Streveler finds time to re-sign with Bombers

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/02/2025 (270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Chris Streveler has a lot going on in his life right now, which is saying something for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback known for his tireless energy.

Streveler turned 30 last month, which came just a week before he and his girlfriend, Taylor, welcomed their first child: a rosy-cheeked daughter named Sunny LaVonne Streveler.

He continues to work on his business, coaching and mentoring young quarterbacks in the U.S., while at the same time continuing to rehab a serious knee injury that derailed his 2024 CFL season. If he hadn’t been checking off enough boxes, Streveler secured his football future for at least another year, inking a one-year extension with the Bombers over the weekend to bring us to present day.

“It’s been all good things. So many different facets of my life that I’m just trying to attack head on,” Streveler said Monday, speaking over Zoom from his Arizona home. “Being a dad, moving into that phase of life; attacking this knee rehab as hard as I can… growing my business, pouring into these kids and helping them get better. This is just another piece of that puzzle that I’m extremely excited to keep playing. It really is a blessing to be able to play this game at this point in my career.”

In Streveler, the Bombers secure valuable depth at the quarterback position and bring back a fan-favourite.

Having already spent a few seasons in Winnipeg, sandwiched between a years-long run in the NFL, Streveler is well-versed in what the Bombers want to do on offence. That familiarity with the playbook will only help as new offensive co-ordinator, Jason Hogan, heads into his first year running the offence.

As excited as Streveler is to return to the only CFL family he knows, he wanted to get a few assurances before signing on the dotted line.

That included calling Hogan shortly after news broke that he has taken over as the team’s new offensive co-ordinator, replacing Buck Pierce, who is the new head coach of the B.C. Lions. Streveler wanted to make sure he wasn’t walking into a similar situation as last year.

“Things happened last year where it just didn’t work out the way that I think anyone envisioned it would, on a lot of different fronts,” Streveler said, adding he’s excited to see what Hogan can do. “I’ve had some really good discussions with people, specifically within the Bombers. Had I not had those conversations with someone and felt excited, it would have probably been a different conversation, right?”

Streveler was limited to 13 regular-season games in 2024 after tearing all three major ligaments in his knee during a play against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Banjo Bowl. The ACL and MCL in his left knee were completely gone, with both requiring surgery to repair, while his PCL, although still damaged, was salvaged without the use of a scalpel.

Before getting hurt, Streveler attempted 52 passes, completing 31, for 343 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He won his only start of the season – a 25-16 triumph over the Ottawa Redblacks in Week 5, in which he noted he also broke a rib – and narrowly lost in overtime, 22-19, to the Calgary Stampeders a week earlier, in what was Streveler’s only other performance in which he attempted at least five passes.

Where Streveler was most productive last season was on the ground, acting as the club’s short-yardage specialist. He had 87 rushing attempts for 272 yards – for an average of 3.1 yards per run, with many of those attempts needing just one yard for a first down or TD – and finished tied for the league’s most rushing scores, with 10.

If there was a knock on Streveler last season, it’s that the Bombers didn’t use him more, or at least in the way many envisioned based on his first run with Winnipeg. When Streveler helped the Bombers win a Grey Cup in 2019, he did so as a change-of-pace QB who could do damage with his brute force, often looking like a linebacker running over would-be tacklers as he charged downfield with the ball.

That didn’t exactly transpire last season, with Pierce seemingly unwilling to show any unique looks for Streveler. That seemed especially odd for an offence that struggled for much of the year, particularly early on, and could have used the spark.

“I don’t really know why things went the way they went, to be honest with you. All I can tell you, from my perspective, is I broke a rib in the Ottawa game when I started, and maybe that that kind of hurt things a little bit,” Streveler said. “I was fine. I didn’t miss any time, didn’t miss any games. But I couldn’t really give you a great answer as to why things went the way they went, and that’s why I needed to have those conversations going into free agency. I think that there’s definitely a role that if I’m not starting, to do what we did in 2018 and ’19 and give a change of pace and add a different element. I know I can still do that.”

Streveler is one of four quarterbacks currently on the roster. He’s behind starter Zach Collaros and presumably ahead of Jake Dolegala and Terry Wilson, both of whom were in Winnipeg last season and are under contract for this year.

The Bombers have also reportedly signed QB Shea Patterson to a one-year contract. Patterson’s deal, which transpired over the past week as teams were able to talk with other club’s pending free agents, won’t be made public until free agency officially opens on Tuesday.

Streveler said his rehab is way ahead of schedule; when he first got injured, doctors were projecting almost a year to reach full health, but Streveler said he is well on track to be ready for training camp in May. He’s already able to run and jump and has been throwing the ball three or four days per week, all while showcasing a positive attitude.

Streveler brings a unique energy on and off the field. He’s a well-respected voice in the locker room and will be leaned on to help strengthen a changing leadership group looking to make a sixth consecutive visit to the Grey Cup following the departures of veterans Adam Bighill, Drew Wolitarsky and Kenny Lawler, among others.

The loss of Wolitarsky hit him particularly hard, as the two have been best friends dating back to college, with Streveler acting as Wolitarsky’s best man at his wedding last winter.

“I’m honestly thankful I’ve been through that situation so many times because I was able to give him some perspective on what that might look like for him afterwards,” Streveler said.

“In terms of the new locker room, I just keep looking at it from the perspective that we’ve got fresh energy. We’ve got new guys coming in, guys bringing new ideas, fresh energy, fresh juice… sometimes that stuff’s needed, man. You go to five straight Cups, you lose three… that’s hard and you need some fresh juice in there to bring a fresh perspective because it can’t just be the same thing over and over again.”

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

X and Blue Sky: @jeffkhamilton