Calgary Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell wants to throw it back to the mid-2000s.
That’s when one of the greatest players to ever play in the CFL started his own showcase event: the Damon Allen Quarterback Challenge. The first edition was in 2005 when the three-down league’s premiere quarterbacks competed in a series of skills challenges in an effort to be crowned “King Of The Hill.”
“I’ve always been a big fan of the QB challenges in the States and my idea was to showcase the talent in the CFL. I made a point of hosting it in Canada too. We had talented guys and I wanted to display them and have fans develop a greater appreciation of them,” Allen told 3DownNation in 2019.
The Damon Allen Quarterback Challenge was held in the spring prior to CFL training camps opening in 2005, 2006, and 2008. The winners were Spergon Wynn, Allen, and Jarious Jackson. It created a buzz leading into the upcoming season as the franchise pivots competed in a fan-friendly environment. Mitchell wants to recreate a similar event within the same time frame.
“I want to bring back some kind of skills competition. I think a skills competition would create a lot of fun and an atmosphere to bring fans around,” Mitchell said on The Bob McCown podcast.
‘It gets guys back here during the off-season. You could do it during the CFL car wash with media — quarterback competition. It’s fun for the young guys.”
Whatever Mitchell puts his mind to it tends to be successful. If the two-time Grey Cup champion has an idea the CFL should consider backing the biggest star in its league.
