Week 4 of the 2025 CFL regular season has come to an end with three of home teams picking up wins in the friendly confines of their own stadiums. Week 5 will feature the first edition of this year’s Battle of Ontario, but first let’s look back at the standout performers, plays, and games from the week that was.
These awards are selected by 3DownNation’s contributors and will be presented weekly throughout the 2025 season. Enjoy.
Offensive player of the week: QB Zach Collaros, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player had a vintage performance at a packed Princess Auto Stadium on Thursday night, throwing for 334 yards and three touchdowns. The 36-year-old’s best play of the night may have come on the ground, however, as he dodged an oncoming blitz for a 13-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter to ice the win over Edmonton, improving his team’s record to 3-0.
Honourable mention: RB A.J. Ouellette, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Defensive player of the week: DL Andrew Chatfield Jr., Toronto Argonauts
The six-foot-two, 250-pound defender was a one-man wrecking crew against the Redblacks, recording eight defensive tackles, two sacks, and one pass knockdown. The 26-year-old native of Plantation, Fla. has now made five sacks over four games with Toronto to lead the entire CFL. For context, no player in the league had more than eight sacks all of last season.
Honourable mention: LB Devin Veresuk, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Special teams player of the week: P Joe Couch, Saskatchewan Roughriders
The 30-year-old from Australia punted seven times for a net average of 48.7 yards against the Tiger-Cats, the best figure by any player in the CFL so far this season. Couch hit two singles, which may not have been ideal, but they came from distances of 77 and 74 yards, still providing a respectable field-flip.
Honourable mention: DB Derek Slywka, Toronto Argonauts
Breakout player of the week: DB Derek Slywka, Toronto Argonauts
The rookie out of Ithaca College made two huge plays in Toronto’s win over the Redblacks. In the first half, he picked up a fumble from Kalil Pimpleton and returned it 105 yards for a touchdown. In the second half, Slywka reversed field after corralling a blocked field goal attempt and returned it 120 yards for a touchdown. Two touchdowns and over 200 total yards? Not bad for a rookie defensive back.
Honourable mention: LB Devin Veresuk, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Offensive line of the week: Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The unit of Stanley Bryant, Gabe Wallace, Chris Kolankowski, Patrick Neufeld, and Kendall Randolph was rock-solid against a strong Edmonton defensive line, allowing only one sack. Winnipeg had virtually no ground game for the first three quarters but the offensive line was able to open holes late when it mattered most as Matthew Peterson rushed for 57 yards in the fourth quarter alone.
Honourable mention: B.C. Lions
Coach of the week: DB Brent Monson, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton’s defence came off the bye looking like a brand-new unit, holding the Alouettes to a measly 226 yards of net offence. Devin Veresuk and Julian Howsare scored defensive touchdowns, Howsare and Mario Kendricks got home for sacks, and the Tiger-Cats forced four total takeaways, helping the team get its first win of the season.
Honourable mention: OC Marc Mueller, Saskatchewan Roughriders
SLYWKA DOES IT AGAIN! HIS SECOND 100+ YARD TOUCHDOWN OF THIS DAY, THIS TIME OFF OF A BLOCKED FIELD GOAL! pic.twitter.com/oJtRS9cfPP
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 30, 2025
Best play of the week: DB Derek Slywka, Toronto Argonauts
The 24-year-old was Johnny-on-the-spot early in the second half of Sunday’s game when Anthony Lanier II blocked a field goal attempt from Lewis Ward. Slywka sprinted back to collect the bouncing ball, ran to his left, then reversed field all the way back to his right and found daylight, taking it 120 yards to the house. This was arguably not just the play of the game but the play of the year so far.
Honourable mention: REC Nic Demski, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Worst play of the week: QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Montreal Alouettes
The veteran passer had a chance to drive the field and tie the game late in the fourth quarter but wasted the opportunity on the very first play of Montreal’s possession. Bethel-Thompson dropped what appeared to be a good snap from Justin Lawrence and the ball bounced into the end zone where it was recovered by defensive lineman Julian Howsare for a touchdown, clinching the game for Hamilton.
Honourable mention: QB Jeremiah Masoli, B.C. Lions
ANOTHER ONE FOR HAMILTON!
Julian Howsare picks off the fumble and carries it to the house! #CFLGameday
Tune into @westjet Canada Day Weekend.
🗓️: Alouettes vs. @Ticats LIVE NOW
🇨🇦: TSN, RDS
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/4YXKlHOMUf— CFL (@CFL) June 28, 2025
Best game of the week: Edmonton Elks at Winnipeg Blue Bombers
This wasn’t the greatest game in CFL history, but it featured plenty of big plays as Keric Wheatfall, Nic Demski, and Kaion Julien-Grant each scored touchdowns from over 50 yards out. The atmosphere at Princess Auto Stadium was outstanding and the Elks put up a surprisingly strong fight as the game was tied heading into the fourth quarter.
Honourable mention: Toronto Argonauts at Ottawa Redblacks
Worst game of the week: Montreal Alouettes at Hamilton Tiger-Cats
After CFL on TSN analyst Luke Willson called the Friday Night Football matchup from Week 3 “hot garbage,” this one was worse. The teams combined for a measly 535 yards of net offence and there were few sustained drives. There was a feel-good moment when Devin Veresuk scored on a pick-six in his first career start but overall, this game was forgettable.
Honourable mention: B.C. Lions at Saskatchewan Roughriders
