Blue Bombers receiver Dalton Schoen to miss rest of season due to knee surgery

WINNIPEG – Dalton Schoen’s attempt to play with a torn anterior cruciate ligament has been shut down.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea told reporters on Friday that the talented receiver is out for the season.

He revealed Schoen tore the ACL in the July 3 road game against the Calgary Stampeders. Rather than have surgery like he did when he tore the same ACL in his left knee last year, Schoen tried to rehab it while on the six-game injured list.

The slotback returned to action in last Sunday’s 34-30 Labour Day Classic loss to Saskatchewan, but the knee just didn’t feel good enough to continue playing.

“The decision (Schoen) made is one that other guys make,” O’Shea said after the team practised for Saturday’s Banjo Bowl rematch against the Roughriders.

“They just want to play for their teammates and they want to lay it on the line for them. And he worked his (butt) off to get back in a position to try and do that. It just didn’t work out.” 

Schoen, 28, will undergo surgery again. The Blue Bombers (6-5) do have another slotback ready to go.

The team signed Ontaria Wilson on Monday, bringing back their rookie of the year from last season. He was released in the off-season to try NFL opportunities, but was waived by the New York Jets on Aug. 23 and will suit up against the CFL-leading Roughriders (9-2).

“He looks really good,” O’Shea said of Wilson. “He’s obviously an explosive guy, he punches above his weight class. He doesn’t mind making the tough catches.”

Wilson recorded 71 catches for 1,026 yards and three touchdowns in 18 games last season.

“It’s been pretty smooth, like everybody is helping me out,” Wilson said of his return. “I’m getting pretty polished on the playbook.”

Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros said it’s “awesome” to have Wilson back, but he really feels for Schoen.

“Just selfless,” he said of Schoen. “What happened to his knee in Week 4 and then trying to rehab it as much as he possibly could to be back out there for the team … I don’t think should be discounted.”

Saskatchewan head coach Corey Mace said Wilson is an excellent receiver.

“I’m expecting for him to bring juice,” Mace told reporters after a practice this week. 

Mace predicts the game will be “trench warfare” and they’ll try to stop Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira again.

Oliveira, the league’s reigning most outstanding player and top Canadian, had five carries for 24 yards and five catches for 30 yards in the loss last week. He also fumbled the ball, which Saskatchewan recovered and used to score a TD.

Oliveira said he’s feeling hungry going into the Banjo Bowl before another sellout crowd at Princess Auto Stadium.

“I always have that hunger in me to go out there to be the best that I can be. I know I’m the best in the league,” he said. 

“I think my performance is good. Obviously, there’s things that I can improve on. The biggest thing I look at is the fumble.”

Oliveira ranks fourth in the league in rushing yards with 574 in nine games. He also has 41 receptions for 380 yards.

Saskatchewan’s A.J. Ouellette is third in rushing with 802 yards in 11 outings. The leading rusher is B.C.’s James Butler with 868 yards in 11 games.

So why does Oliveira say he’s the best in the league? It’s a combination of running, blocking and catching the ball, he said.

“All those three things, I think I do them exceptionally well,” Oliveira said. “But I do it exceptionally well because I work extremely hard to make sure that I’m mastering my craft.

“So that’s why I’m confident to say that I know I’m the top in the league. And whether the numbers show it or not, that’s fine, but I’m confident and I know my abilities and I know every single week I can change a game.”

Ouellette is also confident in himself and fellow running back Mario Anderson.

Ouellette had 18 carries for 89 yards and one touchdown last Sunday while Anderson rushed three times for 34 yards and two TDs.

“Rugged is a great description to explain the run game compared to last year,” Ouellette said. “You can see me basically skipping back there behind the O-line because they’re pushing the D-line five yards back.”

Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris is expecting a hostile crowd.

“(A) hornets’ nest, man. That’s what we’re kind of walking into,” he said. “We know that, but we feel like we can bring what we need to do to extinguish it. It’s going to be no easy task, though.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2025.