Kadie Smith
It took until 4:57 of the fourth quarter for history to be made.
Geroy Simon was wide open, all alone along the sidelines, when BC Lions QB Travis Lulay hit him with a 56-yard bomb. The crowd was on their feet before Simon’s ever touched the ground, just inside Winnipeg’s 23.
June 30, 2012, and BC’s Superman had just passed Milt Stegal for most career receiving yards in front of a home crowd at BC Place 
against the Bombers, the team with whom he had started his illustrious CFL career.
“It was one of the best feelings of my entire career, one of the best accomplishments,” said Simon, now the Lions’ Player and Business Developmental Advisor. “To be able to do it at home with my whole family in town and after coming off a big Grey Cup win, it was the highlight of my career.”
During the previous offseason, the organization knew that #81 would eventually break the record; it was just a matter of when, and with just 67 yards needed prior to the tilt with the Bombers, the Lions decided to bring Simon’s family in from Johnstown, including his son, Gervon, who now plays for the DB for the Army Black Knights.
Simon admits he was a bit nervous waiting for the moment to come. “It was nerve-racking talking about it. I knew it would eventually come but leading up to the game I was nervous. The whole family was coming in and that was the talk of the whole week.
“I was so ready to get it done and out of the way,” he said, laughing.
Simon finished the night with 105 yards on five receptions. It was a night many knew was coming for a long time and fitting that it happened against the Bombers. As Simon gestured to the crowd his appreciation, Stegal was there beside him.
After the milestone was reached, and the crowd quieted down, the game paused, as is tradition, to honour Simon’s significance. “Congratulations,” said then head coach Wally Buono. “I know you’ve got a lot more in you, by the way.”
And that he did. Simon would eventually finish his 14-year playing career with 16,352 receiving yards, 1029 receptions (both league records), three Grey Cups and a collectors-edition postage stamp with his likeness on it. While most receivers never hit the 1,000 mark, Simon did it for nine years straight.
Fans in BC were saddened to see him depart in 2013 for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but his return earlier this year to the Lions’ head office, in a scouting and business development role, was a homecoming of sorts for many of the Den faithful.
His playing days are over now, but on that night he was still Superman, untouchable; in a lot of ways, he still is.
