White: “They showed up and I felt like they wanted me.”

They came in late with a swarming, all-out blitz via phone calls and texts all gushing about a potential union.

And it turns out the aggressive sales pitch delivered to Tim White by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers over the last few days was enough to have him ultimately stiff-arm the offers from other suitors and scribble his name on a new contract to come to Manitoba in 2026.

White was officially released on Monday by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats when it became clear to his camp that an offer wouldn’t be forthcoming in advance of the free agent market, which officially opens on February 10th.

His phone began buzzing instantly — after all, he is a two-time CFL All Star who has posted four consecutive 1K seasons — but the Blue Bombers swooped in with what he called a ‘last minute’ offer.

“They showed up, man,” said White in a media zoom call Thursday afternoon from his offseason base in Murrietta, California. “They showed up, they showed high interest and I felt like they wanted me.

“… Man, I mean, I would say, overall, this team is stacked with great leadership. So when they heard there was interest and that there was communication, a lot of guys reached out. Brady (Oliveira), Nic Demski, Willie Jefferson, all those guys they reached out. And when they were doing that, it kind of made me understand like, yeah, this is why they have winning football over here. It’s because those guys do care and they want you to step in here and bring something to the table. And I believe I can do that for them.”

Several times during White’s media session on Friday he referenced the ‘fit’ with the Blue Bombers. He’s worked with new offensive coordinator Tommy Condell in the past in Hamilton and spoke with Zach Collaros about the potential of the offence and the veteran presence in the Blue Bombers locker room.

All those were key factors, as were the numbers on the paycheque.

“One, it felt right,” he stated, outlining in specifics of what made the fit so attractive. “And then obviously when you consider everything that’s over there, you step into a locker room that has a great culture, a winning tradition, the fans are very into the game of football.

“Then you look at what they have over there and the pieces — you see Tommy Condell, I’m familiar with him and his offensive scheme, his ability to get receivers the ball and spread the ball around. Then, Zach Collaros — that’s a champion in himself. Just looking at it, I felt we could definitely take the pass game and make it one of the best in the league.

“And then just looking at the pieces — Nic Demski who is a three-time 1,000-yard receiver in a row and then you have a young guy in Pokey Wilson who is a burner down the field, and a former 1,000-yard receiver and I believe he could be a 1,000-yard receiver again. So, they just had the right pieces. Obviously, you have to mention Brady Oliveira, who is a dominant back in the league. It felt like a right fit for me and definitely something I wanted to be a part of.”

White will bring a dynamic element to the Blue Bombers attack as a receiver that can move all over the field and uses his speed to get separation. Actually, let’s let him explain what he offers, because it’s more descriptive than what we can spit out:

“I feel like I’m extremely electric. Obviously, a very consistent player. So, you know that I’m a guy that you can depend on, that’s going to be in the lineup consistently and going to be available for his teammates and for his coaching staff.

“I’m going to make big plays. I look to strike the play, one play, touchdowns. And if I’m not doing that, I’m very consistent underneath. I feel like I’m pretty versatile so you can utilize me in the screen game, you can utilize me in intermediate passing game and then you can utilize me in the deep game. And you can move me all around the field.

“If you look at me like a weapon, I’m kind of like a utility knife where you can use me all over, but I can also be dominant in one area, as well.”

All of that sounds like sweet music for a Blue Bombers passing attack that finished last in the Canadian Football League in passing yards per game (235.0) and tied for sixth in passing TDs at 23. That’s the attractive part of the fit for both parties and for White, there’s also the allure of what a fresh start can do to invigorate a guy.

“Obviously change is something that can spark somebody, and I feel like that’s what it’s done for me already,” he said. “Maybe I was ready for the change beforehand. But it seemed like the right time for me, and it seems like the right place for me, as well, and that’s important.

“And it also feels good for my family, as well. They’re excited about it. They like the colour blue. So that’s obviously motivating for me. So, we’re definitely ready for this next chapter.”