Brady Oliveira has a few items already picked out for spots in his work-in-progress man cave at home, including autographed jerseys of two his all-time favourites — Dallas Cowboys icon Emmitt Smith and Charles Roberts, the hall of fame Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back he idolized for years.
Let it be said, then, that there’s a certain surreal aspect for the Winnipeg product on a day when he was named the team’s Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian for a third consecutive season.
His name has already reached legend status in the long and storied history of this franchise even though he is still just 28 and has so much career seemingly in front of him.
So, to have moved past Blue Bombers hall of famers like Fred Reid and Andrew Harris on the franchise’s all-time rushing list this season — he now trails only Roberts, Leo Lewis, Willard Reaves, Jim Washington and Gerry James — and to have his name used regularly in the same sentence as Roberts, well, that’s a lot for a guy wrap his head around.
“I got Charles’ jersey last year and got to meet him on the same day he was inducted into the Ring of Honour. That was such a cool moment for me,” Oliveira said Wednesday. “I mean, I grew up watching him. Always heard the Charles Roberts name everywhere you went. You turn on the TV or go to Bomber games as a kid, and it was always about Charles Roberts.
“Then when you start to hear your name in the same sentence as him… I mean, wow. I know what I’m capable of doing, but I never really think of stuff like this because I do have so much appreciation of the guys that came before me. I have so much respect for them now knowing how hard it is to do what they did.”
Oliveira certainly earned his MOP/MOC double award nod this year, as he has cranked out 1,163 yards rushing and set career highs in receptions with 61 and receiving yards at 546 — all coming after he missed two full games and all but one series in the season opener before suffering a shoulder injury. He leads the CFL in yards from scrimmage this season with 1,709 and is tied with Dedrick Mills of Calgary with the most 100-yard rushing games in the league this season with four — doing all that while defences often loaded up the box to take the run away from Winnipeg’s attack.
“We love his style,” said Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea. “He’s hard-nosed. He’s tough. You can give him all those touches, and he catches the ball so well, too, and his YAC (yards after catch) is great. Think of how much contact he takes in any given game and he just thrives on delivering punishment, not just taking it.”
Oliveira instantly saluted his offensive line when approached by local media inside the Blue Bombers locker room after Wednesday’s closed practice — “without them, nothing is possible” — but also made it abundantly clear where his head is at right now, a sentiment echoed by O’Shea, who said of the awards announcement, “they’re being recognized individually in a great team sport at the exact wrong time. But I’m happy for the guys.”
“My main focus is just about winning a Grey Cup,” said Oliveira. “That’s my motivation. When I’m training my behind off in the offseason and grinding throughout the season, my main focus is winning the Grey Cup. That’s at the forefront of my mind right now.”
The next round of voting for the CFL awards will see the West and East Division winners announced next week, followed by the CFL’s Player Awards on November 13th at the Club Regent Event Centre during the Grey Cup festivities here in Winnipeg.
THE ENVELOPE PLEASE…
A look at the Blue Bombers nominees for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player Awards, as voted on by four members of the local chapter of The Football Reporters of Canada. The East/West nominees will be announced following the next round of voting, with the league winners unveiled during Grey Cup week.
*Indicates unanimous vote
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER & MOST OUTSTANDING CANADIAN PLAYER:
Brady Oliveira
Position: Running back
His 2025 numbers: Oliveira is a double-award winner for the Blue Bombers for a third straight season and last year was named both the CFLs Most Outstanding Player and Canadian. He has rushed for 1,163 yards heading into the final week of the regular season – the third-highest total of his career – and has already set career highs in receptions (61) and receiving yards (546).
The Winnipeg product, now six years into his career, is already sixth on the Blue Bombers all-time rushing list with 5,480 yards, having passed both Fred Reid (4,505) and Andrew Harris (5,402) this season. He now trails only Roberts (9,987), Leo Lewis (8,861), Willard Reaves (5,923), Jim Washington (5,736) and Gerry James (5,541) on the club’s all-time rushing list.
FYI: Oliveira has entered rarefied air as a three-time selection as the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Player since the inception of the award in 1956. Leo Lewis won the award five times (1958, 1960-62 and 1965); Dieter Brock was saluted four times (1978, 1980-82) as was Charles Roberts (2003-06) while Milt Stegall was selected in 1997, 2000 and 2002. Worth noting: those other four players are all in the Winnipeg Football Club and Canadian Football Halls of Fame.
MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER:
Evan Holm
Position: defensive halfback
His 2025 numbers: Holm is second on the Blue Bombers to middle linebacker Tony Jones in defensive tackles with 53 (Jones has 100) and leads the team with four interceptions while adding one forced fumble, five pass knockdowns and one tackle for a loss.
FYI: A defensive back has now been named the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Defensive Player 11 times with Holm joining a list that includes Tyrell Ford (2024), Chris Randle (2017), Maurice Leggett (2014, 2016), Jovon Johnson (2011), Juran Bolden (2001), Maurice Kelly (1999), Bennie Thompson (1988), Paul Bennett (1982), Vince Phason (1978) and Brian Herosian (1975, 1977).
Holm says: “It’s a cool. It’s an honour. There was some good stuff, but I still think about a couple of interceptions I could have had — a Sask one and one was an accidental PI (pass interference penalty) that got taken away. I caught more (interceptions). Last year I had none so that was one thing I wanted — to make plays and finish plays, so I did that a little better this year.
“… I talk about (Deatrick Nichols) all the time, I think he’s amazing,” added Holm when asked who else should be singled out. “Without Redha (Kramdi) I don’t think our defence is the same. He’s like a quarterback back there for us and he makes his plays, too. He can be in coverage, he can be in the box AND he’s directing traffic out there. He would be my choice.”
MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN:
Stanley Bryant
Position: Left tackle
His 2025 numbers: Stanley Bryant is already the most-decorated offensive lineman in CFL history and has once again been named the Blue Bombers best, now for an eighth time (2015, 2017-19; 2021-22, 2024-25). He is a four-time winner of the CFL’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award (2017-18, 2021-22) and eight-time CFL All-Star (2013-14; 2017-19; 2021-24).
FYI: Bryant, 39, has now been named his team’s top lineman nine times, including 2011 and 2013 as a member of the Calgary Stampeders. Only Chris Walby has been named the Blue Bombers top O-lineman more times than Bryant, having been saluted on nine occasions (1986-87, 1989-94, 1996).
Bryant says: “It’s always an honour, but I couldn’t do it without the guys that are in the room with me: Chris K (Kolankowski), Paddy (Neufeld), Gabe (Wallace), Kendall (Randolph).
“… you see Tom Brady; he played until he was like 50. LeBron (James) is probably going to play until he’s 50. I’m not comparing myself to those guys but, for me, it’s just a mindset. I know what I’m capable of doing, what I still can do. I’m just trying to strive for greatness and continue to be the best I can be on the field and try to make other guys better.”
MOST OUTSTANDING ROOKIE/MOST OUTSTANDING SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER
Trey Vaval*
Position: kick returner/cornerback
His 2025 numbers: Heading into the final week of the schedule before the playoffs, Vaval leads the CFL in punt return yards (957) and ranks fifth in kickoff return yards (918, on 37 returns). He also leads the CFL in missed field goal return yards with 391, having established a new Blue Bombers record, eclipsing Albert Johnson III’s total of 277, set in 2000.
Vaval leads the CFL with four kick-return touchdowns this season – two on kickoff returns and one via punt and missed field goal returns. His 128-yard missed field goal return vs. Ottawa in September was the longest in club history and in the same contest established a new CFL single-game record with 199 yards on missed field goal returns.
Vaval also made four starts at cornerback this season and has registered 21 defensive tackles, adding four more on special teams, while intercepting his first career pass against Montreal on August 21st.
FYI: The CFL first started awarding the Most Outstanding Rookie in 1972. Vaval joins a select group of Blue Bomber top rookies who were double award winners in their first year with the team. The others: Steve Beaird (Outstanding and Rookie, 1975), Joe Poplawski (Canadian and Rookie, 1978), Willard Reaves (Outstanding and Rookie, 1983), Albert Johnson III (Special Teams and Rookie, 2000), Charles Roberts (Special Teams and Rookie, 2001), Gavin Walls (Defence and Rookie, 2005) and Lirim Hajrullahu (Canadian, Rookie and Special Teams, 2014).
Vaval says: “I couldn’t do it without my teammates, so shout-out to them. They’re the reason it happened. I didn’t really have any expectations coming in — I was just trying to be the best player for my teammates.
“… A year ago, I was on the couch not playing. So, it is surreal — I’m not even talking about the award, just being here in general and playing. There are dudes that are not playing that are on the couch or injured like Dalton Schoen. He wishes he would be playing right now. The awards are cool and all but just playing the game and being here with my teammates means more to me than anything.”
A look at the team-by-team nominees for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player Awards: