2009 CFL season The 2009 CFL season was the 56th season of modern professional Canadian football . Officially , it was the 52nd season of the Canadian Football League . The Montreal Alouettes won the 97th Grey Cup on November 29 with a last second 28 – 27 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders . The 19 - week regular schedule , issued February 3 , 2009 , began on July 1 , which was only the second time in league history that a CFL season started on Canada Day , with the first occurring in 1998 . The playoffs started on November 15 and two weeks of pre - season games began June 17 . CFL news in 2009 . Arena football suspension and moves for expansion . In February unexpected news was made when an American group , led by ex - NFL receiver Oronde Gadsden , announced their intentions to pursue a franchise in the CFL . Citing the suspension of the 2009 season of the Arena Football League and the demise of NFL Europe as a potential opportunity for growth the US market , Gadsen ' s group highlighted either Detroit – Windsor or Rochester , New York as possible locations for a new team . Reaction from the CFL with respect to Gadsen ' s intentions was mixed , however , with league head office iterating a reluctance to return to US expansion while Montreal Alouettes owner , Robert Wetenhall , welcoming the concept of bids involving border regions ( Wetenhall ' s Alouettes spent two years in Baltimore in the 1990s , though under American ownership ; Wetenhall purchased the team after it moved to Montreal ) . The mayor of Moncton , premier of New Brunswick , and league commissioner Mark Cohon met in February to negotiate a deal that would see the city host a regular season game annually over five years , beginning in the 2010 CFL season . Rule changes . Several main rule changes were proposed for 2009 by fans at the request of CFL commissioner Mark Cohon . The following changes were implemented : Other rule changes considered included moving the kickoff back 10 yards for all kicks ( not just following safeties ) , and moving the ball back during conversions . Hall of Fame induction weekend . For only the second time in its 39 - year history , the Canadian Football Hall of Fame induction weekend events did not take place in Hamilton , Ontario , the home of the museum . It took place in Winnipeg from September 24 to 26 , finishing with the tribute game between the Blue Bombers and Argonauts on September 26 . Bye weeks . Bye s in the two weeks preceding the Labour Day Classic games were retained , however the byes were changed so as to ensure that each pair of Labour Day Classic opponents will have equal rest as opposed to splitting the byes by division . CFL retro . As the league approaches the 100th Grey Cup , the CFL celebrated the sixties with all eight teams wearing retro - themed uniforms from that era at different points in the season . All teams wore their retro uniforms in Week 3 . The Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Calgary Stampeders were the only teams to wear both home and away retro uniforms , while the remaining teams wore one set of uniforms . The BC Lions wore their black alternate jerseys in combination with their retro pants and helmets for a " retro look , " but did not introduce new home retro jerseys . Regular season . " Note : GP = Games Played , W = Wins , L = Losses , T = Ties , PF = Points For , PA = Points Against , Pts = Points " " Teams in bold are currently in playoff positions . X – clinched playoff berthY – clinched first place Grey Cup playoffs . The Montreal Alouettes were the 2009 Grey Cup champions , defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders , 28 – 27 on a field goal by Damon Duval at Calgary ' s McMahon Stadium on the last play of the game . It was the first Grey Cup for the Alouettes since 2002 . Alouettes ' runningback Avon Cobourne was named the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player , and slotback , Ben Cahoon was named the Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian .