The Calgary Stampeders will induct former head coach/GM Wally Buono into their Wall of Fame, the CFL club announced Monday.
Buono began as an assistant coach with the Stampeders in 1987 and was promoted to head coach in 1990.
He held that position until 2002, guiding Calgary to seven West Division titles, six Grey Cup appearances, and three wins.
Buono assumed GM responsibilities in 1992. He has the franchise record for most games coached (234), won (153), postseason wins (12), and championships.
He later became head coach and general manager of the British Columbia Lions in 2003, where he remained until his retirement at the end of the 2018 season.
Buono will be honored during halftime of Calgary’s home game against British Columbia on July 21. “We’re excited to bring the Wall of Fame back, and honoring Wally is the perfect way to commemorate this historic occasion,” said Calgary president Jay McNeil, a Stampeders offensive lineman who spent nine seasons with Buono. “Wally was an excellent coach and general manager and his success with the Stampeders teams of the 1990s and early 2000s is an indelible chapter in the franchise’s proud history.”
Buono is B.C.’s all-time wins leader with 162 and has guided the organization to two Grey Cup victories. On September 19, 2009, he became the winningest coach in CFL history, surpassing the late Don Matthews’ record of 231.
Buono retired with a total of 282 regular-season wins as a CFL head coach. He was a member of seven Grey Cup-winning teams, including two as a player for the Montreal Alouettes, and four times received the Annis Stukus Trophy as the league’s coach of the year.
Buono was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
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