurasin, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• LB – Danny Bass, Edmonton Eskimos
• LB – Greg Stumon, BC Lions
• LB – Ken Ford, Calgary Stampeders
• CB – Stanley Blair, Edmonton Eskimos
• CB – Larry Crawford, BC Lions
• DB – Richie Hall, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• DB – Chris Major, Calgary Stampeders
• DS – Don Wilson, Edmonton Eskimos

Special teams

• P – Jerry Kauric, Edmonton Eskimos
• K – Dave Ridgway, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• ST – Henry Williams, Edmonton Eskimos

1988 CFL Awards

• CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – David Williams (WR), BC Lions
• CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Ray Elgaard (SB), Saskatchewan Roughriders
• CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Grover Covington (DE), Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award – Roger Aldag (OG), Saskatchewan Roughriders
• CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award – Orville Lee (RB), Ottawa Rough Riders
• CFLPA's Outstanding Community Service Award – Hector Pothier (OT), Edmonton Eskimos
• CFL's Coach of the Year – Mike Riley, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

References

1. "CFLapedia".

• 1988 in Canadian football
• Canadian Football League seasons