Jefferson all about consistency Face of the Bombers defensive line shares game day routine By: Taylor Allen Posted: 5:48 PM CDT Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

Clearly, Willie Jefferson’s game-day routine works wonders.

The future Hall of Famer is still as dominant as ever at age 35 and is currently tied for the CFL lead with six sacks.

But what does the lead-up to kickoff at Princess Auto Stadium typically look like for the face of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ defence?

The Free Press had a lengthy chat with the defensive end before the bye week to find out.

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Jefferson insists that he can cook.

But when it’s 24 hours or less until showtime, his chef’s hat and apron are tucked away.

“The night before the game, and on game day, I try to keep it cool,” he said.

“I’d rather go get it, eat, then come home and just relax.”

On the eve of game day, the Jeffersons — wife Holly and the couple’s two young daughters, eight-year-old Kelley and three-year-old Rielley — dine at Earls Kitchen + Bar.

“I like consistency, right? I’ll do chicken and ribs with the warm potato salad — no coleslaw, extra potato salad,” he said.

Then it’s time to head home, give the kiddos a bath, and put them to bed.

Jefferson will then do some late-night cramming on his upcoming opponent or watch Batman: The Animated Series, before Holly joins him on the couch for a movie.

When the morning rolls around, Holly heads off to the gym, leaving Jefferson to keep the youngsters busy.

Game day or not, there’s no such thing as conserving energy when you’re a father of two. They’ll turn the living room into a dance floor and play the popular video game, Just Dance.

“The night before the game, and on game day, I try to keep it cool.”

“The girls like to dance in the morning. I’m dancing, too,” he said.

When mom returns, everyone gets ready and they head out to a breakfast spot like Ben & Florentine.

“I usually eat a big breakfast because I like breakfast, that’s my meal,” he said. “I’ll do the crispy french toast, three eggs and bacon.

Back at the house, the girls will run off and play with their toys while Jefferson watches more tape on the offensive linemen he’s set to battle with.

“I just rewatch it, rewatch it, and rewatch it. I do that so I can just visualize the game,” he explained.

Around noon, Jefferson puts on a movie, and it’s almost always a Bruce Lee film.

His favourite is Game of Death, which features an iconic fight scene with NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

“I’ve been a Bruce Lee guy since early on in college. I have all his movies on DVD,” he said. “It’s just the mentality of being great and harnessing my skills, that type of thing.”

While watching, chances are he’s snacking on Skittles Gummies — “the purple bag” — and Nerds Gummy Clusters — “the yellow or pink bag.”

It’s then time for his pregame meal: Wendy’s.

“The girls like to dance in the morning. I’m dancing, too.”

Jefferson wants it to be clear that he gets a Son of the Baconator — not the full-sized version of the famous burger — with a medium order of fries and a lemonade.

Who would’ve guessed fast food was the secret to a dominant 13-year pro career?

“I’m burning it off before the game even starts in warmups,” he explained.

From there, the Beaumont, Texas, product retreats downstairs to his man cave.

“It’s a true man cave,” he admitted. “I got all my helmets, jerseys, shoes, video games — all that stuff.”

His most meaningful possessions are proudly displayed on the wall.

“I have both of my Grey Cup helmets and both of my Grey Cup jerseys. I got my Edmonton one (2015) and my 2019 one (with Winnipeg),” he said.

“I have my 2021 jersey too it’s just not hung up on the wall yet.”

He’ll strap on compression boots and watch sack highlights from some of the best quarterback chasers in recent memory, including prominent NFL names like Demarcus Ware, Von Miller and Maxx Crosby, to get his mind in attack mode.

The player he watches the most for inspiration is defensive end Danielle Hunter — a fellow product of the Lone Star State who currently plays for the Houston Texans.

“I just rewatch it, rewatch it, and rewatch it. I do that so I can just visualize the game.”

After an hour of that, he heads back upstairs and gets dressed before heading out the door at 4 p.m. — assuming it’s a 7:30 p.m. start.

He doesn’t just throw anything on, though. Jefferson likes to put some thought into what he’s wearing when he shows up to work.

“It depends on the vibe of the week,” he said.

Last week, in what ended up being a 35-19 loss to the visiting B.C. Lions, the club marketed the game as their ’90s Night theme game.

“‘That’s my era. And it’s warm. So, I don’t know, I might pull out a ’90s era jersey,’” Jefferson contemplated the day before the game.

“I have a Karl Malone Utah Jazz, I got a Dennis Rodman when he was with the Pistons, and Isiah Thomas, too. I also have a Randy Moss Vikings jersey.”

On the way to the stadium, Jefferson is likely listening to a mix of his three favourite hip-hop artists: Gunna, Future, and Offset.

But since Holly, Kelley and Rielley are the ones dropping him off, he does take requests.

“I gotta put on a little bit of Kidz Bop every now and then because you gotta keep them satisfied in the car,” he said.

Before the ladies in his life head home for a little more downtime before the game, Jefferson gives all three a hug and a kiss before heading inside.

He’ll hop in the hot tub, then the cold tub, before stretching for around 15 minutes. After that, he heads to the weightroom for a warmup lift before attending a chapel session led by the team’s chaplain Lorne Korol around 5 p.m.

When the team is in the locker room getting ready, Jefferson is almost always the DJ. But when they’re informed they’ve got three minutes until they hit the field, he turns off the tunes and delivers a speech.

“I’ll say something motivational, and remind them we’re doing it together as a brotherhood,” he explained. “We’re not out there by ourselves.”

When his name is announced, he bursts out of the tunnel, does a dance to get the crowd hyped and runs toward his teammates with his arms spread wide, mimicking an airplane.

“Coming out of the smoke never gets old,” he said.

“I’ve been doing that since I’ve been a Bomber. It’s Bomber-esque and I’m just coming in for the landing.”

He’ll then run to the opposite end zone, get on his knees and say a prayer: “I tell my grandma, ‘Thank you for watching over me.’”

He’ll then stand at the five-yard line — to represent his jersey number — for the national anthem before the opening kickoff.

After the final whistle, Jefferson exchanges pleasantries with players he knows on the opposing team before joining a prayer circle.

“As soon as the prayer is over, I’m looking for my wife and two girls — they usually find me before I find them,” he said.

His daughters are quick to share their thoughts on the night.

“They usually say something wild. My youngest will tell me how she was on the jumbotron or what kind of snack she got during the game. But then my oldest one, she’s telling me how much fun she had watching the game,” he explained.

Before Jefferson heads back to the locker room, he has more business to take care of.

He always tosses his towel, headband, gloves, and sleeves into the stands for fans, but if a Blue and Gold diehard wants to increase their odds of getting a piece of his career, they have to come prepared.

“I love when I give something and get something,” he said. “A kid will come with a sign that has Skittles or Nerd Clusters taped to it and they’ll be like, ‘Can I have a glove? I brought you this candy!’ And I’m like, ‘Easy. Bam. Here you go.’”

Jefferson and the Bombers (4-4) host the Ottawa Redblacks (0-7) on Friday.

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