Streveler grateful for return to city, Bombers

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This article was published 01/02/2024 (626 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The signing of Chris Streveler sent a jolt of excitement through a Winnipeg Blue Bombers fan base now wondering what the returning quarterback has planned for an encore.

What role might the animated quarterback play?

Streveler says he isn’t even thinking about it, with his focus merely on returning to a city and team that has him excited again about playing the game he loves.

The rest, he told reporters Thursday, will figure itself out.

“When I spoke to (offensive co-ordinator) Buck (Pierce on Wednesday), I told him, ‘Look, man, whatever we need to do to win games offensively, that’s what I’m going to do,’” Streveler said in a Zoom call, a day after agreeing to rejoin the Bombers.

“You need me to go out there and block a defensive end, I’m going to do it. That’s what this is about. It’s not for any other reason than I still have fire and passion to play the game and I want to win football games.”

The 29-year-old Illinois product signed a one-year deal to return to the CFL club where his pro football career began nearly six years ago.

Streveler captured the hearts of an entire football community during his time in Winnipeg. He possessed a unique style of play – picture a quarterback, running back and linebacker rolled into one – and never wavered in his love for Winnipeg.

He reached legendary status in November 2019 when, during the victory parade following the Bombers’ first Grey Cup win in nearly 30 years, he showed up bare-chested donning a white cowboy hat, gold chain and a long brown fur coat.

It was the end of that season that Streveler bid adieu to his first professional football home, spending the next four years jumping around the NFL. His stops included Arizona, Miami, Baltimore and the New York Jets.

Now that he’s back, signing for a modest $120,000, plus playing incentives.

Streveler has stayed in touch with Collaros and he said he messaged him prior to his signing going public and planned to meet with him online from his Arizona home sometime later in the day to go over a plan for the offseason.

Collaros arrived late in the 2019 season, acquired in a trade with the Toronto Argonauts at the deadline, and the two spent just months together as teammates before winning the Grey Cup.

While Collaros went on to lead the Bombers to the next three championship games, winning again in 2021, Streveler pursued a career south of the border. He wound up playing in nine NFL games, starting one, but his most notable moments occurred during the 2022 preseason with the Jets, where he dazzled despite earning limited reps during training camp, leading New York to three come-from-behind victories.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh describe Streveler’s performance as “one of the greatest preseasons in the history of football.” But that still wasn’t enough to earn him notable playing time, with Streveler spending most of his tenure in New York on the practice roster.

Although he might not have had a lot of game action, Streveler was able to learn from some of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, spending time with such stars as Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, Tua Tagovailoa and Joe Flacco. He insisted he’s a more complete quarterback than when he left Winnipeg, including an improved passing game.

“The last time we spoke and I was in the CFL, I was 24 years old and in my second professional season. Now, I’m 29 going into my seventh season,” Streveler said. “There’s been a lot of growth, a lot of adversity and a lot of triumph in that time. And anytime you can come through adversity and overcome that and come out the other side, you become stronger – physically and mentally.”

If Streveler has been particularly good at anything, it’s his timing, at least when it comes to the CFL.

He was signed as the third QB when the Bombers inked him to a rookie deal in 2018, but thanks to Darian Durant retiring weeks before training camp and Matt Nichols getting hurt ahead of the regular season, Streveler started the first three games that year, making him the first QB to start a CFL game straight out of college since Anthony Calvillo did it in 1994. Just weeks ago, the Bombers traded No. 2 QB Dru Brown to the Ottawa Redblacks, leaving an opening for Streveler to slide right in.

It’s almost as if he was destined to return to his second home in Winnipeg.

“I don’t know about destiny, but I do know a lot of this business is being at the right place at the right time,” Streveler said. “But you got to be ready for that opportunity when it comes. I’m just very thankful that I’ve been able to have this opportunity to be back in Winnipeg, a place that I love, and it just seemed like good timing.”

Streveler said he had interest from other teams around the league, but when he really thought about where he wanted to be, while remembering all the support he received from the Bombers and its fans, choosing Winnipeg was a no-brainer. He added that he’s always felt that support from afar, noting the thousands of messages he’s received over the years.

“I got a lot of love for that city, that fan base and, obviously, that locker room, all my teammates, coaches. Just so much love all around.”–Chris Streveler

“They want to see people from Winnipeg succeed and they’ve supported me on this ride,” he said. “I got a lot of love for that city, that fan base and, obviously, that locker room, all my teammates, coaches. Just so much love all around.”

Streveler was asked if he planned to pull out the same costume, including that now notorious fur coat, in the event the Bombers were to win the Grey Cup in 2024.

“Let’s just get to training camp first, and we’ll go from there,” Streveler said, with a chuckle.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jeffkhamilton