Graphic: BC Sports Hall of Fame
Longtime CFL defensive lineman Doug Brown will be enshrined in the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026.
Brown played eleven seasons in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2001-11). The native of New Westminster, B.C., recorded 429 tackles and 52 sacks with the team, was named Most Outstanding Canadian in 2001, and earned seven CFL all-star selections — the second-most all-time by a defensive tackle.
The six-foot-eight, 290-pound defender was originally selected fifth overall in the 1997 CFL Draft by the Calgary Stampeders, but spent the first three seasons of his career in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills and Washington Football Team. He played 20 games south of the border, notching 22 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one fumble recovery.
Prior to going pro, Brown was a NAIA All-American at Simon Fraser University. A former U19 rugby star for Team Canada, he played just one season of high school football for Port Moody Secondary School and helped lead the team to a B.C. provincial AA championship.
Brown was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2016 and the B.C. Football Hall of Fame in 2022. He continues to be a fixture for Winnipeg football, providing colour commentary for Bombers games on 680 CJOB and writing columns for the Winnipeg Free Press.
The 2026 Class will be inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony this fall, with details to be announced later. Joining Brown in the class are soccer player Silvana Burtini, bobsledder Justin Kripps, cyclist and skier Georgia Simmerling, and soccer player Les Wilson. Ossie Chavarria (baseball), Jim Clive (beach volleyball) and Barb Harris (field hockey) will all be enshrined in the builder category, while the 2006 Vancouver Whitecaps women’s soccer team is being inducted as a team. Dr. Bruce Forster will be honoured as a pioneer in sports medicine, John McKeachie is being recognized for his work in media, and John Mills is receiving the W.A.C. Bennett Award for 50 years of leadership in sport.
