WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced on Thursday the club has agreed to terms on a one year contract extension with veteran defensive end Willie Jefferson.
Jefferson was scheduled to become a free agent in February.
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Jefferson (six-foot-seven, 244 pounds) returns in 2026 for his 12th season in the Canadian Football League and seventh with the Blue Bombers including his days with Edmonton (2014-15) and Saskatchewan (2016-18).
Jefferson appeared in 17 games in 2025 – he was rested in the regular season finale for the following week’s Eastern Semi-Final in Montreal – and registered 15 defensive tackles, three quarterback sacks, one forced fumble and a league-best 16 pass knockdowns.
His 16 knockdowns tied his own franchise record set in 2019 and is the third most in CFL history.
A vocal leader and presence in the locker room, Jefferson has 46 quarterback sacks as a Blue Bomber, ranking him fifth all-time in franchise history.
Jefferson now has 77 career sacks in his CFL career and the second-most knockdowns in league history with 94.
A six-time All-CFL defensive lineman, Jefferson was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2019 – he was also the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Player that season – and has been named Winnipeg’s top defender three times, in 2019, 2022 and 2023.
A three-time Grey Cup champion (Edmonton, 2015; Winnipeg 2019, 2021), Jefferson is also one of the team’s most visible players in the community and has been the recipient of both the Ed Kotowich ‘Good Guy Award’ (2022) and the Cal Murphy ‘Heart of a Legend’ Award (2023).