2011 CFL M-O-P Extends With Lions

The BC Lions Football Club is pleased to announce that CFL Most Outstanding Player and 2011 Grey Cup MVP Travis Lulay has signed a contract extension with the team. Terms of the deal were not released.

“Travis is not only our inspirational leader on the field, he is also an extremely valuable member of our organization off the field,” said VP of football operations and GM Wally Buono.

Lulay comes off a remarkable third season with the Lions, his first full campaign as the team’s starting quarterback. The Oregon native was originally signed as a free agent in 2009.

With the club stumbling out of the gate to a 1-6 start last year, Lulay elevated his play in spectacular fashion over the final 11 regular season games with a remarkable 109.2 passer rating. Throwing for 300+ yards on six occasions in 2011 and enjoying 10 games with two or more TD passes, Lulay led the Lions to an 11-7 record, a first place finish in the West Division and the club’s sixth Grey Cup championship last November.

“Quite simply, Travis at the helm of our offense makes us one the best teams in the league,” said head coach Mike Benevides. “He’s an outstanding player, a proven leader and community-minded individual whose enthusiasm for everything we’re trying to do as an organization is unmatched.”

Lulay finished the 2011 campaign as the league’s second-leading passer with 4,815 yards on 342 completions and tied for the CFL lead with 32 TD passes. Ranked number two among quarterbacks in rushing yards, he scampered for 391 yards on 47 attempts including 14 gains of 10 or more yards. In addition to a 53-yard dash versus Toronto on September 10th, the shifty pivot electrified a home crowd of more than 40,000 with 61-yard touchdown rumble in the Western Final versus Edmonton.

“From my first days with the Lions I have felt both proud and blessed to have an opportunity to play the game I love in this amazing place I now call home,” said Lulay. “Winning a championship in front of a home crowd at BC Place was an amazing experience and I believe we have the makings of another very talented club in 2012. I am very grateful to our fans for their patience during this process and they can rest assured my focus is on bringing home another Grey Cup.”