Bryant cornerstone of the Bombers CFL’s best O-lineman set to appear in 21st post-season contest By: Joshua Frey-Sam Posted: 6:18 PM CST Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/11/2024 (639 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Stanley Bryant wanted to leave almost as soon as he arrived.

It was 2010, and the fresh-faced left tackle had begun to question if his career as a professional football player would pan out as he had dreamed it would.

That was quickly trending toward no.

After going undrafted to the National Football League and a failed tryout with the Denver Broncos, Bryant signed on to the Calgary Stampeders’ practice roster. Things got stale quickly, however, and he became certain that he would soon return to his home in Goldsboro, N.C., for a reset on life.

His next profession of choice?

“I was going to go home and be a banker at the time,” said the now Winnipeg Blue Bombers left tackle. “But my mom and my sister told me to stay — I stuck around and it led to this.”

This being a 14-year hall-of-fame career — five in Calgary and nine in Winnipeg — that spans 139 games and counting as one of the most dependable, durable and skilled offensive linemen to ever grace the Canadian Football League.

His resumé, which might challenge a Costco receipt in length, includes three Grey Cups — five appearances — four Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman awards, seven league all-star nods and another nine all-star selections in the West Division.

On Saturday, Bryant will make his 21st career appearance in a post-season game when the Bombers host the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Princess Auto Stadium (5:30 p.m.). It’s the most of any active player, two more than his teammate of six years, linebacker Adam Bighill.

“I go out there and do my job and just hope for the best.”–Stanley Bryant

“It’s hugely inspiring,” said left guard Liam Dobson, who will make his first career start in the post-season this weekend. “We all play this game because we love football. The fact that he can be doing it (14 years)… being able to see that, it’s awesome to see and hopefully one day I can be a mentor to that young guy that’s playing in his first playoff start.”

Bryant’s longevity at one of the most physically demanding positions on the field has certainly become something his teammates and coaches marvel at, though, it wasn’t ever a goal of his to play this long, nor is it an accomplishment he boasts about today.

“I guess people just expect it now, right? They don’t really say much about it. I embrace it. I go out there and do my job and just hope for the best,” Bryant said.

Honestly, I just look at it from a birds-eye-view for myself,” he said of playing beyond this season. “I just try to go out there and do the best that I can do. I still think I’m capable of playing the game, I still love the game, I think I’m still good at it — a lot of people can agree, I would think — so once I believe that and just know that I can continue to do that… I just go out there and do what I do.”

Patrick Neufeld arrived in Winnipeg one year before Bryant. The 35-year-old is likely the next in the line of Bombers players to receive their flowers for a sustained playing career, so he understands just what it takes for Bryant to play as long as he has.

“I’ve said it all the time, his ability to play at an elite level consistently is all you can ask for in the best offensive lineman to play in this league,” said Neufeld.

“I think as an offensive lineman, it’s a position without glory, so it’s something you go out and do for the love of that position. It’s a position of service where you’re going out and you’re putting your health and your safety on the line for other people, but you find over the time that you’ve done this job, you find love in that,” he said.

“I think that’s why (a lineman would play so long), you fall in love with the camaraderie in that room, the guys in our offensive line room are an awesome, tremendous group of guys.”

“He’s the best ever.”–Mike O’Shea

Perhaps Bryant has already sat back and wondered what life could’ve looked like had he ended his football career just as it was truly about to begin. If there’s one person who is grateful it has worked out the way that it has, it’s Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea, who has believed for a long time that there is no longer a debate to be had.

“He’s the best ever,” said O’Shea. “Technically, obviously, extremely proficient, sound, excellent and he’s got the will. Some guys might not have the will to do it that well that long, and because football is the best team sport, he doesn’t do it by himself. He’s got to have everybody around him playing well, too, for us to get that many opportunities.”

Pausing for a moment to think about the first thing that comes to mind when he thinks about Bryant, O’Shea went back to the beginning of their professional relationship.

“I guess if I go back to when he first signed with us — and I can’t tell you why he signed with us, I probably asked him a long time ago — but as an organization, we’re very fortunate that he chose us. He’s been a cornerstone piece for this organization for as long as he’s been here.”

You don’t become the pillar of a club without some kind of motivation, something that might look a little different for Bryant today than in his earlier years. The recognition and accolades may have held a bit more weight back then, but these days it’s about winning a championship and maintaining the respect on the field that he’s worked so hard to build up.

“Honestly, just go out there and play the best that I can play,” Bryant said. “I mean, everything else will take care of itself. I’ve been around great teammates, a great organization that usually gets a chance to get to a Grey Cup, so that’s motivation each and every year.

“But, for myself, it’s just going out there and showing that I can still do it and be as dominant as I’ve always been.”

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca

X:@jfreysam