10 Lists in 10 Days | QB Wins

We don’t use the terms ‘icon’ and ‘legend’ in this space too often because they are the rare descriptions used for those who have earned a spot in the sporting stratosphere.

They are the athletes who are enshrined in halls of fame and rings of honour and have city streets named after them. And their accomplishments have become such a part of folklore they are so often passed down from one generation to the next.

Ken Ploen was both an icon and a legend in these parts, not just for his accomplishments on the field with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but for how a product of Lost Nation, Iowa came north to Canada after guiding the University of Iowa to a win in the 1957 Rose Bowl and then making the Manitoba capital his home for the decades that followed until his passing in February of 2024.

Ploen’s place as the Blue Bombers leader in all-time in quarterback wins is where we begin our latest chapter of the ’10 Lists in 10 Days’ series highlighting some of the greats in franchise history.

Ploen’s arrival in Winnipeg perfectly coincided with Bud Grant retiring as a player to become the Blue Bombers new coach in 1957. And what they accomplished over the next decade was jaw-dropping, with four Grey Cup titles in six appearances in what is still referred to as the Blue Bombers ‘Glory Days.’

Ploen guided the Blue Bombers to an 82-52-1 regular season record during his days as the quarterback and was such a gifted athlete, he also often played defensive back — to the point that he was an all-star in 1959 after setting what was then a club record with 10 interceptions.

He retired in 1967 as the Blue Bombers leading passer and fifth on the franchise’s all-time rushing list. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1975, the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame in 1984, the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1987, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1997, and the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.

In 1980, he was named the Bombers offensive player for the first half century and was added to the team’s Ring of Honour in 2016.

“It’s a great spot,” Ploen said of Winnipeg and Manitoba in conversation with bluebombers.com upon his induction to the club’s Ring of Honour in 2016. “Once we got settled in here, my children were all born here, and I had a job it just made sense to stay. We’ve got a place at the lake, and we’ve just enjoyed it in every way. It’s been special.”

The mark he left beyond the field was extraordinary as he worked and raised a family in Winnipeg while also serving as an analyst on CJOB broadcasts of Blue Bomber games.

“I’ve been here for almost 50 years, and he’s always been viewed by fans as the ultimate Blue Bomber, the one that all others are measured by,” said long-time Blue Bombers play-by-play voice Bob Irving upon Ploen’s passing in 2024. “He was always called ‘Mr. Blue Bomber’ and the ‘Greatest Blue Bomber of All Time.’”

Here’s what Jack Matheson — the long-time Winnipeg Tribune sportswriter and a legend in his own field — penned for the newspaper on November 3, 1968, after a tribute for Ploen at what was then Pan Am Stadium:

“The record book reveals the greatness of K.P. in all the big games and almost a hundred little ones. More than 20,000 yards as a passer, 5,000 more as a runner, 20 touchdowns in league play alone, four Grey Cups, etc.

“But record books are cold and callous. They list the physical accomplishments, the tangibles that everybody sees on payment of $5 for a hard seat. There isn’t a page devoted to character references, or what a man means to his team, especially in times of great stress.

“… Class is the word for Kenneth Allan Ploen, and I guess it was always that way. The folks, the Ploen Seniors, and Janet and the kids must be proud today. So am I, because I was with him on all the great occasions and the no-so-great ones, too. Trouble was, with Kenny, you couldn’t tell one from another.”

Before we exit this chapter, an interesting note on the list of Blue Bombers all-time QB wins — current QB Zach Collaros holds the franchise record for winning percentage at 71.4, followed by Tom Clements (69.2) and Matt Dunigan (66.7).

Both Clements and Dunigan were here for just short but dominant stints, while Collaros — fans have their fingers crossed — has a shot to improve his numbers even further this coming season.

Blue Bombers Top 10 all-time quarterback wins:

1. Ken Ploen (1957-67) — 82-52-1 (61.1 winning percentage)

2. Dieter Brock (1974-83) — 71-48-1 (59.6)

3. Zach Collaros (2019-) — 55-22-0 (71.4)

4. Khari Jones (2000-04) — 44-28-1 (60.1)

5. Tom Clements (1983-87) — 41-18-1 (69.2)

6. Matt Nichols (2015-19) — 39-21-0 (65.0)

7. Jack Jacobs (1950-54) — 38-21-3 (63.7)

8. Kevin Glenn (2004-08, 2016) — 35-37-1 (48.6)

9. Matt Dunigan (1992-94) — 26-13-0 (66.7)

10. Don Jonas (1971-74) — 24-27-2 (47.2)