Three-time Grey Cup champion Murphy selected as 15th inductee into Bombers' Ring of Honour
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The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced Monday that James Murphy has been selected as the 2023 inductee to the Ring of Honour at IG Field.
Murphy becomes the 15th member of the Ring of Honour and will be added at the annual Banjo Bowl against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, September 9.
“It’s fantastic,” said Murphy in a statement. “You don’t play the game for this kind of recognition, but when you do get the thumbs up it’s just awesome. I’m overwhelmed with joy.
“We had so many great players, so many great teams and coaches during my era. So many fond memories for me. It was really one of the greatest times, the 1980s, to be playing football in Winnipeg and in the CFL.”
Murphy played for the Blue Bombers from 1982-90, was a two-time CFL All-Star (1986, 1988) and was named the league’s Most Outstanding Player in 1986. The product of Utah State University was also a member of the 1984, 1988 and 1990 Blue Bombers Grey Cup championship teams, earning MVP honours in the ’88 game.
Upon his retirement after the 1990 season, the DeLand, Fla., native was the Blue Bombers' all-time leading receiver with 573 receptions for 9,036 yards and 61 touchdowns and now still ranks second to Milt Stegall on that list.
Murphy had six 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his career and still holds the club record for receptions in a season with 116, set in ’86, the year he was the CFL’s MOP.
Murphy is a member of the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 1995 and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, to which he was welcomed in 2000.
“Congratulations to James Murphy, who is certainly worthy of taking his place alongside the other icons of our franchise,” said Blue Bombers president and CEO Wade Miller in a statement. “The Winnipeg Football Club is absolutely thrilled to add a dynamic player who opted to stay in Winnipeg after his retirement to our Ring of Honour.”
Murphy now joins the 14 other inductees to the Ring of Honour in Chris Walby, Ken Ploen, Gerry James, Stegall, Dieter Brock, Leo Lewis, Bud Grant, Herb Gray, Doug Brown, Jack Jacobs, Fritz Hanson, Bob Cameron, Bob Irving and Joe Poplawski.