Top 10 NFL players who got their start in the CFL
4. Doug Flutie聽
Flutie is a little different than most on this list, as he spent four seasons and saw some game action in the NFL before making his way to the CFL. However, it wasn鈥檛 until he was in Canada that his professional football career actually took off. Flutie was a tremendous collegiate quarterback at Boston College, winning the Heisman Trophy award in 1984. Most remember that season for one of the main highlights of Flutie鈥檚 football career, as he threw a last-second Hail Mary pass to upset No. 12 Miami. With concerns about the size of the 5-foot-10 quarterback, Flutie took a unique route by signing a lucrative contract with the USFL鈥檚 New Jersey Generals, and as a result, was not selected until the 11th round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. After the USFL folded in 1986, Flutie went to the NFL where he was traded to the Chicago Bears. Following five appearances in the Windy City, he was traded to the Patriots, making 13 starts between the 1987-89 seasons.
After being released, Flutie ended up in the CFL in 1990. Before long, he became one of the best players the league has seen. In his second season with the BC Lions in 1991, Flutie set a league record with 6,619 yards on nearly 500 completions. Flutie signed with the Calgary Stampeders in 1992, leading the team to a Grey Cup in his first season. After eventually passing the torch in Calgary to Garcia, Flutie won two more Grey Cups with the Toronto Argonauts, concluding his time in the CFL in 1997 with 41,355 career passing yards and 270 touchdown passes while being named the league鈥檚 Most Outstanding Player six times. Flutie returned to the NFL in 1998 where he immediately became a Pro Bowl quarterback with the Buffalo Bills. After two more seasons in Buffalo, Flutie became a backup for the San Diego Chargers, and concluded his career in New England.