Elimimian included in Canadian Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023

Solomon Elimimian is set to take his place among the CFL’s greatest.

The former Saskatchewan Roughriders and B.C. Lions linebacker was one of 10 people announced as the Canadian Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023.

The 36-year-old Elimimian is going in alongside offensive linemen Josh Bourke and Lloyd Fairbanks, defensive end John Bowman and defensive back Larry Crawford in the players category.

Former Montreal Concordes/Alouettes coach Jacques Dussault, who was the first French-speaking coach in CFL history, and Larry Smith, the league’s eighth commissioner, are going into the builders wing.

Regina-born sportswriter Vicki Hall, TSN producer Jon Hynes and former TSN analyst Chris Schultz will go into the media wing. Schultz died in 2021.

Elimimian and Bowman were both in their first year of eligibility for the hall.

Solomon Elimimian

During his 10-season CFL career, Elimimian was one of the elite defensive players in the league.

Elimimian, who played his first nine CFL seasons with the Lions, was named a CFL all-star four times (2012, 2014, 2016-17) in his career, including a 2014 campaign that saw him become the CFL’s all-time single-season tackles leader with 143.

He was named the league’s most outstanding player that year — the first and only time a purely defensive player has won that award.

The product of Calabar, Nigeria won the award as the league’s most outstanding defensive player twice (2014, 2016) and won a Grey Cup with the Lions in 2011.

In 2017, Elimimian broke his own single-season tackles record with 144. He played with Saskatchewan in 2019.

Elimimian is sixth all-time in CFL history with 833 defensive tackles.

John Bowman

Bowman was a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks during his 14-year CFL career.

The product of Brooklyn, N.Y., recorded 134 sacks in 230 CFL games for the Alouettes – currently the seventh-most ever by a CFL player.

Bowman was a two time CFL all-star (2010, 2015). He led the CFL in sacks with 15 during the 2015 campaign.

The Als made the playoffs in his first nine CFL seasons, capturing the 2009 and 2010 Grey Cups.

Josh Bourke

Bourke is heading to the hall after anchoring the Als’ offensive line for nine seasons and then finishing his career with the Toronto Argonauts.

The left tackle was taken in the third round of the 2004 CFL draft by the Alouettes.

The Windsor, Ont., product played in 151 games and was named the CFL’s most outstanding lineman in 2011.

He appeared in three Grey Cups, winning in 2009 and 2010.

Larry Crawford

Crawford is being recognized after being a key part of the B.C. defence throughout the ’80s.

Crawford’s career spanned from 1981 to ’89, with most of those seasons with the Lions. He began the 1989 season with the Lions but finished it as a member of the Argos.

Crawford was a four-time CFL all-star (1983-84, 1986-87) and was a key defender as well as a returner.

When he retired, Crawford had 4,159 punt return yards (second-most in league history at the time) and 52 interceptions (fifth-most at the time).

Lloyd Fairbanks

After being selected as a territorial protection pick by Calgary in 1975, Fairbanks starred for 11 seasons with the Stampeders. He also played four seasons with Montreal and two with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

He was named his team’s most outstanding offensive lineman 11 times in his career. He was a two-time CFL all-star (1979, 1982).

In his career, Fairbanks suited up for 257 games.