Burgess started his CFL career when he signed with Ottawa in March of 1986.  It was not an awe inspiring rookie season with a 47.7% comletion percentage on 199 attempts.  Better years were ahead for Burgess, but not immediately with Ottawa as he was traded after the 1987 season to Saskatchewan for QB Joe Pappao.  Burgess spent three seasons from 1987 to 1989 in Saskatchewan in his first sting with the Green Riders.  Burgess shared the QB duties with Kent Austin and was with the Riders when they won their second Grey Cup in franchise history in 1989.  Afte rthe Grey Cup win, however, Burgess was on the move again as he was traded to Winnipeg for QB Lee Salz, WR Allan Boyko and the Bomber's first round picks in the 1991 and 1992 colleg drafts.  Burgess had perhaps his best year for the Bombers in 1990, completing a career high 57.5% of his passes for 3658 yards.  Burgess also won his second straight Grey Cup in 1990, and was named the offensive player of the game in the Grey Cup.  Burgess's completion percentage dropped to 49.7% in 1991, but he passed for a new career high of 4212 yards.  After 1991, Burgess became a free agent after 1992 and returned to Ottawa for his second tour of duty there.  Burgess had two consistently good years on 1992 and 1993 in Ottawa with 54% and 55.7% percentage completion rates and 4026 and 5063 yards.  After 1993, Burgess was traded back to Saskatchwan along with DB Anthony Drawhorn, LB Ron Goetz and DE Paul Yablonski for QB Kent Austin and OL Andrew Green.  Brugess spent his final two seasons (1994-95) with the Western Riders.

Tom Burgess in the Colgate Athletic Hall of Fame