Photo courtesy: Windsor Essex-County Sports Hall of Fame
Former CFL receiver Tony Dennis passed away on January 3 at the age of 63 after suffering multiple organ failures. He had been in hospital on life support since before Christmas.
The native of Windsor, Ont., was a fourth-round pick of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the 1985 CFL Draft and spent three seasons with the team. His best year came in 1986, when he caught 53 passes for 806 yards and three touchdowns, finishing second on the team in receiving behind only Ray Elgaard.
The five-foot-11, 185-pound target was traded to the Calgary Stampeders in 1988 and retired after the season. He later resumed his playing career for a one-year stint with the B.C. Lions in 1990, his last in the CFL. In 68 career games, he collected 111 receptions for 1,637 yards and six touchdowns.
Prior to his professional career, Dennis attended Simon Fraser University from 1981 to 1984. He played defensive back his first two seasons and led the team in tackles on both occasions, before switching to receiver as a junior. He would go on to set eight school receiving records and climb to fourth place on SFU’s all-time yardage list, earning first-team all-conference and honourable mention All-American selections.
In his final season, Dennis helped the Clan become nationally ranked in the NAIA. He would sign a contract with the Los Angeles Raiders as an undrafted free agent, but ultimately failed the physical.
Dennis settled in White Rock, B.C., where he became a much-beloved community football coach. In 2003, at the age of 41, he suffered a life-threatening stroke that left him permanently disabled. The next year, the B.C. Lions honoured him with the Orange Helmet award for Community Football Coach of the Year.
Despite his medical challenges, Dennis overcame the odds and moved back to Windsor, where he became a fixture in the community and was often seen walking along the river or taking the bus. He is survived by his five children: Chase, Caelan, Shelby, Samuel, and Serene; two grandchildren: Elijah and Julien; his parents, Glenn and Gail; and six siblings: Gene, Tim, Scott, Celeste, Richard, and Mark.
Due to his stroke, Dennis was not eligible to receive life insurance. His family have set up a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of his end-of-life care and memorial service, which can be found here.