George Dixon ( Canadian football ) George Dixon ( October 19 , 1933 - August 6 , 1990 ) was a professional Canadian football player and a Canadian Interuniversity Sport football coach . Dixon starred as a running back for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League , from to . While Dixon played in only 76 games during his injury - shortened , seven - year career , all with the Alouettes , he is remembered as one of their finest players . Dixon ' s jersey # 28 is one of seven retired by the Alouettes , and he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1974 . In 2006 , Dixon was voted to the Honour Roll of the CFL ' s Top 50 players of the league ' s modern era by Canadian sports network TSN . After his playing career ended , Dixon was the head coach of the Loyola College Warriors ( now Concordia Stingers ) Canadian college football team in the late 1960s - early 1970s . College and NFL career . Dixon was born in New Haven , Connecticut in 1934 , and was a graduate of the nearby University of Bridgeport , where he starred as a running back for the Purple Knights . Following graduation , Dixon was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 9th round ( 97th pick ) of the 1959 NFL Draft . His impressive 95 yard kickoff return for a touchdown on August 23 , 1959 , against the San Francisco 49ers in an exhibition game , was not enough to keep rookie head coach Vince Lombardi from cutting him . Dixon missed out on a chance to be part of one of the NFL ' s great dynasties , becoming a Canadian Football Hall of Fame member instead . CFL career . With Verdun Shamcats offensive line man , and later Alouettes General Manager , Bob Geary blocking for him , Dixon amassed 5 , 615 yards on 896 carries , for an average of 6 . 3 yards a carry . He scored 59 touchdowns , 42 by rushing . His best day came on September 5 , 1960 , when he scored 4 touchdowns against the Ottawa Rough Riders . Dixon rushed for 100 yards in a game 24 times in his career . Although the Alouettes did not have a winning season during Dixon ' s time with the club , the Alouettes made the playoffs 5 of the 7 years , losing in the Eastern Division semi - finals in 4 of those years . Dixon will also forever be in the Alouettes , and CFL , record book for his 109 yard longest run from scrimmage , against the Ottawa Rough Riders , on September 2 , 1963 . He also set the Larks one game rushing record that day , with 235 yards . Dixon ' s best season was in , when he rushed for 1 , 520 yards , was named an Eastern Conference and CFL All - Star and won the CFL ' s Most Outstanding Player Award award . The following , 1963 CFL season was also a good one , with Dixon amassing 1 , 270 yards rushing and equalling his All - Star honours of the previous year . Dixon ' s great accomplishments have not gone unremembered . His uniform number , 28 , has been retired by the Alouettes , and he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame on May 6 , 1974 . In November 2006 , Dixon was voted to the Honour Roll of the CFL ' s top 50 players of the league ' s modern era by Canadian sports network TSN . Later life and death . After his playing career ended , Dixon coached the Loyola College Warriors , of Montreal , to great and unexpected success . The following quote is taken from the Concordia University 2006 Sports Hall of Fame induction ( Loyola merged with Sir George Williams University to create Concordia in 1974 : ) Dixon died on August 6 , 1990 , in Montreal , at the age of 56 , survived by his wife , Carol and his sons Kirk and Eric .