Samantha Keen/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers may have defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Banjo Bowl on Saturday afternoon, but they lost quarterback Zach Collaros to a suspected upper-body injury in the process.

Collaros exited the game late in the third quarter after throwing an interception to Seyi Oladipo Jr. The 38-year-old quarterback chased down the defender from behind and attempted to make the tackle along the sideline, appearing to land on his head and neck. He remained down momentarily and was briefly attended to by Saskatchewan’s training staff before returning to the Winnipeg bench.

Almost immediately after reaching his own sideline, he left for the locker room at a brisk jog. Collaros did not return, with the Bombers later announcing via social media that he had been ruled out.

3DownNation Newsletter

Today’s CFL news in your inbox every day at 3 p.m.

By signing up you agree to receive daily emails from 3DownNation, as well as our
terms of service and
privacy policy. Unsubscribe anytime.
1900 Rose St, Regina SK S4P 0A9.

This article will be updated as more information becomes available.

Prior to exiting the contest, Collaros had completed 13-of-19 passes for 175 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Winnipeg led 13-3 at the time of the injury.

Backup quarterback Dru Brown entered the game in relief, completing four-of-five passes for 46 yards. The Bombers’ defence led the way by securing five turnovers, securing a 19-6 win.

Collaros has battled recurring neck injuries for the past couple of seasons. He was forced to miss four games earlier this year due to whiplash and was limited to 13 starts in 2025 due to the same issue. The six-foot-one, 218-pound pivot also has a history of concussions, which prompted his arrival in Winnipeg in 2019.

The two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player had appeared in nine games this year, completing 180-of-255 passes (70.5 percent) for 2,204 yards, 11 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Over the course of his CFL career, the Steubenville, Ohio, native has amassed 38,012 yards, 226 touchdowns, and 121 interceptions.

The Bombers (7-6) are on a bye next week. They will return to action on Friday, September 25, when they will host the Toronto Argonauts.