Bombers family to Darby

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This article was published 05/10/2022 (1121 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It may have been Alden Darby, Jr.’s first day back with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but that doesn’t mean they were going to take it easy on him.

Darby, who got into town last night hours after the Bombers acquired the veteran defensive back in a trade with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, was one minute late for a team meeting Wednesday morning.

“The guys let him have it, too,” said head coach Mike O’Shea after Wednesday’s practice. “It was good.”

So, what’s the punishment?

“I gotta buy donuts today,” Darby told reporters.

Darby was getting ready for practice in Hamilton when he was called into the office and told he was getting shipped to Winnipeg for defensive end Cedric Wilcots II. It was a familiar feeling as the Toronto Argonauts traded Darby to the Bombers in training camp last season. Only this time, Darby knew what to expect once he pulled on a blue and gold uniform.

“I just want to play football. That’s my biggest thing,” said the 30-year-old in his fifth CFL season.

“Winnipeg is a very close place to me. A close place to my heart. The guys on this team, I mean, there probably isn’t a day that went by since I left this building that I hadn’t talked to the guys here because they’re family to me. I built a serious bond and relationship with all the guys on this field and in this organization so it was surreal.”

Darby said he didn’t have any regrets about not re-signing with the Bombers as you can’t predict how things are going to turn out. But his time in Hamilton didn’t go according to plan.

The Ticats are 4-10 and in danger of missing the post-season, and Darby, a West Division all-star with the Bombers in 2021, has only started one of Hamilton’s previous eight games. It remains to be seen what Darby’s role will be in his second go-around with the Bombers, but with Nick Taylor out for the season and Demerio Houston still on the six-game injured list, the door to playing time is open.

“It’s tough because I haven’t been out there as much as I wanted to. To my knowledge, it wasn’t anything that I did wrong. It was kind of just, I still don’t know what to call it. But for me, I am blessed that I’m healthy, that my body is still 100 per cent,” Darby said. “Every time I’d kind of get down and sad about not playing, I’d revert back to (thinking) I have a uniform, I’m still making money, my body is healthy, my mind is good, so, it’s a blessing.”

Darby gives the Bombers some options as he has played numerous positions in the secondary over his CFL career. His experience is also vital as the Bombers are currently starting a pair of rookies — Evan Holm and Jamal Parker.

“He’s a good football player,” said defensive co-ordinator Richie Hall. “I think anytime you have an opportunity, especially late in the season going into the playoffs to improve your ballclub, you take advantage of those situations… You just take it one day at a time and what he does is provide depth. The young guys are doing a good job and stuff, but we all know, in the past couple of weeks, we’ve gotten nicked up in the secondary. So, it’s nice to have a veteran to count on instead of another young guy you’re not sure of.”

The Bombers made the deal for Darby last year after Mercy Maston tore his Achilles tendon. Once again, the Bombers’ secondary is in need of assistance and Darby’s the guy they go to.

He admits it’s quite flattering.

“I mean, yeah, that’s pretty dope. Now let’s go back and do what happened last year when I got traded and win another Grey Cup.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31

Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

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