Matt Dunigan

Matt Dunigan (born December 6, 1960) is an American broadcaster and former professional football player and executive.

He is a Canadian Football League (CFL) sportscaster for Canadian sports television channel TSN.

Dunigan is a former quarterback, coach, and executive in the CFL.

After the 75th Grey Cup victory, Dunigan tried pursuing a Major League Baseball career.

He worked with a scout from the California Angels, then showed up in Florida during spring training.

He was hoping to catch on with the Montreal Expos.

He was signed to a Class A contract, but then released on the last day.

While Edmonton held on to his rights, they traded him to the British Columbia Lions in a remarkable seven for one trade.

He led the Lions to victory in their last eight games, and to the Grey Cup.

They lost to Winnipeg 22–21.

His second year in Vancouver produced his first losing season, as the team fell to 7–11.

He did throw for a career-high 27 touchdowns.

However, new management came in, and Dunigan was the first one to go in another seven for one trade, to the Toronto Argonauts.

A member of an athletically inclined family, he enrolled at Louisiana Tech University in 1979, while Tech was classified as an NCAA Division I-A program.

Dunigan was named the starting quarterback for the 1980 season by newly hired head coach Billy Brewer.

In 1982, Dunigan's senior season, Louisiana Tech began play in Division I-AA.

In his freshman year, Dunigan played in eight games behind incumbent starting quarterback Mark Buchanan.

Dunigan's best collegiate season was in 1982 as a senior, going 222–413 for 2,843 yards, 23 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

Dunigan led the Bulldogs to a 9–2 regular season record, an undefeated 5–0 record in the Southland Conference, a #2 ranking in The Sports Network poll, and the program's first ever berth in the Division I-AA playoffs.

After a 38–3 quarterfinal win at home against South Carolina State, the Bulldogs were eliminated from the playoffs in a 17–0 semifinal loss at home to Delaware.

In 44 total games at Louisiana Tech, Dunigan had completed 550 of 1,103 pass attempts for 7,010 yards with 40 touchdowns against 50 interceptions.

Dunigan broke into the CFL in 1983 with the Edmonton Eskimos.

In his rookie season, he backed up Warren Moon.

Prior to the 1984 CFL Season, Moon left for the NFL's Houston Oilers and the Eskimos became Dunigan's team.

He led the Eskimos to back-to-back Grey Cup appearances in 1986 and 87, winning in 1987.

He had to watch most of the game from the bench due to injury.

His backup during this time was another CFL legend in the making, Damon Allen.

When he arrived in Toronto, they made the playoffs in 1990, but lost in the Division Final.

However, 1991 proved to be a memorable year for the CFL and Argonauts.

Canadian actor and comedian John Candy, along with hockey great Wayne Gretzky, and Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce McNall purchased the Argos.

Toronto then made noise by signing Notre Dame receiver Raghib "Rocket" Ismail.

The Rocket, along with Dunigan and running back Michael "Pinball" Clemons led Toronto to a 13–5 record.

After a first round bye, the Argos won against Winnipeg in front of a packed out SkyDome, and advanced to the Grey Cup.

However, in that playoff game, Dunigan broke his collarbone.

He was able to throw the length of a hotel ballroom after doctors deadened his shoulder.

In minus 19 degree weather, he threw two touchdowns and won his second Grey Cup.

In 2006, Dunigan joined the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players (#39) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN.

In 2008, he was named the host of Road Grill, a Canadian barbecue cooking series on Food Network Canada.

Although born in Ohio, Dunigan was raised in Dallas, Texas, attended Lake Highlands High School and grew up admiring Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach.

Dunigan was inducted into the Louisiana Tech University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011.