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Published Oct 07, 2025 • 3 minute read
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Hamilton Tiger-Cats wide receiver Kenny Lawler scores a touchdown against the Toronto Argonauts during CFL football action in Toronto on Oct. 4, 2025. Photo by Jon Blacker /The Canadian PressArticle content
Already stung by the loss of receiver Kenny Lawler last winter, fans of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers won’t like to hear this.
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Bombers receiver Dillon Mitchell says Lawler not only wanted to stay in Winnipeg, but saw himself as a Bomber for life.
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Instead, he ended up in Hamilton, signing with the Tiger-Cats after what he saw as a snub from Winnipeg going into free agency.
“Kenny’s a great guy,” Mitchell said on Tuesday. “He just wanted to be here. Everybody’s emotion can spill out in different ways. He just wanted to continue to be a Bomber for life, and things just didn’t work out.”
Mitchell and Lawler were teammates in Edmonton for the 2022 season.
Lawler returned to Winnipeg for the next two years, limited to 22 games but still catching 91 passes for more than 1,500 yards.
A few weeks ago he told a Winnipeg reporter the Bombers didn’t show him enough respect, making him a late contract offer and completing Mitchell’s deal before they turned to him.
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“We know each other,” Mitchell continued. “I’m a very truthful guy. Kenny Lawler is definitely the best receiver in the league. He just wanted to be here. I’m not sure how he didn’t come back, but that’s more the business side.”
Healthy in Hamilton this season, Lawler has been tearing through CFL defences to the tune of 74 catches for 1,287 yards, ranked second in the league. His 13 touchdowns lead the CFL.
He’ll likely max out his bonuses and earn a reported $300,000 or so.
It’s believed the Bombers offered him nearly that, but waited a little too long to do it.
DEFENCE’S FINEST HOUR
If Lawler had a chip on his shoulder in his first appearance in Winnipeg 10 days ago, he was unable to cash it in, as the Bombers throttled the Tiger-Cats, 40-3.
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He managed just two catches for 34 yards, while star quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell passed for just 212 yards.
Winnipeg defensive coordinator Jordan Younger acknowledges it was his unit’s finest hour.
“It’s a hell of an accomplishment to hold any team in this league to three points,” Younger said. “So super proud of the guys. I believe they have the most complete receiving corps, with also the best receiver with Kenny Lawler. (Tim) White is one of the next best guys. And everybody else is incredible role players and would likely be standouts on other teams. With the Hall of Fame quarterback. With a very dynamic running back.
“So yes, I’m really happy with the result.”
That the performance came against the man who gave Younger his first CFL coaching job, Hamilton head coach Scott Milanovich, made the post-game handshake and the “good job” that came with it extra special for Younger.
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“One of the more creative play designers in the league,” is what Younger called Milanovich. “Bo is really setting into the system, understanding how Scott sees the game. And my job as a coordinator is try to give our guys something that creates a disconnect between Bo and Scott. We did a good job with that.”
As always, though, Younger says there were enough mistakes to keep everybody’s head from getting too swelled going into Edmonton next weekend.
“Every football game … you lose some battles. It’s just where you lose the battles that matters. We were fortunate enough to make it cloudy enough that they couldn’t find the mistakes.”
HOUSTON HAS A PROBLEM
As of Tuesday, Bombers cornerback Demerio Houston, one of the defensive standouts from that last game, had yet to make an appearance in practice this week.
Houston hadn’t returned from the bye week, although the reasons remain unclear.
“He had some challenges over the bye week, getting back,” Younger said. “So when he gets in we’ll talk and we’ll figure out what the next move is.”
Head coach Mike O’Shea wouldn’t elaborate, but said Houston was expected in town on Wednesday.
paul.friesen@kleinmedia.ca
X: @friesensunmedia
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