A decade in blue and gold

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This article was published 08/06/2022 (1194 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Ten seasons with one team.

You very rarely see that in professional football, especially the CFL.

Friday night at IG Field against the Ottawa Redblacks will mark the 10th straight season opener in blue and gold for veteran Canadian defensive tackle Jake Thomas. And don’t be surprised if he makes it to Year 11 in 2023 as well.

“I don’t really think about that. I’ll see how much longer my wife lets me play, but I’m not going into it with the mindset that this is my last year,” said the 31-year-old Thomas after Wednesday’s practice, which was closed to the media.

“… I would just say it’s this group of guys. We were able to retain a lot of the core and it’s fun coming to work and hanging out with these guys. With COVID I got a taste of the real world. I got into the real estate industry and I think I realized how lucky I am to play professional football at this age.”

Wide receiver Darvin Adams wasn’t in Winnipeg for a decade like Thomas, but he was in town for six seasons. Adams, now a member of the Redblacks, doesn’t have to wait long to face his former team as Ottawa and Winnipeg play the first two games of the season against one another.

“It’ll be a little different. He was here for a long time. I hope him all the best this year, but maybe not the first two weeks,” Thomas said.

Head coach Mike O’Shea was asked what Adams meant to the Bombers.

“Well, he’s got some sandpaper to him for sure that guys like. He was fun to be around and had an energy at practice that at certain times, would help drive the practice by getting the guys going and that’s not even talking about his speed and ability as a receiver, right? He’s obviously a damn good receiver,” said O’Shea.

NOT YOUR 2021 REDBLACKS

The Redblacks were a mess last season, but with Jeremiah Masoli now under centre, a revamped offensive line, and some new weapons at receiver, things in Ottawa are starting to look promising. The Bombers didn’t play Redblacks last season, but O’Shea was asked how his side is preparing for a new-look team

“It’s like any Week 1. There’s always change in any pro sport. Players move on, there’s free agency, so, there’s always going to be changes. There’s a quarterback change there. But that happens on other teams, too. So I don’t know if it’s really about that as much as it’s about it’s Week 1 where teams don’t show everything they got. Some guys didn’t play in the preseason. So, you just got to rely on your preparation and your understanding of what you’re supposed to do.”

SACK KINGS

Willie Jefferson led the Bombers in sacks in 2019. Jackson Jeffcoat led the Bombers in sacks in 2021.

So, how about 2022?

“If he can finish with one less than me, then we’ll be in a good place because I plan on being at the top,” Jefferson said.

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It’s something the two Texans talk about frequently in the offseason when they train together.

“It’s gonna be a good race. Hopefully, we can get something going. It starts on Friday,” said Jefferson.

“Hopefully I can run it up and hopefully he can get out there and get some sacks going, too, and make it hard for the rest of the league.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31

Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.