Bombers’ Bridges picks up where Ford left off
Defensive back had Rourke’s number in season opener
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The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have Nathan Rourke’s number.
The B.C. Lions pivot is now 0-5 — four regular-season losses and a 28-20 loss in the 2022 Western Final — when lining up against the Blue and Gold. The Bombers prevailed over the star Canadian passer yet again in last week’s 34-20 season-opening victory in front of a sell-out crowd at home.
“I don’t know why he can’t crack (our defence), but at the end of the day, we don’t want him to crack it. We want to keep it going,” said second-year Bombers defensive back Marquise Bridges after Monday’s practice.
“We know how talented he is, man. Every time we play him, we know we have to contain him. He’s a great rushing threat and, on top of that, he’s probably one of the quickest releases out right now. So, yeah, man, we’re trying to keep the code uncrackable.”
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back Marquise Bridges (right) picked off both B.C. quarterbacks in the Bombers season-opening game last Thursday.
Bridges, who was making only his second career start, played a key role in Rourke’s latest shortcoming against Winnipeg as he picked him off twice for the first interceptions of the defender’s career.
Rourke left the game in the fourth quarter with an oblique injury but told reporters afterwards that he thinks he should be OK to play Saturday when the Lions host the Bombers in a rematch. The Lions did not practice on Monday.
“It meant everything, man. Just being out here in general means everything to me. I’m just grateful to be on the field with my guys, and my family was in the stands so I couldn’t ask for much more,” said Bridges, who hails from Minneapolis.
“It was a great first experience for me, but my goal is just to be a part of something, just be a part of this great group, continue to grow and continue to win.”
Bridges, who won four national titles during his days at North Dakota State, and won another two championships in the Indoor Football League before signing with the Bombers last year, quickly showed why he earned a promotion. In 2024, he dressed in eight games and only made one start. And after Canadian standout Tyrell Ford had a breakout year with seven interceptions and left the Bombers to sign in Edmonton this past off-season, a job at fieldside corner opened up for Bridges to take.
“I knew there was an opening, and that was my target to come find some space that I can come and play,” said Bridges.
“I mean, last year was fun for me because it was such a learning experience that I needed and I just came from the IFL, so every experience I had up here was a blessing. I was just like ‘It’s crazy to be here’ and I damn near cry before every game just because it feels surreal. Last year was a good year for me, man. I was a supporter, that was my role… and I feel like I took it seriously, man, and I try to make the most of my experiences and I think it helped me so much more with my confidence coming up here this year.”
Gauthier fills in at long snapper
He’s made clutch tackles on special teams, filled in admirably at linebacker when called upon and, most recently, shown that he can also fill in at long snapper.
Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Files Winnipeg Blue Bombers linebacker Shayne Gauthier filled in admirably for long snapper Mike Benson who was injured in the Bombers season-opening game.
Is there anything Shayne Gauthier can’t do?
“Yeah, that’s a great question,” said Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea on Monday.
Starter Mike Benson left last week’s game with an injury which forced the Bombers to use emergency long snapper Shayne Gauthier in his place for the second half. Gauthier, now in his eighth season in Winnipeg, hadn’t snapped in a game since he partook in a U Sports prospects game in 2015 when he was coming out of Laval.
“I’ve been practising this every day from last year to this year in case that situation happened and I could go in there and we could still punt and have some success,” said Gauthier. “I take a lot of pride in doing that work and making sure whatever happens, we can go out there and execute correctly, and it went well.”
Benson didn’t practice Monday and his status for Saturday is unknown. If he can’t go, the club is prepared as they signed Canadian long snapper Ian Leroux to the practice roster and released import receiver Reggie White Jr.
taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

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.
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