Oliveira breaks ankle in hometown debut

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This article was published 01/07/2019 (2259 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The replay was too gruesome to watch.

Blue Bombers running back Brady Oliveira, playing his first regular-season game in his hometown, suffered a suspected broken right ankle while blocking on a kick return during Winnipeg’s 28-21 win over Edmonton Thursday night.

Oliveira reported via Twitter almost 24 hours later that he had undergone successful ankle surgery, vowing he would come back "stronger and hungrier." He also tweeted a photo of himself in hospital with the ankle wrapped in a cast.

Thank you everyone for their thoughts & well wishes over the past 24 hours. Ankle surgery was a success. While this is yet another obstacle, I know with my faith, family, friends & the support of the greatest fans in the CFL, I’ll come back stronger and hungrier #ForTheW 🔵💣 pic.twitter.com/MRtlOouBaP

— #TeamOliveira (@bradyoliveira) June 28, 2019

The Blue Bombers do not generally discuss injuries but head coach Mike O’Shea was asked Monday if he believed Oliveira, the club’s second round (14th-overall) pick in the 2019 CFL Draft, was done for the season.

"I don’t think the season, no," said O’Shea. "I don’t want to limit him. I think he’s going to out for an extended period of time but I’m not so sure the season is accurate."

Second-year Canadian running back Johnny Augustine immediately moves up depth chart after starting the season on the practice roster.

TACKLING MACHINE: Veteran defensive back Brandon Alexander registered a career-high 10 defensive tackles against the Esks but HE downplayed the significance of the number.

"To be honest, I just run to the ball," said Alexander. "… Most of the time it meant being in the right place at the right time. The only time you can’t be in the right place at the right time is if you’re not giving a full on effort." 

NOTEWORTHY: The Blue traded American defensive end Patrick Choudja to Calgary for the rights to an undisclosed player on the Stampeders’ negotiation list… Adrienne Leslie-Toogood, the director of sports psychology at the Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba, has been a frequent visitor to Blue Bombers’ practice lately. Leslie-Toogood has experience as a consultant with a wide variety of sports. "She’s been hanging around, getting the lay of the land," said O’Shea. "I like talking to her. ..She’s been around a lot of good organizations."

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14