Canadians and former CFL players shine in Seattle's comeback, taking the Seahawks to the Super Bowl

The Seattle Seahawks have long received plenty of support from Canadian fans, but the support they got from Canadian players and former CFL players proved to be even more essential to their 28-22 come-from-behind overtime victory in Sunday's NFC championship game against the Green Bay Packers. Punter Jon Ryan, a Regina native, threw a critical touchdown pass on a fake field goal, while tight end Luke Willson (who hails from Lasalle, Ont.) made a huge catch on a two-point conversion. Even an American who trained in the CFL got in on the action: wide receiver Chris Matthews, who's from Long Beach, California, but spent 2012 and 2013 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, recovered a vital late onside kick for the Seahawks. Each of these guys played a vital role for Seattle on Sunday, so Seahawks' fans can thank Canada for their victory.

Ryan's TD pass to offensive lineman Garry Gilliam on a fake field goal was one of the biggest plays of the day. The Regina Rams' product and former Winnipeg Blue Bomber came up through the CIS and CFL ranks as an excellent punter, and Ryan has been in the NFL since 2006 (first with Green Bay, oddly enough, then with Seattle) thanks to his punting abilities, but it was his pass that really stood out Sunday. That made him the first Canadian to throw an NFL playoff touchdown in over two decades, plus probably the first-ever CIS-trained player to throw an NFL playoff touchdown.

This pass also made Ryan perhaps the only CIS player to ever throw any sort of NFL touchdown. As of 2014, there were 32 CIS players who had played in the NFL, but Joe Krol was the only one who played quarterback, and his NFL stats seem to indicate he was just a halfback and punter in his two games with the Detroit Lions in 1945. Unless Krol, punter Ken Clark or kicker Dean Dorsey (or any of the numerous CIS RBs or receivers who went to the NFL) pulled off a touchdown on a trick play at some point, Ryan's might have been the first ever from a CIS player. He certainly picked an important time to do it; his touchdown pass came with less than five minutes left in the third quarter, with Seattle down 16-0, and it helped pave the way for the Seahawks' remarkable comeback.

That comeback wouldn't have continued without the play of Matthews, though, who's also a former Bomber. Seattle started to recover after the Ryan play, but a Russell Wilson interception with about five minutes left looked to have doomed their hopes of a comeback. Green Bay safety Morgan Burnett didn't run that one back, though, and the Packers couldn't do much with the ball, giving the Seahawks another chance. That led to Wilson running the ball in for a touchdown, reducing the deficit to 19-14, and Seattle then tried an onside kick with just over two minutes left. That kick bounced off the helmet of Packers' tight end Brandon Bostick, and Matthews was there to capitalize, giving the Seahawks one last shot. Here's video of the play:

This is Matthews' first year with the Seahawks, but not his NFL debut. He had a cup of coffee with Cleveland after going undrafted out of Kentucky in 2011, but was released before the start of that season. He turned into a CFL star with Winnipeg in 2012 and 2013, though, paving the way for his NFL return. Matthews was cut in camp by Seattle, but signed to their practice squad, and he was activated to the 53-man roster in December. He hasn't played much, suiting up for just three regular-season games down the stretch and not recording a catch, but he was a huge presence on special teams Sunday, and his kick recovery paved the way for Seattle's win.

Willson's two-point conversion came at an even more critical time. After Matthews recovered that onside kick, running back Marshawn Lynch notched a 24-yard touchdown run to put the Seahawks ahead late in the game. Green Bay still had time, though, so going for two was a necessity to prevent a Packers' field goal from winning the game, and Willson made a great grab to give Seattle a three-point lead. Green Bay would tie the game afterwards on a long Mason Crosby field goal, so Willson's catch was essential to force overtime, where Seattle won when Russell Wilson hit Jermaine Kearse on a long TD.

It's not surprising to see an athletic catch from Willson, as he played baseball at a high level growing up. He played with the Canadian national junior team in 2008, and he signed a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays in 2011 before deciding to return to football. He's succeeded well there too, with a good college career at Rice that led to him being picked in the fifth round (32nd overall) of the 2012 CFL draft by Toronto and in the fifth round of the NFL draft a year later (158th overall) by Seattle. Willson started seven games for the Seahawks in 2013, catching 20 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown, and his numbers improved this year, where he caught 22 passes for 362 yards and three touchdowns. His grab Sunday was one of his biggest to date, though.

With the win, Willson and the rest of the Seahawks' Canadian connections will be heading to the Super Bowl. They may face some familiar adversaries there, though, thanks to who's in the AFC championship game. The New England Patriots are starting former CFL cornerback (and former Seahawk) Brandon Browner, while the Indianapolis Colts have a pair of former CFL linebackers in Jerrell Freeman and Henoc Muamba. Thus, the Super Bowl may have substantial Canadian content, too.