Passaglia caught a 10-yard touchdown pass in his first CFL game on July 22, of the 1976 CFL season against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. His only other career touchdown came on a one-yard run in his final home game at BC Place Stadium, on November 4, of the 2000 season, again against the Roughriders. Between those two touchdown "bookends," Passaglia arguably became one of the most consistent performers in Lions', CFL, and professional football history. with the Grey Cup in January 2001 Passaglia played the most CFL regular seasons at 25, the most CFL regular season games at 408, and scored the most points in regular season play with 3,991 points, all with one team: the BC Lions. Passaglia was the first player to score 200 points in a season, with 214 points. Passaglia holds many CFL regular season records including total points scored, most converts at 1,045, most field goals at 875, best single season field goal percentage at 90.9%, and most single points at 309. Passaglia is the second all-time CFL punt leader with 3,142 for 133,826 yards, with the second highest average in a season of 50.2 yards. In CFL playoff games, Passaglia holds records for most points with 210, is tied for most field goals with 48, and has the longest recorded punt of 89 yards. As a Lion, Passaglia was named a CFL Western Division All-Star nine times, and was a CFL All-Star four times. Passaglia was a member of three of the Lions' Grey Cup seasons, winning the Dick Suderman Trophy as the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian twice. Passaglia is the longest-playing Lion in team history, appearing in a total of 408 games, overtaking Leos' great Al Wilson's previous mark of 233 games. Passaglia retired from the CFL following the Lions' 28–26 88th Grey Cup victory over the Montreal Alouettes in the 2000 season, where he kicked the winning points in the game. In the 2003 season, Passaglia was voted a member of the BC Lions All-Time Dream Team, at the kicker and punter positions, as part of the club's 50 year anniversary celebration. In November 2006, Passaglia was voted #30 of the CFL's top 50 players of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN. Passaglia's last-second field goal in 1994's 82nd Grey Cup game at BC Place, which clinched the championship for the Lions over the Baltimore Football Club, was named the greatest play in BC Lions history in 2007. By the time of his retirement, Passaglia had been a member of the Lions for over half of its then-47-season history. Consistently a fan favorite, home crowds consistently chanted his given name in a long drawn-out manner whenever he came on the field, particularly when attempting crucial field goals.
Season
FGM
FGA
FG %
Long
1976
28
49
57.1%
50
1977
40
53
75.5%
48
1978
37
44
84.1%
50
1979
32
45
71.1%
50
1980
31
46
67.4%
54
1981
27
40
67.5%
45
1982
26
35
74.3%
48
1983
43
59
72.9%
52
1984
35
48
72.9%
54
1985
37
55
67.3%
54
1986
39
56
69.6%
49
1987
52
66
78.8%
49
1988
13
20
65.0%
46
1989
37
51
72.5%
53
1990
25
39
64.1%
50
1991
44
59
74.6%
54
1992
28
38
73.7%
49
1993
25
47
74.5%
52
1994
28
36
77.8%
46
1995
45
62
72.6%
49
1996
36
53
67.9%
50
1997
35
45
77.8%
50
1998
36
46
78.8%
51
1999
30
47
63.8%
47
2000
40
44
90.9%
49
Post-playing career
Following his years playing with the Lions, Passaglia worked for seven years as the Lions director of community relations. He resigned from the Lions at the conclusion of the 2007 CFL season to devote his time to his family property development business. Passaglia was replaced as BC Lions director of community relations by fellow Lions great and former teammate, Jamie Taras. Passaglia has lived in the city of Coquitlam for over 20 years. In 2006, Simon Fraser University granted him an honorary degree and he delivered a convocation address. In 2014, Passaglia revealed that he was receiving chemotherapy for stage 3 colon cancer. By going public, he intended to fundraise for research and treatment.
