Bombers quarterback Collaros caputres second straight top player award

By The Canadian Press on November 17, 2022.

REGINA – Once again, Zach Collaros is the CFL’s most outstanding player.

The Winnipeg quarterback secured the honour for a second straight year Thursday night at the CFL awards banquet.

Collaros will lead Winnipeg into the Grey Cup game Sunday versus the Toronto Argonauts, with the Bombers chasing a third straight championship.

Voting for the award was conducted by members of the Football Reporters of Canada and the nine CFL head coaches.

Collaros, 34, guided Winnipeg to a CFL-best 15-3 record this season, winning 15 of his 17 regular-season starts.

Collaros led the CFL in touchdown passes (37) and was second in passing yards (career-best 4,183 yards) while completing 305-of-436 passes (70 per cent).

He led a Winnipeg offence that was tops in offensive TDs (58), passing TDs (44), passing efficiency (116.6), average per attempt (9.6 yards) and second in offensive scoring (28.2 points per game).

Winnipeg also did a good job of protecting Collaros, allowing the second-fewest sacks (29).

And that’s important given Collaros suffered an ankle injury in Winnipeg’s 28-20 West Division final win over the B.C. Lions and was absent from practice Wednesday.

Montreal Alouettes receiver Eugene Lewis was the finalist after registering 91 catches for 1,303 yards and 10 touchdowns.