Many happy returns in Bomberland

Patrick Neufeld and his fellow Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman were huddled up inside their meeting room trying to figure out where it all went wrong in 2025.

It was locker room cleanout day — less than 24 hours after the Bombers were eliminated in the East semifinal in Montreal — and, unlike most of their teammates, no one on the O-line stepped out to speak with media.

“I just wanted to be in the room with the guys. As you guys know, it’s a business of change so you never know who’s not gonna be back in that offensive line room,” said Neufeld, who signed a one-year extension on Sunday, in a Zoom call on Monday.

“We were sitting in the offensive line room reminiscing about the season and, not an airing of grievances, but just talking about the season. The good, the bad, the ugly, the fun, all that kind of stuff.

Bombers’ Castillo, Sheahan praise organization after signing extensions

A kicker and a punter re-signing with their team typically doesn’t warrant a 30-plus minute Zoom call with reporters.

But that’s exactly what happened on Tuesday in a wide-ranging, engaging and thoroughly entertaining chat with Sergio Castillo and Jamieson Sheahan of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The pair of specialists inked extensions with the Blue and Gold — two years for Castillo, one for Sheahan — on Monday.

In typical Castillo fashion, he kicked things off with a memorable one-liner.

CFL commissioner talks expansion, new rules at winter meetings

After three days of discussions with general managers and head coaches from around the league in Calgary, CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston faced the media on Wednesday to share a glimpse of where the three-down game could be headed.

CFL rules committee proposes end to regular-season tie games

The CFL rules committee wants to eliminate tie games during the regular-season.

The committee is recommending, starting this year, games that are tied after overtime be decided by alternating plays from the opposition’s three-yard line until one team scores and the other doesn't. CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston unveiled the proposal Wednesday during the league's winter meetings in Calgary.

"It's probably only happened a handful of times over the last many years … but no one likes a tie," Johnston said during a video conference.

Only four CFL regular-season games have ended in a tie since 2016, but two occurred in 2024.

Alouettes GM Maciocia, Bombers head coach O’Shea taking open mind into CFL meeting

Danny Maciocia and Mike O'Shea are both taking an open mind into the CFL winter meetings.

Maciocia, the Montreal Alouettes general manager, and O'Shea, the head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, are among the CFL officials attending the meetings in Calgary. Among the agenda items up for discussion are rules applications and potential changes.

CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston unveiled significant rules changes last September with the aim of modernizing the game over the next two seasons. This year, no single point will be awarded for errant field goals, punts or kickoffs that go through the end zone — either in the air or via a bounce.

If a returner fields a missed field goal, punt or kickoff in the end zone and either kneels or is tackled before advancing the ball past the goal-line, a single will be awarded.

League direction, Bomber shuffles up for discussion at winter meeting

More changes could be coming to the CFL.

The league’s annual winter meeting kicked off Monday in Calgary and for the next three days, coaches and general managers from all nine teams, commissioner Stewart Johnston and CFLPA representatives will gather to discuss a long list of topics related to the future of the league.

The CFL made the items on this year’s agenda public and it includes the application of rule changes, a review of the replay centre, the possibility of an American player draft to acquire player rights, possible changes to the playoff format and end-of-season player awards, Olympic guidelines for flag football’s upcoming debut at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and more.

On Monday, all GMs and head coaches — including Winnipeg Blue Bombers GM Kyle Walters and head coach Mike O’Shea — took turns meeting with the media virtually to speak on some of these ideas and also answer questions on the status of their teams.