109th Grey Cup

Mosaic Stadium, the host stadium of the game.

As of August 2018, three teams were interested in submitting bids to host the 2021 Grey Cup, as the league met with representatives of those unidentified clubs in Hamilton.[7] Based on the location of the meeting and their previously-stated desire to host, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats were speculated to be one of the teams.[7] The previous obstacle—a lawsuit over the construction of Tim Hortons Field—which had prevented the Tiger-Cats from bidding on a Grey Cup game, was settled on May 31, 2018.[8] The Tiger-Cats had previously expressed interest in submitting a bid for the 107th Grey Cup and with litigation cleared, they could move forward with bidding to host their first championship game since the 84th Grey Cup in 1996.[9]

The first club to openly confirm their plans to bid were the Saskatchewan Roughriders, as stated by the club's president and CEO, Craig Reynolds, on October 1, 2018.[10][11] The game would coincide with the 110th anniversary of the club and would be the fourth time the game would be hosted in Saskatchewan, if successful.[12] The Roughriders' new facility, Mosaic Stadium, opened in 2017 and the Roughriders last hosted the Grey Cup in 2013.[10]

On November 4, 2018, it was reported that the Montreal Alouettes were preparing a bid to see Olympic Stadium host the 2020 championship game.[13] The Alouettes confirmed that they had representatives in Toronto on November 6, 2018, to make their presentation at the league head office to host the game.[14]

It was confirmed on November 13, 2018, that the Tiger-Cats were indeed making a bid for the game as team representatives made their presentation to the league head office in Toronto the week prior.[15] Their Grey Cup festival concept included a downtown-centred event at venues like the Hamilton Convention Centre and Art Gallery of Hamilton. The Tiger-Cats' president of business operations, Matt Afinec, confirmed that the club had support from Hamilton's mayor, Fred Eisenberger, and that three bids for the Grey Cup game had been made.[15]

On February 21, 2019, the 2020 and 2021 Grey Cup games were awarded to Regina and Hamilton respectively.[16] The 2020 CFL season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic; on May 20, 2020, the CFL announced that the Grey Cup in Regina had been cancelled, and that the game would be played at the home field of the team with the better regular season record, if played at all. Regina was therefore awarded the Grey Cup game played in 2022.[17][18] The 2020 season was cancelled in full in August 2020.[19]

The Grey Cup Festival was held at REAL District during the week preceding the game.[20] Teagan Littlechief of the White Bear First Nations performed "O Canada", with lyrics sung in English, French, and Cree languages, marking the first time that the anthem was sung in three languages and sung in an Indigenous language.[21][22][23] Valley performed the SiriusXM Grey Cup Kickoff Show,[24] while country musicians Jordan Davis, Tyler Hubbard, and Josh Ross performed the Twisted Tea Grey Cup Halftime Show.[25]

The Blue Bombers once again finished a dominant season with a franchise best 15–3 record and a second consecutive first place finish in the West Division.[26] The team opened the season with nine straight victories, which was second in franchise history to the 1960 team that won ten in a row to open the season.[27] The Blue Bombers secured a playoff spot with eight weeks left in the regular season with a victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Labour Day Classic on September 4.[28] The team then clinched first place in the West in week 18 on October 8 with two games left on the schedule and 36 days in between meaningful games.[29] The team finished with a 10–1 division record with the lone loss coming from the BC Lions after the Blue Bombers had already clinched first place and were resting starting players. The Blue Bombers defeated the Lions in the West Final by a score of 28–20 behind a strong rushing performance by Brady Oliveira and a punt return touchdown by Janarion Grant.[30]

The Blue Bombers' quarterback, Zach Collaros, won his second consecutive Most Outstanding Player Award and All-Star nomination and finished second in franchise history with 37 touchdown passes in the season.[31][32] The team's head coach, Mike O'Shea won the CFL Coach of the Year Award for the second year in a row and the team's left tackle, Stanley Bryant, won the CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award for the fourth time in five seasons — no other player has won more than twice.[31] At receiver, the team was led by rookie standout Dalton Schoen who led the league in receiving yards and touchdowns and was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie.[31] The team featured six league All-Stars, but just one on defence despite leading the league in points allowed, offensive touchdowns allowed, and net offensive yards allowed.[32][26]

The Argonauts finished in first place in the East Division for the second consecutive year with a regular season record of 11–7.[26] The team began the year with just four wins in nine games, but finished the year with a 7–2 record, five of which were on the road, and won seven total games away from their home stadium, BMO Field.[33] The team qualified for the playoffs in week 13 and clinched a first place finish in the penultimate regular season game against the Montreal Alouettes, who were also contesting first place in the East.[34][35] The Argonauts last finished with consecutive first place division finishes in 1996 and 1997 when the team also won back-to-back Grey Cups. In the East Final, the Argonauts jumped out to a 21–3 lead over the Alouettes and held on to a 34–27 victory after quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson passed for 299 yards with a 70.4% completion rate and the game-clinching third quarter touchdown pass to Kurleigh Gittens Jr.[36]

Despite being with the team since 2017, quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson entered the season as the undisputed starter for the first time in his career and was named an East Division All-Star after leading the league in passing yards.[37][26] He was scheduled to play in his first Grey Cup game as a starter.[26] The team had no major award winners, but head coach Ryan Dinwiddie was named the East Division coach of the year after leading the team to another first place finish in just his second year with the Argonauts.[31] The team featured three CFL All-Stars with Kurleigh Gittens Jr. leading all national receivers with a team-leading 1,101 receiving yards and was the East Division Most Outstanding Canadian.[32] Defensive end Ja'Gared Davis would play in his sixth consecutive Grey Cup game, but sought just his second championship after winning with the 2018 Calgary Stampeders. Five-time All-Star running back Andrew Harris would face his former team after winning back-to-back Grey Cups with the Blue Bombers and winning the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player award in 2019.

The Blue Bombers played the Argonauts on July 4, 2022.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts met just once during the regular season, in Toronto, at the end of week 4.[38] Winnipeg scored two first quarter touchdowns, including an interception returned for a touchdown by Winston Rose, and held a 17–3 lead at halftime. Despite the deficit, the Argonauts committed to the run game in the second half and Andrew Harris finished with 22 carries for 111 yards in the first meeting against his former team.[38] Trailing by seven points with 30 seconds left in the game, McLeod Bethel-Thompson threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Markeith Ambles, but placekicker Boris Bede missed the potential game-tying convert and the Blue Bombers held on to win 23–22.[38]

This championship was the seventh meeting between the two teams in the championship game, with the most recent being one of the most famous: the 1950 Mud Bowl.[26] The 72-year gap between meetings is the longest-ever continuous gap between meetings of two traditional East and West opponents.[26] The Argonauts won the first meeting in 1937 and repeated as champions in 1938.[26] Toronto then won three consecutive championships over the Blue Bombers in 1945, 1946, and 1947.[26] All six of these championship games were played at Varsity Stadium, in Toronto.[26]

As the West Division representative in a Grey Cup held in a West Division city, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were the designated home team for the game and used the home locker room.[39] However, the Blue Bombers wore their road white jerseys with gold pants which were the same uniforms worn in the previous two Grey Cup games by the team.[39] The Argonauts wore their home blue jerseys and blue pants and used the visitors' locker room.[39]

First quarter[42]

TOR – FG Bede 46 yards (10:34) 3–0 TOR

Second quarter[42]

TOR – Single Bede 49 yards (Missed 36-yard field goal attempt, wide right) (12:45) 4–0 TOR

WPG – TD Prukop 1-yard run (Liegghio convert) (7:52) 7–4 WPG

TOR – FG Bede 36 yards (3:47) 7–7

WPG – FG Liegghio 45 yards (0:45) 10–7 WPG

Third quarter[42]

TOR – TD Ouellette 4-yard run (Bede convert) (11:51) 14–10 TOR

WPG – TD Prukop 1-yard run (Liegghio convert) (4:05) 17–14 WPG

Fourth quarter[42]

WPG – TD Grant 102-yard punt return (Liegghio convert failed) (15:00) 23–14 WPG

TOR – FG Bede 36 yards (12:40) 23–17 WPG

TOR – TD Ouellette 5-yard run (Bede convert) (3:55) 24–23 TOR

Sources: CFL 109th Grey Cup Boxscore

Blue Bombers passing
Player	CP/AT	Pct	Yards	TD	Int
Zach Collaros	14/23	60.9%	183	0	1
Dakota Prukop	0/2	0.0%	0	0	1
Blue Bombers rushing
Player	Car	Yards	Avg	Lg	TD
Brady Oliveira	15	82	5.5	13	0
Dakota Prukop	5	9	1.8	4	2
Zach Collaros	1	7	7.0	7	0
Nic Demski	2	5	2.5	6	0
Blue Bombers receiving
Player	Rec	Yards	Avg	Lg	TD
Dalton Schoen	3	78	26.0	39	0
Greg Ellingson	4	46	11.5	24	0
Rasheed Bailey	2	24	12.0	17	0
Nic Demski	3	23	7.7	15	0
Drew Wolitarsky	1	8	8.0	8	0
Brady Oliveira	1	4	4.0	4	0
Blue Bombers defence
Player	DT–ST	QS	Int	FR	FF
Casey Sayles	6–0	1	0	0	0
Winston Rose	5–0	0	0	0	0
Jamal Parker	4–0	0	0	0	0
Brandon Alexander	4–0	0	0	0	0
Desmond Lawrence	4–0	0	0	0	0
Malik Clements	3–1	0	0	0	0
Alden Darby	3–0	0	0	0	0
Jackson Jeffcoat	2–0	1	0	1	1
Jake Thomas	1–0	0	0	0	0
Rasheed Bailey	1–0	0	0	0	0
Adam Bighill	1–0	0	0	0	0
Ricky Walker	1–0	0	0	0	0
Brady Oliveira	1–0	0	0	0	0
Deatrick Nichols	1–0	0	0	0	0
Les Maruo	0–2	0	0	0	0
Nick Hallett	0–2	0	0	0	0
Johnny Augustine	0–1	0	0	0	0
Mike Benson	0–1	0	0	0	0
Jesse Briggs	0–1	0	0	0	0
Brian Cole II	0–1	0	0	0	0
Shayne Gauthier	0–1	0	0	0	0
Willie Jefferson	0–1	0	0	0	0
Blue Bombers placekicking
Player	FM–FA	Lng	Avg	Sng	CM-CA
Marc Liegghio	1–2	45	45.0	0	1–2
Blue Bombers punting
Player	No	GAv	NAv	Sng	Lng
Marc Liegghio	8	39.1	24.6	0	47
Blue Bombers punt returns
Player	PR	Yards	Avg	Lg	TD
Janarion Grant	6	152	25.3	102	1
Blue Bombers kickoff returns
Player	PR	Yards	Avg	Lg	TD
Janarion Grant	3	71	23.7	27	0

Argonauts passing
Player	CP/AT	Pct	Yards	TD	Int
McLeod Bethel-Thompson	15/28	53.6%	203	0	0
Chad Kelly	4/6	66.7%	43	0	0
Argonauts rushing
Player	Car	Yards	Avg	Lg	TD
Andrew Harris	10	55	5.5	16	0
A. J. Ouellette	6	24	4.0	7	2
Chad Kelly	2	21	10.5	20	0
Argonauts receiving
Player	Rec	Yards	Avg	Lg	TD
Cam Phillips	4	96	24.0	37	0
DaVaris Daniels	7	58	8.3	13	0
Markeith Ambles	3	47	15.7	17	0
Brandon Banks	3	31	10.3	13	0
Andrew Harris	1	14	14.0	14	0
A. J. Ouellette	1	0	0.0	0	0
Argonauts defence
Player	DT–ST	QS	Int	FR	FF
Jonathan Jones	5–1	0	0	0	0
Robbie Smith	4–0	1	0	0	0
Tarvarus McFadden	4–0	0	0	0	0
Jack Cassar	3–4	0	0	0	0
Royce Metchie	3–0	0	0	0	0
Hénoc Muamba	3–0	0	1	0	0
Shaquille Richardson	2–0	0	1	0	0
Chris Edwards	2–0	1	0	0	0
Shawn Oakman	2–0	1	0	0	0
Brandon Barlow	2–0	0	0	0	0
Jared Brinkman	2–0	0	0	0	0
Jamal Peters	2–0	0	0	0	0
Dewayne Hendrix	1–0	1	0	0	1
Robert Priester	1–1	0	0	0	0
DaShaun Amos	1–0	0	0	0	0
Dariusz Bladek	1–0	0	0	0	0
Ja'Gared Davis	1–0	0	0	0	0
Dejon Brissett	0–1	0	0	0	0
Gregor MacKellar	0–1	0	0	0	0
Daniel Adeboboye	0–1	0	0	0	0
Argonauts placekicking
Player	FM–FA	Lng	Avg	Sng	CM-CA
Boris Bede	3–6	46	39.3	1	2–2
Argonauts punting
Player	No	GAv	NAv	Sng	Lng
John Haggerty	6	49.2	23.8	0	52
Argonauts punt returns
Player	PR	Yards	Avg	Lg	TD
Javon Leake	6	116	19.3	44	0
Argonauts kickoff returns
Player	PR	Yards	Avg	Lg	TD
Javon Leake	4	80	20.0	23	0