Russ Jackson Russell Stanley Jackson , OC ( born July 28 , 1936 , in Hamilton , Ontario ) . Jackson spent his entire 12 - year professional football career with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League . He is a member of the Order of Canada , the Canadian Football Hall of Fame , and Canada ' s Sports Hall of Fame , and has been described as the best Canadian - born quarterback to play in the CFL . In 2006 , Jackson was voted one of the CFL ' s Top 50 players ( # 8 ) of the league ' s modern era by Canadian sports network TSN , the highest - ranked Canadian - born player on the list . Early life and college career . After a stellar college career as both a basketball and football player , Jackson graduated from McMaster University in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics . He was the McMaster nominee for a Rhodes Scholarship , but did not pursue an interview for the scholarship , deciding instead to sign with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League , who drafted him in the first round of the 1958 CFL draft . Rough Rider career . Originally signed as a defensive back , Jackson quarterback ed the Rough Riders to three Grey Cup victories ( 48th , 56th , and 57th Grey Cup s ) . Jackson was the dominant CFL quarterback of the 1960s . He was honoured many times during his CFL career . He won the CFL ' s Most Outstanding Player Award in the 1963 , 1966 , and 1969 seasons . He was also a four - time winner of the CFL ' s Most Outstanding Canadian Award ( 1959 , 1963 , 1966 , 1969 seasons ) . He was a six - time Eastern Conference All - Star quarterback ( 1962 , 1963 , 1966 , 1967 , 1968 , 1969 ) and the CFL All - Star quarterback in the 1966 , 1968 , and 1969 seasons . Russ Jackson was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1973 . Many consider him one of the best Canadian - born players to play in the CFL , while most consider him to be the best Canadian to play the quarterback position . In November 2006 , Jackson was voted one of the CFL ' s top 50 players ( # 8 ) of the league ' s modern era by Canadian sports network TSN . Jackson ended his career with 24 , 592 passing yards , with 1 , 356 completions on 2 , 530 attempts ( 53 . 6 % ) , 125 interceptions , 185 touchdowns , and an efficiency rating of 90 . 83 . He was also a mobile quarterback , gaining 5 , 045 yards on the ground on 738 rushes , with 54 touchdowns . Among the few Canadian - born quarterbacks to play in the CFL , Jackson is the only one to pass for over 20 , 000 yards . He holds the record for throwing the most passing touchdowns in a Grey Cup game , four ( set in the 1969 game ) , and is tied for the career lead in Grey Cup passing touchdowns with eight . Post - football playing career . After retiring from football , Jackson returned to teaching , having been a mathematics teacher from 1959 – 1961 and head of the Department of Mathematics at Rideau High School in Ottawa , Ontario from 1961 - 1966 . He was the principal of Canterbury High School in Ottawa from 1973 to 1975 . Jackson briefly left teaching in 1975 , spending two years as head coach of the Toronto Argonauts . Jackson compiled a 12 - 18 - 2 regular - season record in two seasons as the Argos ' head coach , not reaching the playoffs in either season . Jackson would be replaced by Leo Cahill , in his second tenure as the Argos ' head coach , prior to the 1977 CFL season . He later became a vice - principal and principal at secondary schools in Ottawa and Mississauga . He also became principal at Brampton Centennial Secondary School , John Fraser and T . L . Kennedy secondary schools . Jackson has also done sports commentary for the CFL ' s Hamilton Tiger - Cats with radio station CHML - AM in Hamilton . Jackson is an Officer of the Order of Canada and was awarded an honorary doctoral degree in law by McMaster University in 1989 . He will be added to Canada ' s Walk of Fame in 2012 . In 1986 , the Russ Jackson Award was created in his honour to recognize the CIS football player who best exhibits athletic ability , academic achievement , and devoted citizenship . Videos . 80 - yard TD pass in 1969 Grey Cup Canadian Football Hall of Fame member