It’s official: O’Shea back with Bombers on three-year deal

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This article was published 08/12/2022 (1003 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have locked up their most important free agent.

Head coach Mike O’Shea has signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him on the club’s sideline through the 2025 season, the Bombers announced Thursday.

O’Shea and Winnipeg Football Club president and CEO Wade Miller will speak to the media Friday morning.

“I didn’t have any doubts (that O’Shea would be back),” Bombers offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld told the Free Press on Thursday. “I don’t want to put words in Osh’s mouth, but from my perspective he’s committed to this organization and committed to sustaining success here. He’s done such a phenomenal job of building this thing up from a seven-win team in 2014 all the way to playing in three Grey Cups in a row. I was confident that he was going to be signing back.”

The Bombers have gone 82-58 since O’Shea took the reigns eight seasons ago. He’s currently the CFL’s longest-serving head coach, and, with three more years in Winnipeg, has a legitimate chance to become the franchise’s all-time leader in career coaching wins. Bud Grant (102) and Cal Murphy (86) are the only names ahead of him on the list.

O’Shea was named the CFL’s top coach in 2021 and 2022, and the Bombers have been the league’s least-penalized team for five consecutive seasons.

“I didn’t realize he was that close to the record. I assumed at some point he was going to get there, but I think the best part about Osh is instilling the live-in-the-moment mentality that we’ve all kind of adopted with our team,” said Neufeld. “That’s something he’d never think about or talk about and, you know, he just never wants the spotlight on him and he reflects everything onto the work of his staff and players.

“As a player, you can’t do anything but respect that he has everyone else in mind but himself. Seeing that build since 2014 has been pretty cool.”

Neufeld, a two-time CFL all-star, has been with the Bombers for O’Shea’s entire tenure. Veterans seem to have no desire to play elsewhere and one of the main reasons for that is O’Shea’s character and how he treats his players as people first.

Neufeld said he, just like each one of his teammates, has a personal story to tell that demonstrates the care and concern of their long-time bench boss.

“My partner and our dog were in Saskatoon and my partner came up for the Banjo Bowl in 2016 and left our dog at a kennel overnight. There was a tragedy at the kennel where 14 dogs passed away (due to a heater malfunctioning) and our dog was one of them. It was really devastating for us,” Neufeld explained. “He was our best friend. He was just our big goofy dog and he spent a lot of time with my partner. I remember getting the phone call and right away I went and told Osh. He said, ‘Do whatever you have to do. Go home and make sure everything is OK and take as much time as you need.’ And that was in the middle of a football season.

“You hear stories like that from lots of guys going through personal things where Osh makes sure you’re OK first as a person and then the football will catch up. He’s someone you can’t do anything but respect and admire in that regard,” added Neufeld.

The Bombers also revealed Thursday offensive coordinator Buck Pierce will remain with the team in 2023. The Ottawa Redblacks asked to interview Pierce for their head-coaching vacancy but the former quarterback declined.

Winnipegger Bob Dyce was, ultimately, offered the head-coaching job in the nation’s capital.

Pierce joined O’Shea’s coaching staff as an assistant in 2014 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2020.

“It’s great having a guy you really respect and a guy who’s so open to us as players giving insights and ideas to how we think we can be successful that week,” said Neufeld.

“(Pierce has) really matured and grown into this offensive coordinator role. You’re just extremely confident in Buck’s ability to get us into the right call and right situation. Ultimately, you see the work he puts in and the rest of our offensive coaching staff and I can’t wait to get back to work with those guys.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31