The Tiger-Cats finished in second place in the East Division with a 9–8–1 record and won the Grey Cup over the Edmonton Eskimos.

[1] In 1986, Ballard publicly called the Tiger-Cats a bunch of overpaid losers.

[1] After the Tiger Cats beat the Toronto Argonauts in the 1986 Eastern Final, Ballard said "You guys may still be overpaid, but after today, no one can call you losers.

"[1] A few days later, the Tiger-Cats won the 1986 Grey Cup by beating the Edmonton Eskimos 39–15 and Ballard said it was worth every penny.

Mike Kerrigan and Paul Osbaldiston were in their first years with the Tiger-Cats.