It’s the end of one of the most impressive runs in recent CFL memory.
By finishing as a crossover playoff team, this season ended Winnipeg’s run of Western Final appearances at six. And with their 42-33 loss to Montreal in Saturday’s Eastern Semi-Final, the Blue Bombers saw their streak of consecutive Grey Cup appearances snapped at five.
But there’s now a bigger question to answer: is this also the end of one the greatest ever eras of Bombers football?
2025 GREY CUP PLAYOFFS
» Alouettes defeat Bombers, punch ticket to Eastern Final
» Collaros, Bombers ‘feel terrible’ after Eastern Semi-Final loss
» Lions beat Stamps to earn another Western Final trip
» Dickenson wishes ‘better fate’ for Stampeders in loss to Lions
» Sign up and watch CFL games on CFL+ in the U.S. and Internationally
Following each of their last five Grey Cup appearances, win or lose, Winnipeg has opted to run it back the following year. That’s mostly meant the Bombers have re-signed the vast majority of their core players ahead of free agency each off-season. And with a half-decade run of success, you couldn’t really blame them.
But considering an up-and-down regular season, another year of wear and tear on a veteran core, and an earlier than normal finish, retaining the status quo seems like far less of a sure thing. It feels like coach Mike O’Shea and general manager Kyle Walters have significant big-picture decisions to make this winter.
It starts with the future of quarterback Zach Collaros, who will turn 38 partway through next season. Coming off a self-admitted frustrating campaign, the two-time Most Outstanding Player suggested he’s favouring a return in 2026 following Saturday’s loss.
“I’d like to continue to do this,” Collaros admitted. “I love this sport, I love this league, I love this organization, first and foremost, and I love my teammates.
“I want to do it. I want to continue to do it, but I want to play good football, and I want the guys who have been here…for the run, I’d like them to be here to do it because I think we can continue to do it.”
Collaros is under contract for the 2026 season, but many long-time Bombers teammates aren’t in the same boat. And after an early playoff exit, the fates of a few veteran free agents feel less certain than they have the last number of off-seasons.
Of note, four-time Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Stanley Bryant is 39, while fellow lineman Patrick Neufeld turns 37 in December. Similarly, defensive linemen Willie Jefferson and Jake Thomas each turn 35 in the next couple of months. While all four are still playing at a high level, a philosophy change from the organization could lead to some partings of ways.
And while those decisions are being made, the Bombers will have some familiar cap considerations, too. Big names like Brady Oliveira, Nic Demski, Dalton Schoen, Evan Holm, and Deatrick Nichols, among others, are all free agents, too. While it’s likely a good chunk of those names will sign back, even that seems more up in the air than we’re used to.
It’s clear Collaros would like to see Winnipeg run it back once again, and that very well may happen in some shape or form. But things feel different after this season and this weekend, which makes the Blue Bombers one of the most fascinating teams to watch with the off-season just around the corner.
LOTS TO BUILD ON
Despite Saturday’s crushing 33-30 loss to BC in the Western Semi-Final, I think it’s safe to say the Calgary Stampeders are back.
After a pair of frustrating campaigns, including last year’s that saw a run of consecutive playoff appearances end at 19 seasons, the Stamps finished 11-7 and gave the Lions all they could handle on the weekend. The year didn’t end the way they wanted, but fans in Calgary should be excited about where things are headed.
“I really don’t think any team played with any more fire than our team,” said head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson as the Stampeders cleared out their lockers Sunday.
“I want to make sure the guys are proud of what they accomplished. There’s 11 wins, and more so just some great selfless people, some great teammates, and some guys that certainly…gave everything they had. As a coach, you can’t really ask for more than that.”
Calgary made sweeping changes last winter with the sole intent of returning to the high standard we’ve become accustomed to. With an almost all-new coaching staff and a massively overhauled roster, the Stamps were strong in numerous statistical categories and missed out on hosting a playoff game by a tiebreaker.
Along the way, Calgary developed new stars in defensive tackle Jaylon Hutchings, defensive end Clarence Hicks, and linebacker Jacob Roberts. With cornerstone pieces like Vernon Adams Jr. and Folarin Orimolade already in place for 2026, and with what the team accomplished this season, the Stampeders have laid an impressive foundation.
That’s notable knowing where things stood one year ago after a miserable 5-12-1 campaign.
“We think we made the right changes, and I think it’s been proven we’re moving in the right direction,” Dickenson admitted.
“But it doesn’t mean we don’t have other areas to improve and continue to be better at. We haven’t had a chance as an organization to really breathe and decide where we’re at or even talk about it. But we know we did some good things.”