Paul Bennett was an outstanding safety for Winnipeg, Toronto and Hamilton in an eleven year career that spanned from 1977 to 1987. The Wilfred Laurier graduate was a territorial exemption of the Toronto Argonauts in 1977. Bennett started his career with a bang, intercepting four passes, leading the CFL in punt returns (75 returns for 965 yards) and being named both an Eastern and All-Canadian All-Star. Bennett played two more seasons in Toronto before being traded to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for their first territorial exemption in the 1981 draft anda first round pick in the 1980 draft. Bennett had 7 interceptions in his first season in Winnipeg and played four seasons with the Bombers from 1980 to 1983. With Winnipeg, Bennett was named a Western All-Star in 1982 with 6 interceptions and both a Western and All-Canadian in 1983. In 1983, Bennett was named the Outstanding Canadian in the CFL thanks to his 4 interceptions and leading the league in punt returns (97 returns for 890 yards). Winnipeg traded Bennett back to Toronto in June of 1984 for DB Donobon Rose and a first round draft pick in the 1985 draft. Bennett had 6 interceptions in 11 games for the Argos, but was traded partway through the 1984 season to Edmonton for DB Ralph Dixon. Before Bennette could play a game for Edmonton, he was amazingly picked up on waivers by Hamilton. Bennett rewarded the Tiger-Cats for their faith in him in 1985 with a career season as he picked off 12 passes for 246 yards, including one return for 109 yards and a touchdown. That outstanding season netted Bennett Eastern and All-Canadian All-Star honours as well as his second Outstanding Canadian award and a runner-up for Most Oustanding Defensive player. Bennett played two more seasons for Hamilton and finished his career in 1987 with another 6 interceptions. Bennett was elected to the Canadian Football Hall-of-Fame in 2002.
Bennett Trade To Toronto - June 14, 1984
Games Played, Tackles and Sacks
Year |
Team |
GP |
T |
ST |
Total |
TFL |
Yds |
KD |
Sacks |
Yds |
1977 |
TOR |
16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1978 |
TOR |
16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1979 |
TOR |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1980 |
WPG |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1981 |
WPG |
15 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
1982 |
WPG |
16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.5 |
|
1983 |
WPG |
16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
1984 |
HAM |
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
1984 |
TOR |
11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
1985 |
HAM |
16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
1986 |
HAM |
18 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
1987 |
HAM |
18 |
54 |
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Tackle statistics were not kept until 1987
Interceptions
Year |
Team |
Int |
Yds |
Avg |
TDInt |
Long |
1977 |
TOR |
4 |
82 |
20.5 |
0 |
37 |
1978 |
TOR |
2 |
72 |
36 |
0 |
41 |
1979 |
TOR |
1 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1980 |
WPG |
7 |
181 |
25.9 |
0 |
65 |
1981 |
WPG |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1982 |
WPG |
6 |
163 |
27.2 |
0 |
50 |
1983 |
WPG |
4 |
93 |
23.3 |
0 |
58 |
1984 |
HAM |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1984 |
TOR |
6 |
87 |
14.5 |
0 |
32 |
1985 |
HAM |
12 |
246 |
20.5 |
1 |
109 |
1986 |
HAM |
2 |
10 |
5 |
0 |
10 |
1987 |
HAM |
6 |
68 |
11.3 |
0 |
35 |
Fumble Returns
Year |
Team |
FR |
Yds |
Avg |
TD |
Long |
OFR |
FF |
1977 |
TOR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1978 |
TOR |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1979 |
TOR |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1980 |
WPG |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1981 |
WPG |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1982 |
WPG |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1983 |
WPG |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1984 |
HAM |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1984 |
TOR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1985 |
HAM |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1986 |
HAM |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1987 |
HAM |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Fumbles
Year |
Team |
F |
FL |
1977 |
TOR |
4 |
3 |
1978 |
TOR |
2 |
1 |
1979 |
TOR |
3 |
1 |
1980 |
WPG |
1 |
1 |
1981 |
WPG |
1 |
0 |
1982 |
WPG |
3 |
2 |
1983 |
WPG |
1 |
1 |
1984 |
HAM |
0 |
0 |
1984 |
TOR |
1 |
1 |
1985 |
HAM |
3 |
2 |
1986 |
HAM |
2 |
1 |
1987 |
HAM |
0 |
0 |
Punt Returns
Year |
Team |
PR |
Yds |
Avg |
TD |
Long |
1977 |
TOR |
75 |
965 |
12.9 |
0 |
59 |
1978 |
TOR |
46 |
365 |
7.9 |
0 |
28 |
1979 |
TOR |
54 |
465 |
8.6 |
0 |
43 |
1980 |
WPG |
10 |
96 |
9.6 |
0 |
35 |
1981 |
WPG |
72 |
892 |
12.4 |
0 |
49 |
1982 |
WPG |
85 |
845 |
9.9 |
0 |
51 |
1983 |
WPG |
97 |
890 |
9.2 |
0 |
52 |
1984 |
HAM |
8 |
54 |
68 |
0 |
14 |
1984 |
TOR |
35 |
286 |
8.2 |
0 |
21 |
1985 |
HAM |
44 |
487 |
11.1 |
1 |
9 |
1986 |
HAM |
91 |
725 |
6 |
0 |
32 |
1987 |
HAM |
42 |
285 |
6.8 |
0 |
21 |
Kickoff Returns
Year |
Team |
KOR |
Yds |
Avg |
TD |
Long |
1977 |
TOR |
14 |
375 |
26.8 |
0 |
49 |
1978 |
TOR |
32 |
757 |
23.7 |
0 |
47 |
1979 |
TOR |
18 |
429 |
23.8 |
0 |
32 |
1980 |
WPG |
1 |
19 |
19 |
0 |
19 |
1981 |
WPG |
9 |
223 |
24.8 |
0 |
31 |
1982 |
WPG |
3 |
36 |
12 |
0 |
16 |
1983 |
WPG |
2 |
32 |
16 |
0 |
17 |
1984 |
HAM |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1984 |
TOR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1985 |
HAM |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1986 |
HAM |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1987 |
HAM |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Missed Field Goal Returns
Year |
Team |
MFGRet |
Yds |
TD |
Long |
1977 |
TOR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1978 |
TOR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1979 |
TOR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1980 |
WPG |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1981 |
WPG |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1982 |
WPG |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1983 |
WPG |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1984 |
HAM |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1984 |
TOR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1985 |
HAM |
4 |
69 |
0 |
23 |
1986 |
HAM |
5 |
51 |
0 |
20 |
1987 |
HAM |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|