Tony Champion

Infobox CFL player
Name=Tony Champion

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status=Retired
import=yes
Position=WR
number=87, 1
College=Tennessee Martin
DateOfBirth=March 19, 1963
Birthplace=Humboldt, Tennessee
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playing_years=1985-1992
playing_teams=Hamilton Tiger-Cats
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Tony Champion is a former American football and Canadian Football League player.

Early sports career

A multi-sport star, Champion lived up to his name as a football standout at the high school, college and pro level. A 1981 Humboldt grad, he was an all-district player on the Vikings' 1979 undefeated, 13-0 Class AA state champion football team. As a senior he quarterbacked Humboldt to a 10-1 season and was selected All-West Tenn., 2nd Team All-State and Humboldt Player of the Year. In basketball Champion earned All-District and All-Region as Humboldt finished state runner-up. In track he placed 4th in state in the 330 yd. low hurdles as a junior and qualified for the state as a senior, but elected to attend graduation instead of competing at the state meet.

Football career

Playing football at the University of Tennessee at Martin (1981-84), Champion was All-Gulf South Conference, had 84 career points and tied a school record with a 100-yard kickoff return. As a junior he surpassed 1,000 receiving yards and set school records for receptions in a season (39) and most yards single game (181 yards on 3 catches). He was a pre-season All-American before suffering knee injury as a senior.

Champion signed as free agent with the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, and Green Bay Packers in the National Football League, but in each case was cut from the team.

He was a two time all-star (1986 and 1989) in the Canadian Football League, playing for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for eight seasons, 1985-1992. He had 340 career receptions for 5,498 yards and 37 TD's. In 1989 Champion was runner-up for the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award, Hamilton's Most Valuable Player, winner of the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy trophy, and set a team season record for touchdowns with 15 on the year.

Perhaps Champion will be best (and in Canada forever,) remembered for his last minute touchdown catch in the 1989 Grey Cup game. His second touchdown catch against the Saskatchewan Roughriders was one of the finest in the history of the championship game. With Hamilton losing in the final minutes, Champion caught a 13 yard Mike Kerrigan pass deep in the end zone with 44 seconds remaining. The touchdown tied the game, but it was Champion's catch that awed the fans. Fully extended, he rolled over in mid air to grab the ball in both hands and then promptly fall flat out on the ground, without dropping the ball, and all done with broken ribs. This feat has been called "the greatest catch in football" in CFL circles.

He won the 74th Grey Cup with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1986.

Professional football record

Post-football

Champion has dropped out of public life totally since leaving football. All efforts to contact him, by former teammates and for a 20th anniversary of the 1989 Grey Cup game, have been ignored. He is presently living in Humboldt, Tenn. working in a tobacco factory. Champion was somewhat bitter when he left the CFL in 1992. This was evidenced as early as the 1989 Grey Cup game, where in a post game interview he proclaimed: "You've seen the last of Tony Champion." While not correct, this was a manifestation of his belief that he was not fully appreciated or compensated. [Greatest Grey Cup in history still sends chills down the spine by Al Maki,"Toronto Globe and Mail", November 17, 2007.]

Champion is the son of the late Sadie Mai Champion of Humboldt. Tony and wife, Darla have two children, Kiara and Maiya.

References