Sights set on making Manitoba proud

De Shawn Le Jour dialed Brian Dobie’s number with the intention of saying, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

After establishing himself as one of the top receivers in Canadian Junior Football with the Edmonton Huskies in 2021, the Regina product had ultimately decided to take his talents to the UBC Thunderbirds.

Dobie, the head coach of the Manitoba Bisons at the time, proceeded to talk Le Jour’s ear off for the next three hours and somehow convinced him to join the Herd instead.

“He did not let me get off the phone unless I told him, ‘Yeah, OK, I’m coming,” said Le Jour in a chat with the Free Press.

Seven players participating in CFL mentorship program

TORONTO - Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and Canadian offensive lineman Landon Rice are among seven players who'll participate in the league's mentorship program this year.

Masoli, an American who spent last season with the B.C. Lions, and Rice, who played in 2025 with the Montreal Alouettes, are both currently CFL free agents. Joining them in the program will be Calgary offensive lineman Bryce Bell, Toronto linebacker Jack Cassar, Hamilton safety Stavros Katsantonis, Winnipeg linebacker Redha Kramdi and Stampeders defensive lineman Folarin Orimolade.

The program is a joint venture between the league and CFL Players' Association. It provides participants with a behind-the-scenes look at the business of the game and potential opportunities after football.

The participants will attend information sessions and do job shadowing at the CFL's head office in such departments as football operations, social media and content, marketing and communications and partnerships. They'll also visit TSN -- the league's broadcast partner -- and assist at the league's invitational combine in Waterloo, Ont., on March 6.

Defensive back notes Bombers’ culture as incentive for signing

Jonathan Moxey has a theory on what has made the Winnipeg Blue Bombers so successful dating back to 2019.

“To be 100 per cent transparent with you, I do not think Winnipeg had the best rosters when they were winning these games and going to the Grey Cup. I just think they had the culture and the coaching continuity,” said the 30-year-old defensive back from West Palm Beach, Fla.

Moxey doesn’t say that as a knock. It’s actually one of the key reasons why the former Hamilton Tiger-Cat was eager to sign with the Bombers on the opening day of free agency earlier this month.

“Because of that, it allowed those guys to know the system that they’re in, play next to the same guys for longer periods of time, and they created something, man,” said Moxey in a chat with the Free Press.

‘Heart and soul’ receiver retires with final salute to Winnipeg

Drew Wolitarsky didn’t get a fairytale ending to his playing career.

Released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after seven seasons with the team, the receiver from Santa Clarita, Calif., spent 2025 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats where injuries limited him to two games.

“Ohhh… man, that was the hardest year, probably, of my career. No, not even ‘probably.’ It was the hardest year of my career,” Wolitarsky said in a Zoom call on Thursday while vacationing on Madeira Island in Portugal.

While every athlete dreams of being showered with championship confetti and champagne on their way out, Wolitarsky got perhaps the next best thing: the Bombers signed the 30-year-old to a one-day contract Thursday so he could properly retire as a member of the organization that means the most to him.

‘We’re in it to win it this year’

Zach Collaros should be one happy camper these days.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers started the off-season by hiring his pal Tommy Condell to be the club’s new offensive co-ordinator, then went on a massive spending spree in free agency to acquire offensive lineman Jarell Broxton, defensive tackle Jake Ceresna, receivers Tim White and Tommy Nield, cornerback Jonathan Moxey, and linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox.

It’s safe to say the veteran quarterback is a huge fan of the work general manager Kyle Walters and head coach Mike O’Shea have done in recent months.

“I don’t know if it’s a statement, but for myself, being a little longer in the tooth in this game, and some of the other guys that have been here for a long period of time, I think it just sends a message like, ‘Hey, we’re trying to win now. We want to continue competing for Western championships and competing for Grey Cups,’” said Collaros, who’s in Winnipeg this week for marketing obligations with the club.

Tommy Touchdown ready for takeoff with Blue

Tommy Nield has already caught some flak from Riderville for leaving for their Prairie rival.

“(Jermarcus Hardrick) called me a traitor,” said Nield with a laugh in a Zoom call with the Free Press.

“But obviously, he’s one of the guys that only had good things to say about this place. At the end of the day, he was happy for me.”

Nield, a 26-year-old receiver from Guelph, Ont., recently signed a two-year deal with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in free agency that will reportedly pay him $175,000 in 2026 and $187,500 in 2027. The hefty pay bump came his way after a breakout campaign with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Bombers’ offer caught lineman off guard

Jarell Broxton didn’t become the CFL’s highest paid American offensive lineman overnight.

It was a long, long journey for the 32-year-old from Maryland — one of the newest members of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers — to get here.

His pro career started with his hometown Baltimore Ravens. He got some pre-season action and spent 2016 on the practice roster before being let go. Two years later, he was back in Baltimore, only this time with the city’s Arena Football League squad called the Brigade. After a lone season indoors, he signed with the Bombers in Feb. 2020 only to soon find out that there wouldn’t be a season that year.

He then went to the B.C. Lions in 2021, only to suffer a torn bicep in his CFL debut on Aug. 28 against the Ottawa Redblacks.

Status quo wasn’t getting it done, Bombers GM admits

It was around this time last year when diehards in Bomberland were left wondering the same thing.

‘That’s it?’

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were gearing up to host the 2025 Grey Cup and yet their free agency class consisted of defensive end James Vaughters, running back Peyton Logan and receivers Dillon Mitchell and Jerreth Sterns.

The lack of difference makers in that group, along with superstar receiver Kenny Lawler and standout Canadian corner Tyrell Ford walking out the door, led to a fourth-place finish in the West and an opening round playoff loss.

Linebacker Santos-Knox inks one-year deal with Bombers

It wasn’t easy for Jovan Santos-Knox to watch the Winnipeg Blue Bombers begin their Grey Cup run the year after he left.

It stung even more in 2021, when the linebacker and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats fell 33-25 in overtime on their home field to those same Bombers in the championship game.

“To have it that close and to be just there, I’ve been itching for that feeling of being able to hoist it,” Santos-Knox told reporters in a Zoom call early Wednesday.

“And just seeing my friends do it, too, it’s tough all those years seeing all your buddies from Winnipeg hoist it up. You’re like, ‘Hey, wish I could be part of that.’”

Ceresna expecting two-year contract with Bombers just the beginning

Zach Collaros had a simple recruiting pitch for Jake Ceresna.

The two-time CFL all-star defensive lineman was on the open market and the quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers reached out with a proposition.

“Zach’s saying, ‘Hey, how about you join my team and stop hitting me?’” revealed Ceresna in a Tuesday morning presser at Princess Auto Stadium.

While that didn’t exactly sway Ceresna, it certainly helped that Collaros, and others like running back Brady Oliveira, made it clear that they wanted him in blue and gold. Once he did sign, the messages began to flood in from names like left tackle Stanley Bryant, defensive back Deatrick Nichols, and new defensive line coach Jake Thomas.

Bombers sign veteran NFL running back

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed a veteran NFL running back on Monday.

American J.J. Taylor joins the Blue and Gold after six seasons down south between the New England Patriots (2020-23) and Houston Texans (2024-25). The 28-year-old appeared in 17 games and had 62 carries for 200 yards and two touchdowns, along with eight receptions for 20 yards.

During his four-year collegiate career at Arizona, Taylor recorded 3,263 rushing yards on 587 carries and 18 touchdowns in 49 games.

The Bombers also inked two more Americans in wide receiver Dorian Singer and linebacker Micah Cretsinger.

Bombers not re-signing receiver Schoen

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will not be re-signing star receiver Dalton Schoen, sources tell the Free Press.

Bombers sign Broxton and Ceresna

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have landed two of the biggest free agents on the market.

The Free Press was first to report early Sunday the Bombers agreed to terms with standout tackle Jarell Broxton on a two-year contract worth $250,000 annually that will make him the highest paid American offensive lineman in the CFL.

Two hours later, the Blue and Gold made another massive splash with the addition of defensive lineman Jake Ceresna on a two-year deal that will pay him $235,000 in 2026 (including a $120,000 signing bonus) and $255,000 in 2027.

The CFL’s legal tampering window opened Sunday at 11 a.m. CT. Pending free agents can agree to terms on contracts with new teams during this time before officially signing on Feb. 10.

All-star receiver welcomed in Winnipeg after Hamilton exit

Tim White didn’t anticipate becoming the newest member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The three-time CFL all-star receiver was released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Monday after the two sides couldn’t come to terms on a contract extension.

Several teams reached out to the 31-year-old’s agent shortly thereafter before the Bombers swooped in and inked him to a one-year deal on Wednesday.

“Winnipeg really came in last minute,” said White in a Zoom call with reporters on Thursday.

Bombers sign receiver Tim White

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have signed All-CFL receiver Tim White to a one-year contract.

White was released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Monday ahead of the free agent market opening on Feb. 10.

White, 31, appeared in 83 games over his five seasons with the Ticats and has posted four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, including pulling in 84 passes for 1,016 yards and seven touchdowns last year.

He was named All-CFL three times (2022, 2023, 2024) and East Division All-CFL on four occasions (2021-24).