Milt Stegall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Milt Stegall

Stegall in 2022
No. 84, 85
Position:	Wide receiver Slotback
Personal information
Born:	(1970-01-25) January 25, 1970 (age 55) Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	184 lb (83 kg)
Career information
High school:	Roger Bacon (St. Bernard, Ohio)
College:	Miami (OH)
Undrafted:	1992
Career history
Cincinnati Bengals (1992) Green Bay Packers (1995)* Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1995–1998) New Orleans Saints (1998)* Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1999–2008)
Career highlights and awards
9× CFL All-Star (1997, 2000–2007) Most Outstanding Player Award (2002) Tom Pate Memorial Award (2007) Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hall of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 4 Receiving yards: 43 Touchdowns: 1
Career CFL statistics
Receptions: 854 Receiving yards: 15,153 Touchdowns: 147
Player stats at PFR
Player stats at CFL.ca (archive)
Canadian Football Hall of Fame

Milton Eugene Stegall (born January 25, 1970) is a former professional gridiron football player. He played football for 17 years! He spent three years in the National Football League (NFL) with the Cincinnati Bengals. He also played 14 years in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Today, he works as a sports analyst for CFL on TSN.

Milt Stegall was an amazing receiver for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL. During his fantastic 14-year career (1995-2008), he set many major CFL records. He still holds the record for most career receiving touchdowns and total touchdowns scored. In 2012, he was honored by being chosen for the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Sports Talents

Milt Stegall was born in Cincinnati on January 25, 1970. He was the youngest of five children. He went to Roger Bacon High School. There, he was an All-State football player and an All-City basketball player. He even qualified for the state track meet in his senior year.

Stegall started playing football at just four years old. He played for a team called Parchman & Oyler Pop Warner Football. When he was 8 to 10 years old, he scored an amazing 87 touchdowns as a running back. That record still stands today!

College Football Career

Stegall attended Miami University from 1988 to 1991. He played football for four years there. As a wide receiver, he caught 106 passes for 1,581 yards and scored eight touchdowns.

Milt was very fast! He also competed on Miami's track and field team. He holds the third-fastest 100-meter dash time (10.44 seconds) and the fifth-fastest 200-meter dash time (21.24 seconds) in school history. His speed made him a great kick returner too. He set a school record with 1,377 kick return yards. This record lasted until 2002. Because of all his achievements, he was named an honorable mention All-Mid-American Conference player as a junior.

NFL Career Experience

After college, Stegall signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played 21 games over three seasons in the NFL. He had four catches for 43 yards and scored one touchdown. He mostly played as a kick returner, where he gained 446 yards. He also made five tackles on special teams.

In 1995, the Green Bay Packers signed him. However, he had a serious knee injury during training camp. This meant he was released from the team before the season started.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers Success

In 1995, Milt Stegall decided to play in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He played the last six games of the 1995 CFL season. He had 469 receiving yards and returned two punts, one for 80 yards! In his first full season in 1996, he caught 34 passes for 613 yards and six touchdowns.

Becoming a CFL All-Star

Stegall started as a wide receiver and slotback. He became an All-Star in the 1997 CFL season after gaining 1,616 yards. Soon, he switched to playing mostly slotback. In the CFL, slotbacks can get a running start before the play. This helped Stegall use his amazing speed to get past defenders. He earned three more All-Star selections as a slotback.

Record-Breaking 2002 Season

In the 2002 CFL season, Milt Stegall had one of the best individual seasons in CFL history. He led the CFL in many categories:

• Receptions (106)
• Receiving yards (1,896)
• Touchdowns (23)
• Receiving touchdowns (23)
• Games with 100+ receiving yards (10)

He set new league records for most touchdowns (23) and most receiving touchdowns (23) in a single season. Because of this incredible performance, he was the clear choice for the CFL Most Outstanding Player award.

Continued Excellence and Records

Stegall continued to play excellently for the Blue Bombers. Throughout his career, he led the CFL in receptions once. He led the league in receiving yards twice. He also led the league in touchdown receptions five times!

In 2005, at 35 years old, some people thought his performance might decline. But he proved them wrong by earning his fifth All-Star selection. Even with many changes in coaches and offensive coordinators, Stegall remained a strong player for the Blue Bombers. He was so popular that he was named to the All-Time 75th Anniversary Team.

On July 27, 2007, Milt Stegall became the CFL's all-time touchdown leader. He scored his 138th touchdown, passing Mike Pringle and George Reed. He retired in 2009 with 147 career touchdowns.

On September 12, 2008, Stegall also became the CFL's all-time leader in career receiving yards. He passed Allen Pitts with a 92-yard touchdown catch. He finished his career with 15,153 receiving yards. While Geroy Simon later passed him, Stegall remains second all-time.

Even though Stegall had an amazing career and set many records, he never won the Grey Cup. He played in the Grey Cup game twice, but his team lost both times.

Milt Stegall officially retired from professional football on February 18, 2009. He retired holding CFL records for:

• Most career touchdowns (147)
• Most career receiving touchdowns (144)
• Most career receiving yards (15,153)

Media Personality Role

Milt Stegall is very popular among sports media. He was even voted the best-looking man in the CFL! His teammates often praised his strong work ethic, great personality, and leadership skills.

In June 2009, it was announced that Stegall would join TSN. He became an analyst for their CFL broadcasts. He is still a well-known member of the CFL analyst panel on CFL on TSN broadcasts today.

Personal Life and Family

Milt Stegall is married to Darlene, and they have two sons. Stegall once said he would only keep playing football if his wife gave birth to their second son in Winnipeg. He currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Key Accomplishments and Honors

• On July 20, 2006, Milt Stegall scored a winning 100-yard touchdown. This "Miracle Catch" led the Blue Bombers to a 25–22 victory with no time left. He had 254 yards in that game, one of his best ever.
• On August 24, 2007, the premier of Manitoba honored Stegall with the Order of the Buffalo Hunt.
• On the same day, the mayor of Winnipeg gave Stegall the key to the city. A street in Winnipeg, near the former Canad Inns Stadium, was renamed Milt Stegall Drive in his honor.
• On August 3, 2016, Stegall was inducted into the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Ring of Honour.
• The Manitoba Foundation for Sports offers scholarships to young athletes in his name. These are called the MFFS Milt Stegall Scholarships.

Career Statistics

CFL Records and Achievements

• Most touchdowns in a career – 147
• Most touchdown receptions in a career – 144
• Most touchdowns in one season – 23 (2002)
• Most touchdown receptions in one season – 23 (2002)
• Most yards per catch in a season – 26.5 (1997)
• Most yards in one season by a Bombers receiver – 1,862 (2002)
• Most 1000+ yard receiving seasons by a Bombers receiver – 10
• Most career yards receiving by a Bombers receiver – 15,153
• CFL Most Outstanding Player – 2002
• Named as receiver in top passing team in CFL history with Khari Jones
• In 2006, he was named 15th on the CFL's Top 50 players of the modern era by TSN.