1981 CFL season

The 1981 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 28th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 24th Canadian Football League season.

CFL News in 1981

The Eastern and Western Football Conferences, which had carried on as separate and autonomous entities since the founding of the CFL in 1958, agreed to a full merger prior to the start of the 1981 season.

With the merger, the Eastern and Western Football Conferences were dissolved and renamed as the East and West Divisions.

The merger authorizes the CFL to have full authority over decisions, including the adoption of a full interlocking schedule for both divisions.

In addition, the merger set up the CFL Board of Governors and the CFL Management Council to replace the Executive Committee and the General Managers Committee.

The Montreal Alouettes ceased operations and folded after the 1981 season, although a new franchise (the Montreal Concordes) would be in place for the 1982 season.

Regular season standings

Final regular season standings

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points

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

Grey Cup playoffs

The Edmonton Eskimos are the 1981 Grey Cup champions, defeating the Ottawa Rough Riders, 26–23, at Montreal's Olympic Stadium. Edmonton won their fourth-straight championship on a last second Dave Cutler field-goal. The Rough Riders' J.C. Watts (QB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Offence and John Glassford (LB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Defence. The Eskimos' Neil Lumsden (RB) was named Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.

Playoff bracket

1981 CFL All-Stars

1981 Western All-Stars

1981 Eastern All-Stars

1981 CFL Awards

• CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Dieter Brock (QB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Joe Poplawski (SB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Danny Kepley (LB), Edmonton Eskimos
• CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award – Larry Butler (OG), Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award – Vince Goldsmith (LB), Saskatchewan Roughriders
• CFLPA's Outstanding Community Service Award – Ken McEachern (DB), Saskatchewan Roughriders
• CFL's Coach of the Year – Joe Faragalli, Saskatchewan Roughriders