Collaros returns from head injury to lead Bombers against East-leading Ticats

WINNIPEG - Brady Oliveira is looking forward to having a laser-focused Zach Collaros back on the field.

Collaros missed the Blue Bombers’ past two games with a head injury, but the starting quarterback will take the reins when Winnipeg (7-7) hosts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (9-5) on Saturday afternoon.

“He was just extra sharp and extra dialed in this week,” Oliveira said of Collaros after the team’s walk-through practice on Friday.

“He always is, he’s a true pro, but there’s something about this week in practice with him, just seeing him throw the ball down the field. It’s a thing of beauty.”

Bombers shocked by lack of consultation on rule changes, hope ‘uniqueness’ remains

So, what does Brady Oliveira — a Winnipegger and one of the faces of the CFL — think about the leagues newly announced rule changes?

Overall CFL transparency would have helped temper angst

The Canadian Football League created significant waves this week with a series of rule changes that will take place over the next two seasons, sparking heated debate among fans and media alike.

For some, it’s a step toward modernizing the game and a common-sense approach to clear and obvious issues. But for traditionalists, it’s being viewed as an unwelcome departure from what makes Canadian football unique.

Since the announcement, I’ve been asked where I stand, and like many of you who are still digesting the news, my feelings have been mixed. After a few days, I see more good than bad.

Simply put, I’m on board with the changes coming in 2026.

Bombers’ roaring rookies Allen, Vaval making waves

Trey Vaval had a feeling that fellow Winnipeg Blue Bombers rookie Cam Allen was going to have a big day in Ottawa.

“It was actually crazy,” said Vaval after Wednesday’s closed practice.

“We were on the bus headed to the game and I was like, ‘Cam’s gonna have two picks today.’ And it happened.”

It sure did.

Bombers QB says decisions about his health and future are his to make

Zach Collaros appreciates the concern surrounding his latest head injury but wants it to be clear: his health is his business.

The star quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers practised in full on Tuesday for the first time since suffering a hit to the head more than two weeks ago in the Banjo Bowl.

It’s a cause for concern any time a play leaves a player laying motionless on the turf for a while before they get up and jog off — which was the case for Collaros — but the veteran passer’s well-documented history of head injuries made it that much more unsettling.

“If you’re somebody who’s followed the game for a long time and you know who I am specifically and you’ve seen me have to come out of games at times throughout my career, from a knee-jerk reaction standpoint, I can totally understand people’s concern with that,” said Collaros after practice.

Bombers not convinced over drastic CFL changes

News of the CFL’s rule changes didn’t sit right with Winnipeg Blue Bombers special teams co-ordinator Mike Miller on Monday.

“I kind of had a really weird feeling in my gut when they announced it. Just kind of a little sickening,” he said after Tuesday’s practice.

“I didn’t expect it. It didn’t sit well with me at the time — like I ate something bad.”

And while nobody on the Bombers went as far as B.C. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke — who called the CFL’s recently announced rule changes “garbage” — it didn’t mean they were jumping up and down with excitement over the upcoming modifications to the three-down game.

Modified rules, field size casualties of major CFL revamp

The Canadian Football League didn’t just announce a few tweaks to its rulebook on Monday, it sent a shockwave through its very foundation.

After hours of speculation and a palpable buzz that had many fans fearing the worst — namely a transition to the American game — commissioner Stewart Johnston unveiled a series of rule changes that will reshape the sport for generations to come. The message from the league, and its Board of Governors who unanimously supported the changes, was that the status quo was no longer acceptable.

But the question on the mind of every fan remains: is this new vision a way to save a struggling league and make the game more exciting, or is it a slow march toward Americanization? Or both?

While some changes are coming in 2026, the most significant modifications won’t take effect until 2027 — a phased approach the league says will allow teams and stadiums time for structural alterations.

Bombers were gifted a much needed win in Ottawa

OTTAWA – There’s no denying the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ 26-18 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks at TD Place on Saturday was a gift.

It was a win that required a monumental effort from the defence and special teams to overcome an anemic offensive performance that, against any other opponent, would have surely resulted in a loss. There’s a reason the Redblacks are the CFL’s worst team and they showed it on this day.

Riding a three-game losing streak, the Bombers desperately needed the two points to stay afloat in the CFL West Division playoff race. And while they succeeded in that goal, the way they secured the win should raise serious concerns.

The Bombers were completely outplayed on offence, and it was only the Redblacks’ inability to capitalize on their own promising drives and a series of devastating mistakes that allowed Winnipeg to escape with the win.

Special teams, defence shine in gritty Bombers win

OTTAWA – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers walked out of TD Place with a much-needed victory Saturday afternoon, defeating the Ottawa Redblacks 26-18 in front of 20,033 fans in the nation’s capital.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak and improved the Bombers record to 7-7, keeping their playoff hopes alive in the competitive West Division. But while the Bombers will gladly take the valuable two points, it was far from a perfect performance, and there were few, if any, style points to be found on offence.

Indeed, in a game where the offence struggled to find its rhythm and was consistently outgained by Ottawa, it was the defence and special teams that stepped up to carry the team to victory. The Chris Streveler-led attack managed a mere 210 yards of net offence, but the defence forced multiple turnovers, and the special teams provided the game’s most electrifying moment – a record-setting missed field goal return for a touchdown.

“It’s a grinder and our guys grinded right to the end,” said Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea. “And when it mattered most, we were able to run the ball. We’re going to let the guys enjoy this one.”

Bombers confident backup QB has what it takes at the helm

OTTAWA — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are facing a seemingly must-win situation and, for the second consecutive week, the task of righting the ship falls to quarterback Chris Streveler.

With starter Zach Collaros ruled out for a second straight game due to a head injury, Streveler is once again at the helm as the Bombers look to snap a three-game losing streak and regain their footing in the tight West Division playoff race.

The Bombers, currently sitting at 6-7, are in a precarious position. The team that has been a model of consistency and winning for the past few years is suddenly staring at the possibility of missing the playoffs entirely.

The feeling in the locker room is palpable: Saturday’s game at TD Place is one they need to have, especially facing an Ottawa Redblacks club that is 4-9 and last place in the East Division.

Battle of the understudies in the nation’s capital

With only a handful of games remaining in the regular season, both the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Ottawa Redblacks are feeling the pressure.

Bombers linebacker Kyrie Wilson healthy, happy and productive

When speaking with Kyrie Wilson about his season, he may interupt you to do something important.

“Hold on,” he said after Thursday’s closed practice. “Let me knock on some wood.”

It’s hard to blame the Blue Bombers linebacker as it’s been a long time since he’s played this many games without being hit with an injury.

Since capping off the 2021 Grey Cup with the winning interception in overtime, it’s been mostly heartbreak for Wilson. He started 2022 red-hot before tearing his Achilles in Week 4. The injury went on to limit him to 10 games in 2023.

Brown’s injuries have taught pivot invaluable patience

OTTAWA — When Dru Brown was a young and eager quarterback with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, he spent three seasons in the quiet shadow of a growing legend. His time as the understudy to Zach Collaros was a masterclass in patience, preparation and waiting for your moment.

Now, a season and a half into his career as the starting quarterback for the Ottawa Redblacks, Brown has learned the brutal price of that opportunity. The lessons he learned in Winnipeg — staying disciplined in your process, a relentless focus on the day-to-day, to name a couple — are being tested in ways he never envisioned when taking over the role in the nation’s capital.

“There has just been a lack of consistency, just kind of across the board, starting with me,” Brown, 28, said in an interview with the Free Press following Thursday’s practice. “It’s always hard when you feel like you’re trending and then you get something like an injury, which is something that’s been frustrating to deal with because I’ve never really gotten hurt until I came here.”

He added: “There were a lot of things along my career, up to this point, that still happened but I was prepared mentally for them, the challenges that it brings. But when you’ve never really been hurt and you’re missing bits and pieces of time, it’s very frustrating because it’s nothing really you can control.”

First-year OC Hogan asks for patience

The offensive co-ordinator can be one of the most criticized roles in all pro sports — especially in a football-crazed market.

The criticism usually comes from the stands, and first-year Blue Bombers OC Jason Hogan has certainly heard an earful from paying customers. But on Tuesday, a subtle shot came from his star running back Brady Oliveira.

“I think maybe us players could be put in some better situations to succeed as well so that it always doesn’t fall on the player,” said Oliveira, when asked for his opinion on the negative reviews surrounding the play of backup quarterback Chris Streveler.

Hogan addressed reporters Wednesday and had no issue with Oliveira’s remark.