Geroy Simon and Darren Flutie to join BC Lions Wall of Fame

The BC Lions Football Club today announced that legendary receivers Geroy Simon and Darren Flutie are the BC Lions Wall of Fame inductees for 2019. This year’s ceremony will take place during halftime of the Lions’ tilt versus Hamilton on Saturday, August 24.

For Simon, it caps all possible honours the Lions can bestow upon former players after his number 81 was inducted into the club’s Ring of Honour upon his return in 2015. The Lions’ all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns, Simon was a six-time CFL All-Star and won Grey Cup titles with the Leos in 2006 and 2011. His amazing career was recognized with a Canadian Football Hall of Fame induction in 2017.

“Our current criteria for Wall of Fame consideration includes a mandatory five-year period in which the player must be inactive from league play, but recognizing that this honour was long overdue for Geroy I’m pleased to announce today that future Ring of Honour inductees will automatically be included on the Wall of Fame,” said Jamie Taras, the club’s director of community partnerships and Wall of Fame committee member.

Flutie, who was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2007, began his memorable CFL career as a member of the Lions in 1991. The Boston College grad appeared in 73 regular season games as a Lion over five seasons and ranks eighth all-time among BC receivers with 390 receptions for 5,870 yards and 25 touchdowns. His 111 catches for 1,731 yards in 1994 earned him a CFL All-Star nod and stood as the club’s most productive campaign by a receiver until his fellow inductee racked-up 1,750 yards in 2004.

Perhaps best-remembered by fans for his incredible performance in 1994 Western Final, Flutie hauled-in three TD passes that afternoon including the game-winner in driving snow with no time left on the clock to propel the Lions past his brother Doug’s  heavily favoured Calgary Stampeders. The Lions ended a storybook ride in ’94 with a last-second win over Baltimore in the Grey Cup played before a sold-out BC Place as Lui Passaglia split the uprights for the 26-23 win with Flutie as his trusted holder.

“Darren was an outstanding teammate and he truly defined what it meant to be a clutch performer,” said Taras, also a member of the 1994 title team. “He is more than worthy of this honour and I know he’s thrilled to be inducted later this month.”

The next BC Lions home game is Saturday, August 24 versus the Hamilton Tiger-Cats