Mathieu Betts of the B.C. Lions named CFL’s top defensive player

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – Mathieu Betts of the B.C. Lions was named the CFL’s top defensive player Thursday night.

Betts was honoured during the CFL awards banquet at Fallsview Casino & Resort.

The six-foot-three 250-pound defensive lineman had a CFL-high 18 sacks, which was also the most ever by a Canadian.

Betts, from Montreal, also had a career-best 44 tackles (three for a loss), three fumbles and a blocked punt.

Betts becomes the sixth Canadian to win the award and first since Calgary’s Alex Singleton in 2017.

Linebacker Adarius Pickett of the Toronto Argonauts was the finalist.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 16, 2023.