CALGARY – Canadian Football League awards have been in existence for an extremely long time. The University of Calgary Dinos have had numerous excellent players be their respective team nominees for these awards. They also have had numerous former players be finalists for these individual awards. It was not until this year that they had a former player win one of the regular-season individual awards.

That individual is receiver Tyson Philpot of the Montreal Alouettes. The 26-year-old Philpot has been named the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian for 2026.

Tyson had an incredible season for the Alouettes. Philpot rewrote CFL history in his fifth season. In 16 games, he set new Canadian records in receiving yards (1,809) and receptions (124, which also ranks third-most all-time). With 13 touchdowns, Tyson more than doubled his previous career-best of five, while recording seven games of 100-plus receiving yards. The native of Delta, B.C., is the sixth Alouette to be named top Canadian, joining Terry Evanshen (1967), Gerry Dattilio (1980), Nick Arakgi (1984), Ben Cahoon (2002-03) and Henoc Muamba (2019).

Individual awards are nothing new for Philpot. He was the recipient of the Bill Popplewell Male Freshman of the Year at the University of Calgary in 2018-19 and winner of the Peter Gorman Trophy as Freshman of the Year in U SPORTS football in 2018. He also earned conference all-star and U SPORTS All-Canadian recognition with the Dinos.

In 2023, Tyson caught six passes for 63 yards in the 110th Grey Cup game, including the dramatic game-winning touchdown pass with 13 seconds remaining, to earn the game's Most Outstanding Canadian honour.

Tyson and his twin brother Jalen spent three seasons, plus the COVID-19 season, with the Dinos and were key members of the 2019 Vanier Cup national championship team that defeated the Montreal Carabins 27-13.

Philpot was selected ninth overall by the Alouettes in the 2022 CFL Draft and was his team's and the East Division's nominee for Rookie of the Year, losing to receiver Dalton Schoen of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

"Tyson is an incredible player and even a better person. He was so fun to watch on television this year. We are all thrilled for him and his entire family," states Dinos Head Coach Ryan Sheahan, who was instrumental in recruiting the Philpot twins to the University of Calgary when he was offensive coordinator.

Tyson Philpot, making Dinos football history while playing professionally in the CFL.

-UC-