Fantuz to be enshrined in Football Ontario Hall of Fame
Former CFL all-star receiver Andy Fantuz of Chatham has been named to the inaugural class for Ontario Football’s Hall of Fame.
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Former CFL all-star receiver Andy Fantuz of Chatham has been named to the inaugural class for Football Ontario’s Hall of Fame.
Fantuz played 12 CFL seasons – six apiece with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats – from 2006-17.
He made five trips to the Grey Cup, winning once with the Roughriders in 2007. He was the game’s most valuable Canadian in 2007 and again in 2014 with the Tiger-Cats.
The Chatham Sports Hall of Fame inductee retired with career totals of 637 catches for 8,363 yards and 44 touchdowns in 148 regular-season games. He ranked in the top 20 all-time in catches and top 40 in receiving yards before the 2023 season.
Fantuz was the CFL’s top Canadian in 2010 after making 87 catches for a career- and league-best 1,380 yards. That season earned him a shot with the Chicago Bears in the 2011 NFL pre-season.
Fantuz turned pro after a record-setting university career with the Western Mustangs. He set a Canadian university single-season record in 2002 with 1,300 receiving yards and was named national rookie of the year.
He won the Hec Crighton Trophy as national player of the year in 2005.
The McGregor graduate finished his four-year Mustangs career with Canadian all-time records for receptions (189), receiving yards (4,123) and touchdown catches (41).
Fantuz will be enshrined in the Football Ontario Hall of Fame with his former Mustangs coach, Larry Haylor.
The inaugural class will include 15 members. Seven were announced as of Wednesday morning. The others are players Tim Tindale and Neil Lumsden, coaches Frank Tindall and Gino Fracas, and builder Bernie Custis.
The inductees will be honoured during the Football Ontario symposium. Details are to be announced this week, said Football Ontario director of operations Tyler McNicholl.
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