Condell aware of importance of run game to Bombers offence

Tommy Condell has not made a name for himself in the CFL by running the football.

In nearly 11 years as an offensive co-ordinator in the three-down loop, he’s never once had a running back finish top three in rushing. To further add to that, his tailbacks have finished outside the top 10 in ground yards in half of those seasons.

That’s not going to fly in Winnipeg with running back Brady Oliveira making around $300,000 per year through 2028.

So, when Condell — who was officially announced as the new OC of the Bombers on Monday — sat down on Zoom with reporters on Tuesday, there was one obvious question: is his style the right fit for the Blue and Gold?

Move to D-line coach natural for lifelong Bomber Thomas

Jake Thomas wasn’t planning on retiring.

The 35-year-old defensive tackle expressed in his exit interview with head coach Mike O’Shea that he was interested in strapping on a helmet for a 14th season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Then, a few weeks later, a new opportunity presented itself. Defensive line coach Darrell Patterson had informed the club he was retiring after five seasons in the role, leaving O’Shea with a vacancy on his staff that needed to be filled.

He floated the idea by Thomas, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Thomas hangs up cleats, picks up clipboard

The longest tenured Winnipeg Blue Bomber is now the newest CFL coach.

After 13 seasons with the Blue and Gold, veteran defensive tackle Jake Thomas is retiring as a player. He isn’t going anywhere, though, as the 35-year-old from New Brunswick has been hired as the team’s defensive line coach.

He’s replacing Darrell Patterson who’s retiring after five seasons with the club.

“He’s extremely intelligent. He’s always been a guy who studies the game well, communicates well to his teammates, so you expect that to continue,” head coach Mike O’Shea said Monday.

Condell Bombers’ new offensive co-ordinator

Mike O’Shea has finally owned up to the fact that promoting Jason Hogan to offensive co-ordinator was a mistake.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers hire Tommy Condell as offensive coordinator

WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are making adjustments to their coaching staff ahead of the 2026 CFL season.

The Bombers announced Monday that Tommy Condell has been named offensive coordinator, Jake Thomas is the new defensive line coach and Jason Hogan is reprising his role as running backs coach.

The moves come after the team finished the 2025 campaign fourth in the West with a 10-8 record to clinch a crossover playoff spot, then fell to the Montreal Alouettes in the East Division semifinal. It was the first time in five years Winnipeg did not play in the Grey Cup.

Condell spent the last two seasons as offensive coordinator for the Ottawa Redblacks and returns to the Bombers, where was special teams coordinator in 1997 under then-head coach Jeff Reinbold.

Bombers’ Demski excited to ink two-year contract extension with club

Christmas has arrived early in Bomberland.

The week began with star running back Brady Oliveira agreeing to a three-year contract extension, and it ended with another major piece of the offence and fellow Winnipegger in receiver Nic Demski putting pen to paper on a two-year deal.

“This is obviously where I wanted to be. For them to reach out as early as they did was awesome,” said Demski, who signed on Thursday and spoke with media over Zoom on Friday. He was scheduled to hit free agency in February.

“We weren’t too far off so things kind of happened quick when they started going.”

Bombers’ Demski signs two-year contract extension

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have retained their star pass catcher.

Nic Demski agreed to a two-year extension with the club on Thursday, hours after it was announced that defensive back Deatrick Nichols had signed a one-year deal.

Both players were scheduled to be free agents in February.

Demski’s 2025 campaign was cut short due to injury but the 32-year-old Winnipegger still managed to catch 67 passes for 1,0001 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 regular-season games en route to being named a West Division all-star for a fifth consecutive season.

Bombers’ Nichols inks one-year contract extension

One of the CFL’s best defensive backs is staying put with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The club announced Thursday morning that halfback Deatrick Nichols has agreed to a one-year contract extension.

Nichols was scheduled to hit free agency in February.

The University of South Florida product initially joined the Blue and Gold in 2021 and is a two-time CFL All-Star (2021 and 2022). Nichols finished 2025 with 37 defensive tackles and 13 pass knockdowns which was second in the league behind teammate Willie Jefferson who had 16.

Bombers’ Kramdi happy to stay in Blue and Gold

Redha Kramdi felt like an imposter.

Before he could sink his teeth into his first training camp with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2021, the rookie defensive back got a call that his older brother and biggest supporter, Sami, had died in his sleep. After flying back home to Montreal to grieve with family, Kramdi returned to Winnipeg and made his debut in a Week 2 contest against Toronto.

“After everything I went through with me losing a family member, I get a chance to play football which, for most of us, is our safe space,” said Kramdi in a Zoom call with reporters on Wednesday to discuss his new two-year contract extension.

“Then I get pushed in the back and tore my hamstring up so I’m on the six-game (injured list) and ended up missing most of my first season.”

Bombers’ Oliveira ‘extremely happy’ to ink three-year extension

While Brady Oliveira fielded questions about his new three-year deal Tuesday afternoon, his six-year-old golden retriever Gunnar — sporting a Winnipeg Blue Bombers bandana — made its way around the media room for head scratches.

“I wanted to bring all four of my dogs but decided it would be a little too chaotic with the four,” said Oliveira, who also brought his friend with paws to the stadium on Monday when he officially put pen to paper.

“Alex (Blumberg, his girlfriend) and I chatted and she said, ‘Bring Gunnar, he’s a good boy.’ He’s mature and he was the star of the show yesterday… I feel like it was only right to bring him to the presser today.”

The Bombers made it loud and clear that they view the 28-year-old running back from Winnipeg as the star of their show. They wasted no time getting a deal done and made him an offer — a three-year extension that pays $290,000 in 2026, then $300,000 in both 2027 and 2028 — he couldn’t refuse.

Oliveira inks three-year extension with Bombers

Brady Oliveira is staying home.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced Monday afternoon the star running back has agreed to a three-year contract extension through the 2028 season.

The 28-year-old was scheduled to become a free agent in February.

“I know what I can bring and I know I’m a calibre of player that can help a team win a championship, so I want to put myself in the best situation to win a championship,” said Oliveira in his end of season press conference in November.

Big Blue sign pending free agent Lawson

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are slowly chipping away at their long list of pending free agents.

Bombers receiver arrested after high-speed chase in Arkansas

A Blue Bombers wide receiver set to become a free agent this winter was arrested after a high-speed chase in Arkansas last week.

NEA Report, a news service in northeast Arkansas, said court documents show Dillon Mitchell, 28, was arrested Nov. 17. Part of an affidavit by state trooper Cpl. Jeffrey Irvin posted on NEA Report’s website states that a chase involving a black Ford Mustang started in Lawrence County.

Irvin said he saw the car speed past him on U.S. Route 63 and tried to stop it, but the driver kept going at speeds of more than 160 km/h. The driver passed vehicles on the shoulder, went through a stop light and narrowly missed a truck, the affidavit said.

The driver lost control while trying to take an exit along a different highway, and the car hit a metal sign. He has been charged with eight offences, including a felony charge of fleeing police and driving-related offences, the affidavit states.

Bombers’ GM well aware of needed changes for club to get back to winning ways

Where do the Winnipeg Blue Bombers go from here?

Their starting quarterback isn’t getting any younger, the offensive line is starting to show cracks, their star running back isn’t guaranteed to return, their best receiver is recovering from another major knee injury, and around a dozen starters on defence could potentially hit free agency.

Returning to Grey Cup glory doesn’t seem so simple.

One of the key people tasked with getting the organization back to contender status is general manager Kyle Walters. He spoke to a room of reporters on Wednesday fresh off signing a three-year contract extension.

Bombers’ O’Shea keen to continue building ‘special’ franchise

Mike O’Shea had no shortage of reasons to pack up his things and head east.

On the personal side, he was born and raised in North Bay, Ont., went to the University of Guelph, spent 12 seasons of his hall of fame playing career with the Toronto Argonauts, and still has family — his mother and in-laws — who reside in southern Ontario today.

From a football standpoint, the Argos were reportedly offering more money and more authority. It also would’ve been a chance to tackle a new challenge, and an opportunity to reunite with his good pal and former teammate Pinball Clemons. Plus, there are signs that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and their aging core are trending downward.

On paper, Toronto seemed like an obvious fit.