Jon Cornish

Class of 2019

Jon Cornish, from New Westminster, B.C., played running back at the University of Kansas and went on to enjoy a stellar nine-year Canadian Football League career, all with the Calgary Stampeders.

Cornish was recognized as the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2013 and won three consecutive Most Outstanding Canadian Awards from 2012 to 2014. Cornish was also a Finalist for the Most Outstanding Player Award in 2012. At that time, he became only the third Canadian to be chosen as the League’s top player joining fellow Hall of Fame inductees Russ Jackson (1963, 1966 and 1969) and Tom Gabriel (1978).

Cornish was the recipient of the Lou Marsh Award in 2013, as Canada’s Male Athlete of the Year. He was the fourth Canadian football player to be recognized for the honour and the first since Russ Jackson in 1969. The Lou Marsh Trophy was first presented in 1936.

During his nine seasons with the Stampeders, Cornish was selected as a Western All-Star for four straight seasons from 2011 to 2014 and was a CFL All-Star three straight years from 2012 to 2014.

Cornish finished his career as the fourth-leading rusher in Stampeders history with 6,844 yards. His final career numbers were 1,026 carries with an average of 6.7 yards per carry, 44 touchdowns along with 1,666 receiving yards and nine touchdowns and 8,510 total yards from scrimmage.

Cornish broke fellow Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee Normie Kwong’s 56-year-old single-season rushing record for a Canadian with 1,457 yards in 2012. He then broke his own record the following year with 1,813 rushing yards.

In total, Cornish  played 140 regular season games and 12 more in the playoffs, winning two Grey Cups (2008, 2014) and participating in one other with the Stampeders (2012). He led the CFL in rushing in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

He received the Jeff Nicklin Trophy as Outstanding Player in the West in 2012 and 2013, and the Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy as Outstanding Canadian in the West from 2012 to 2014. Cornish was selected 13th overall by Calgary in the 2006 CFL Draft. In his final season at the University of Kansas he rushed for 1,457 yards, setting the school record.

Playing Career

Calgary Stampeders
2007-2015

Awards/Honours

  • CFL Western All-Star
    2011-2014
  • CFL All-Star
    2012-2014
  • CFL Most Outstanding Canadian
    2012-2014
  • CFL Most Outstanding Player
    2013
  • Lou Marsh Trophy Winner Canada's Most Outstanding Athlete
    2013
  • Grey Cup Game Participation
    2008,2012,2014
  • Grey Cup Winning Teams
    2008,2014
  • CFLPA All-Star
    2012-2014