Lui Passaglia

Canadian football player

Lui Passaglia (born June 7, 1954) is a former professional Canadian football player. Passaglia was the placekicker/punter for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League for a record breaking 25 years (1976–2000) and scored more points in that time than any professional gridiron football player in history. He is a member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame, and the BC Lions Wall of Fame. Passaglia's #5 jersey is one of nine numbers retired by the Lions. In 2003, Passaglia was voted a member of the BC Lions All Time Dream Team as part of the club's 50 year anniversary celebration. In 2006, Passaglia was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players (#30) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN.

After playing quarterback at Notre Dame Regional Secondary School in East Vancouver, Passaglia, not straying far from home, accepted an athletic scholarship to local Simon Fraser University in suburban Burnaby, British Columbia. At Simon Fraser, Passaglia played wide receiver as well as kicker/punter. As a member of the Clan, Passaglia recorded 175 career points, won All NAIA District 1 honours twice, and was named an All Northwest All Star.

Passaglia caught a 10 yard touchdown pass in his first CFL game on July 22, of the 1976 CFL season against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. His only other career touchdown came on a one yard run in his final home game at BC Place Stadium, on November 4, of the 2000 season, again against the Roughriders. In CFL playoff games, Passaglia holds records for most points with 210, is tied for most field goals with 48, and has the longest recorded punt of 89 yards. By the time of his retirement, Passaglia had been a member of the Lions for over half of its then 47 season history. Consistently a fan favorite, home crowds consistently chanted his given name in a long drawn out manner (such that it sounded like an extended "Loo ") whenever he came on the field, particularly when attempting crucial field goals. Season FGM FGA FG % Long 1976 28 49 57.1% 50 1977 40 53 75.5% 48 1978 37 44 84.1% 50 1979 32 45 71.1% 50 1980 31 46 67.4% 54 1981 27 40 67.5% 45 1982 26 35 74.3% 48 1983 43 59 72.9% 52 1984 35 48 72.9% 54 1985 37 55 67.3% 54 1986 39 56 69.6% 49 1987 52 66 78.8% 49 1988 13 20 65.0% 46 1989 37 51 72.5% 53 1990 25 39 64.1% 50 1991 44 59 74.6% 54 1992 28 38 73.7% 49 1993 25 47 74.5% 52 1994 28 36 77.8% 46 1995 45 62 72.6% 49 1996 36 53 67.9% 50 1997 35 45 77.8% 50 1998 36 46 78.8% 51 1999 30 47 63.8% 47 2000 40 44 90.9% 49

Following his years playing with the Lions, Passaglia worked for seven years as the Lions director of community relations. He resigned from the Lions at the conclusion of the 2007 CFL season to devote his time to his family property development business. Passaglia was replaced as BC Lions director of community relations by fellow Lions great and former teammate, Jamie Taras. Passaglia has lived in the city of Coquitlam for over 20 years. In 2006, Simon Fraser University granted him an honorary degree and he delivered a convocation address. In 2014, Passaglia revealed that he was receiving chemotherapy for stage 3 colon cancer. By going public, he intended to fundraise for research and treatment.