Grover Covington

In 1981, the CFL started to track quarterback stats as an official statistic. It was also the year Grover Covington joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Covington had 16 sacks in his rookies season to capture an East All-Star selection, and would go on to collect a total of 154 quarterback sacks. As of 2010, Covington is the all-time CFL sack leader with no challengers in sight. Covington would play his entire 11 years with the Tiger-Cats, finally calling it quits in 1991. Besides that initial East All-Star selection, Covington would go on to win another six such honours, in consecutive years from 1985 to 1990. There would be four CFL All-Star selections in that stretch (1985, 1986, 1988 an 1989). Covington would twice lead the CFL in sacks (1985 and 1989). Covington's best season was 1989 when had 25 quarterback sacks (currently third highest single season total in CFL history) and was named the Outstanding Defensive Player in the CFL. In 2000, Covington was elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

GP, Tackles, Knockdowns and Sacks
Year Team GP T ST Total TFL Yds KD Sacks Yds
1981 HAM 16





16
1982 HAM 16





12.5
1983 HAM 16





10
1984 HAM 16





18.5
1985 HAM 15





16
1986 HAM 15





18
1987 HAM 18 25




17
1988 HAM 18 21




25
1989 HAM 18 22




15
1990 HAM 13 34




7
1991 HAM 5 9 0 9 1 1
2

Defensive tackles were first officially kept as a stat in 1987 and special teams tackles in 1991.

 

Fumble Returns
Year Team FR Yds Avg TD Long OFR FF
1981 HAM 1 0 0 0 0 0
1982 HAM 0 0 0 0 0 0
1983 HAM 0 0 0 0 0 0
1984 HAM 1 0 0 0 0 0
1985 HAM 1 0 0 0 0 0
1986 HAM 2 0 0 0 0 0
1987 HAM 0 0 0 0 0 0
1988 HAM 0 0 0 0 0 0
1989 HAM 1 0 0 0 0 0
1990 HAM 1 11 11 0 11 0
1991 HAM 0 0 0 0 0 0
1982 Hamilton Spectator Grover Covington