# James P. McCaffrey Trophy

The James P. McCaffrey Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy, awarded to the outstanding defensive player in the East Division. Each team in the East division nominates a candidate, from which the winner is chosen. Either the winner of this trophy or the winner of the Norm Fieldgate Trophy will also win the Canadian Football League Most Outstanding Defensive Player award.
In 1995, as part of the American expansion, the McCaffrey trophy was given to the most outstanding defensive player in the South Division.
Prior to 1974 the CFL's Most Outstanding Lineman Award was awarded to both outstanding defensive players and outstanding linemen in the East Division.

## James P. McCaffrey Trophy winners

| Year | Player | Position | Club | Ref. |
| 2023 | Adarius Pickett | (DB) | Toronto Argonauts | |
| 2022 | Lorenzo Mauldin | (DE) | Ottawa Redblacks | |
| 2021 | Simoni Lawrence | (LB) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 2020 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2019 | Simoni Lawrence | (LB) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 2018 | Larry Dean | (LB) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 2017 | Kyries Hebert | (LB) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 2016 | Bear Woods | (LB) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 2015 | Simoni Lawrence | (LB) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 2014 | Bear Woods | (LB) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 2013 | Chip Cox | (LB) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 2012 | Shea Emry | (LB) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 2011 | Jovon Johnson | (DB) | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | |
| 2010 | Markeith Knowlton | (LB) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 2009 | Anwar Stewart | (DE) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 2008 | Doug Brown | (DT) | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | |
| 2007 | Jonathan Brown | (DE) | Toronto Argonauts | |
| 2006 | Barrin Simpson | (LB) | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | |
| 2005 | Michael Fletcher | (LB) | Toronto Argonauts | |
| 2004 | Anwar Stewart | (DE) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 2003 | Kevin Johnson | (LB) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 2002 | Barron Miles | (DB) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 2001 | Joe Montford | (DE) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 2000 | Joe Montford | (DE) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 1999 | Calvin Tiggle | (LB) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 1998 | Joe Montford | (DE) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 1997 | Shonte Peoples | (LB) | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | |
| 1996 | Tracy Gravely | (LB) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 1995 | Tim Cofield | (DE) | Memphis Mad Dogs | |
| 1994 | Tim Cofield | (DE) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 1993 | Elfrid Payton | (LB) | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | |
| 1992 | Angelo Snipes | (LB) | Ottawa Rough Riders | |
| 1991 | Greg Battle | (LB) | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | |
| 1990 | Greg Battle | (LB) | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | |
| 1989 | Greg Battle | (LB) | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | |
| 1988 | Grover Covington | (DE) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 1987 | James West | (LB) | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | |
| 1986 | Brett Williams | (DT) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 1985 | Paul Bennett | (DB) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 1984 | Harry Skipper | (DB) | Montreal Concordes | |
| 1983 | Greg Marshall | (DE) | Ottawa Rough Riders | |
| 1982 | Zac Henderson | (DB) | Toronto Argonauts | |
| 1981 | Ben Zambiasi | (LB) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 1980 | Tom Cousineau | (LB) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 1979 | Ben Zambiasi | (LB) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
| 1978 | Randy Rhino | (DB) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 1977 | Glen Weir | (DT) | Montreal Alouettes | |
| 1976 | Granville Liggins | (DT) | Toronto Argonauts | |
| 1975 | Jim Corrigall | (DE) | Toronto Argonauts | |

## Outstanding Defensive player in the East Division prior to the trophy

| Year | Player | Position | Club | Ref. |
| 1974 | Ed George | (OG) | Montreal Alouettes |

## CFL's Most Outstanding Lineman Award in the East Division prior to 1974

| Year | Player | Position | Club |
| 1973 | Ed George | (OG) | Montreal Alouettes |
| 1972 | Jim Stillwagon | (DL) | Toronto Argonauts |
| 1971 | Mark Kosmos | (LB) | Montreal Alouettes |
| 1970 | Angelo Mosca | (DL) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 1969 | Billy Joe Booth | (DE) | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1968 | Ken Lehmann | (LB) | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1967 | John Barrow | (DL) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 1966 | Ken Lehmann | (LB) | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1965 | John Barrow | (DL) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 1964 | John Barrow | (DL) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 1963 | Angelo Mosca | (DL) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 1962 | John Barrow | (DL) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 1961 | John Barrow | (DL) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 1960 | Kaye Vaughan | (OT) | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1959 | John Barrow | (DL) | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 1958 | Jackie Simpson | (OG) | Montreal Alouettes |
| 1957 | Kaye Vaughan | (OT) | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1956 | Kaye Vaughan | (OT) | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1955 | Tex Coulter | (OL) | Montreal Alouettes |

## General References

Daniel, Steve; Krever, Jeff (eds.). 2023 CFL Guide and Record Book (PDF). Canadian Football League. p. 279. ISSN 2371-2422.