Alouettes’ all-star quarterback Calvillo to return for 20th CFL season

MONTREAL – Anthony Calvillo will return for a 20th CFL season.

The 40-year-old Montreal Alouettes quarterback signed a new two-year contract Thursday, following successful surgery to fix a torn muscle in his left non-throwing shoulder.

Despite the injury, which he said hampered his throwing motion, Calvillo was named to the league all-star team after completing 333 passes for 5,082 yards and 31 touchdowns in 17 starts this season. It was his seventh season of more than 5,000 passing yards.

He excelled despite a run of injuries that claimed star running back Brandon Whitaker and some of his starting receivers.

The Los Angeles native, entering his 16th season with the Alouettes, holds league records of 5,777 completions, 449 touchdown passes and 78,494 passing yards.

He began his CFL career with the defunct Las Vegas Posse in 1994 and played three seasons for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats before signing with the Alouettes as back-up to quarterback Tracy Ham in 1998.

Calvillo won Grey Cups in 2002, 2009 and 2010, was named the CFL outstanding player three times and is a five-time league all-star.