Edmonton Eskimos Team History

Edmonton played its first series of organized games with the formation of the Alberta Rugby Football Union in 1895. In 1897 the name Esquimaux was adopted. In 1910 the club was officially named the Edmonton Eskimos, with the current incarnation beginning play in 1949. Since 1978 the Eskimos have played their home games in The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium. They are one of the most successful teams in Canadian football history, having won the Grey Cup more than any other team except the Toronto Argonauts, and being the leader in attendance for many years.

Grey Cup 1954

The 42nd Grey Cup football game was played on November 27, 1954, before a full house (27,321 in attendance) at Varsity Stadium Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The underdog Edmonton Eskimos won a contest over the Montreal Alouettes by the score of 26 to 25. The game, replete with record performances and a touch of controversy, is considered one of the finest Grey Cup games ever.

Grey Cup 1955

The 43rd Grey Cup game was played on November 26, 1955, before 39,417 football fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. This was the first Grey Cup played in Vancouver. The Edmonton Eskimos beat Montreal Alouettes by the score of 34 to 19.

Grey Cup 1956

The 44th Grey Cup game was played on November 24, 1956, before 27,425 fans at Varsity Stadium in Toronto. The favoured Edmonton Eskimos won their third straight Grey Cup over the Montreal Alouettes by the score of 50 to 27. Edmonton coach Pop Ivy surprised many by starting sophomore Canadian quarterback Don Getty. With Jackie Parker, Johnny Bright, Normie Kwong and Rollie Miles in the backfield, they were record setters. Bright rushed for a then Grey Cup record 169 yards (surpassed by Kory Sheets in 2013), and Parker added another 129, and the Eskimos team total was a record 456 yards. Montreal rushed for 191 yards, so both teams set a single Grey Cup game record of 647 yards. Montreal had the game tied as late as the third quarter (20 to 20) before Edmonton took total control. While Getty was superb, with 2 touchdowns, the great Sam Etcheverry had one of his most disappointing days as a Lark, completing only 15 of 38 passes for 293 yards and a Grey Cup record 4 interceptions.

Grey Cup 1975

The 63rd Grey Cup was played on November 23, 1975, before 32,454 fans at McMahon Stadium in Calgary. In a tight, defensive battle, the Edmonton Eskimos defeated the Montreal Alouettes 9-8. Just before the contest began, a young woman was “streaking” during the coin toss.

Grey Cup 1978

The 66th Grey Cup was played on November 26, 1978, before 54,695 fans at Exhibition Stadium at Toronto. The Edmonton Eskimos defeated the Montreal Alouettes in a close game, 20-13.

Grey Cup 1979

The 67th Grey Cup was played on November 25, 1979 before 65,113 fans at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. The Edmonton Eskimos defeated the Montreal Alouettes 17-9.

Grey Cup 1980

The 68th Grey Cup was played on November 23, 1980, before 54,661 fans at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. The Edmonton Eskimos defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 48–10 in one of the most lopsided victories in Grey Cup history.

Grey Cup 1981

The 69th Grey Cup was played on November 22, 1981, at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec in front of 52,487 fans. The 1981 Grey Cup game is considered to be one of the ten best Grey Cup games of all time.^[1] CFL football fans saw an unexpectedly exciting game, as the 22.5 point underdog Ottawa Rough Riders, sporting a woeful record of 5-11 (which is the worst record in CFL history by any Grey Cup finalist team), came within 3 seconds of denying the Edmonton Eskimos the title. The Esks, with a 14-1-1 record, were almost the victims of what would have been the biggest upset in the history of the Grey Cup. This was the final appearance in the Grey Cup game for the Ottawa Rough Riders, who folded in 1996. A team from Ottawa would not return to the Grey Cup until 2015, when the second-year Redblacks faced off, incidentally, against the Edmonton Eskimos. Canadian Football Hall of Fame legends Tom Wilkinson (Edmonton) and Tony Gabriel (Ottawa) played their final game in the 69th Grey Cup as did veteran Edmonton centre Bob Howes. Future US Congressman J.C. Watts was Ottawa’s quarterback. He won the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player (Offensive) award.

Grey Cup 1982

The 70th Grey Cup, also known as the “Rain Bowl”, was the 1982 Grey Cup Canadian Football League championship game between the Toronto Argonauts and the Edmonton Eskimos. The Eskimos, who were making their sixth consecutive appearance in the CFL championship game, defeated the Argonauts 32-16 on the Eskimos’ way to their fifth straight Grey Cup. The game was played on Sunday, November 28, 1982, at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto.

Grey Cup 1987

The 75th Grey Cup was the 1987 Canadian Football League championship game that was played at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Toronto Argonauts. The Eskimos defeated the Argonauts 38-36, on Jerry Kauric’s last second field-goal.

Grey Cup 1993

The 81st Grey Cup was the 1993 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alberta. The Eskimos defeated the Blue Bombers 33-23 to win the Grey Cup.

Grey Cup 2003

The 91st Grey Cup was the 2003 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes on November 16 at Taylor Field, in Regina, Saskatchewan before 50,909 fans. The two teams had played during the previous year with Montreal winning, but this time the Eskimos won the game by a score of 34-22.

Grey Cup 2005

The 93rd Grey Cup game was held on November 27, 2005, at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes, to decide the winner of the 2005 season of the Canadian Football League. The Eskimos prevailed over the Alouettes in a 38–35 overtime victory. It was the first time in 44 years that a Grey Cup had gone into overtime (it would happen again in 2016). It was also the first Grey Cup to be presented in high-definition television.

The 103rd Grey Cup was a Canadian football game that was played on November 29, 2015 between the East Division champion Ottawa Redblacks and the West Division champion Edmonton Eskimos to decide the Canadian Football League (CFL) championship for the 2015 season. The game was played at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Shaw Communications was the presenting sponsor of the game; it was the first time in CFL history that the Grey Cup has been sponsored. The Eskimos won the contest 26–20 to claim their 14th Grey Cup championship in franchise history and first since 2005. Mike Reilly was named Most Valuable Player and Shamawd Chambers received the Dick Suderman Trophy as Most Valuable Canadian. It was the Eskimos’ first Grey Cup win that did not involve Hugh Campbell in any capacity with the organization since the 1975 Grey Cup.