{"id":232962,"date":"2025-10-22T22:38:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T22:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/232962\/"},"modified":"2025-10-22T22:38:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T22:38:11","slug":"saluting-the-best-of-the-blue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/232962\/","title":{"rendered":"Saluting the best of the Blue"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brady Oliveira has a few items already picked out for spots in his work-in-progress man cave at home, including autographed jerseys of two his all-time favourites \u2014 Dallas Cowboys icon Emmitt Smith and Charles Roberts, the hall of fame Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back he idolized for years.<\/p>\n

Let it be said, then, that there\u2019s a certain surreal aspect for the Winnipeg product on a day when he was named the team\u2019s Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian for a third consecutive season.<\/p>\n

His name has already reached legend status in the long and storied history of this franchise even though he is still just 28 and has so much career seemingly in front of him.<\/p>\n

So, to have moved past Blue Bombers hall of famers like Fred Reid and Andrew Harris on the franchise\u2019s all-time rushing list this season \u2014 he now trails only Roberts, Leo Lewis, Willard Reaves, Jim Washington and Gerry James \u2014 and to have his name used regularly in the same sentence as Roberts, well, that\u2019s a lot for a guy wrap his head around.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got Charles\u2019 jersey last year and got to meet him on the same day he was inducted into the Ring of Honour. That was such a cool moment for me,\u201d Oliveira said Wednesday. \u201cI mean, I grew up watching him. Always heard the Charles Roberts name everywhere you went. You turn on the TV or go to Bomber games as a kid, and it was always about Charles Roberts.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen when you start to hear your name in the same sentence as him\u2026 I mean, wow. I know what I\u2019m capable of doing, but I never really think of stuff like this because I do have so much appreciation of the guys that came before me. I have so much respect for them now knowing how hard it is to do what they did.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Oliveira certainly earned his MOP\/MOC double award nod this year, as he has cranked out 1,163 yards rushing and set career highs in receptions with 61 and receiving yards at 546 \u2014 all coming after he missed two full games and all but one series in the season opener before suffering a shoulder injury. He leads the CFL in yards from scrimmage this season with 1,709 and is tied with Dedrick Mills of Calgary with the most 100-yard rushing games in the league this season with four \u2014 doing all that while defences often loaded up the box to take the run away from Winnipeg\u2019s attack.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe love his style,\u201d said Blue Bombers head coach Mike O\u2019Shea. \u201cHe\u2019s hard-nosed. He\u2019s tough. You can give him all those touches, and he catches the ball so well, too, and his YAC (yards after catch) is great. Think of how much contact he takes in any given game and he just thrives on delivering punishment, not just taking it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oliveira instantly saluted his offensive line when approached by local media inside the Blue Bombers locker room after Wednesday\u2019s closed practice \u2014 \u201cwithout them, nothing is possible\u201d \u2014 but also made it abundantly clear where his head is at right now, a sentiment echoed by O\u2019Shea, who said of the awards announcement, \u201cthey\u2019re being recognized individually in a great team sport at the exact wrong time. But I\u2019m happy for the guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy main focus is just about winning a Grey Cup,\u201d said Oliveira. \u201cThat\u2019s my motivation. When I\u2019m training my behind off in the offseason and grinding throughout the season, my main focus is winning the Grey Cup. That\u2019s at the forefront of my mind right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The next round of voting for the CFL\u00a0awards\u00a0will see the West and East Division winners announced next week, followed by the CFL\u2019s\u00a0Player\u00a0Awards on November 13th\u00a0at the Club Regent Event Centre during the Grey Cup festivities here in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n

THE ENVELOPE PLEASE\u2026<\/p>\n

A look at the Blue Bombers nominees for the CFL\u2019s Most Outstanding Player Awards, as voted on by four members of the local chapter of The Football Reporters of Canada. The East\/West nominees will be announced following the next round of voting, with the league winners unveiled during Grey Cup week.<\/p>\n

*Indicates unanimous vote<\/p>\n

MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER & MOST OUTSTANDING CANADIAN PLAYER:
\nBrady Oliveira<\/p>\n

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Position:\u00a0Running back<\/p>\n

His 2025 numbers: Oliveira is a double-award winner for the Blue Bombers for a third straight season and last year was named both the CFLs Most Outstanding Player and Canadian. He\u00a0has rushed for 1,163 yards heading into the final week of the regular season \u2013 the third-highest total of his career \u2013 and has already set career highs in receptions (61) and receiving yards (546).<\/p>\n

The Winnipeg product, now six years into his career, is already sixth on the Blue Bombers all-time rushing list with 5,480 yards, having passed both Fred Reid (4,505) and Andrew Harris (5,402) this season. He now trails only Roberts (9,987), Leo Lewis (8,861), Willard Reaves (5,923), Jim Washington (5,736) and Gerry James (5,541) on the club\u2019s all-time rushing list.<\/p>\n

FYI:\u00a0Oliveira has entered rarefied air as a three-time selection as the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Player since the inception of the award in 1956. Leo Lewis won the award five times (1958, 1960-62 and 1965); Dieter Brock was saluted four times (1978, 1980-82) as was Charles Roberts (2003-06) while Milt Stegall was selected in 1997, 2000 and 2002. Worth noting: those other four players are all in the Winnipeg Football Club and Canadian Football Halls of Fame.<\/p>\n

MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER:
\nEvan Holm<\/p>\n

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Position: defensive halfback<\/p>\n

His 2025 numbers:\u00a0Holm is second on the Blue Bombers to middle linebacker Tony Jones in defensive tackles with 53 (Jones has 100) and leads the team with four interceptions while adding one forced fumble, five pass knockdowns and one tackle for a loss.<\/p>\n

FYI: A defensive back has now been named the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Defensive Player 11 times with Holm joining a list that includes Tyrell Ford (2024), Chris Randle (2017), Maurice Leggett (2014, 2016), Jovon Johnson (2011), Juran Bolden (2001), Maurice Kelly (1999), Bennie Thompson (1988), Paul Bennett (1982), Vince Phason (1978) and Brian Herosian (1975, 1977).<\/p>\n

Holm says: \u201cIt\u2019s a cool. It\u2019s an honour. There was some good stuff, but I still think about a couple of interceptions I could have had \u2014 a Sask one and one was an accidental PI (pass interference penalty) that got taken away. I caught more (interceptions). Last year I had none so that was one thing I wanted \u2014 to make plays and finish plays, so I did that a little better this year.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026 I talk about (Deatrick Nichols) all the time, I think he\u2019s amazing,\u201d added Holm when asked who else should be singled out. \u201cWithout Redha (Kramdi) I don\u2019t think our defence is the same. He\u2019s like a quarterback back there for us and he makes his plays, too. He can be in coverage, he can be in the box AND he\u2019s directing traffic out there. He would be my choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN:
\n\u00a0Stanley Bryant<\/p>\n

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Position:\u00a0Left tackle<\/p>\n

His 2025 numbers: Stanley Bryant is already the most-decorated offensive lineman in CFL history and has once again been named the Blue Bombers best, now for an eighth time (2015, 2017-19; 2021-22, 2024-25). He is a four-time winner of the CFL\u2019s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award (2017-18, 2021-22) and eight-time CFL All-Star (2013-14; 2017-19; 2021-24).<\/p>\n

FYI: Bryant, 39, has now been named his team\u2019s top lineman nine times, including 2011 and 2013 as a member of the Calgary Stampeders. Only Chris Walby has been named the Blue Bombers top O-lineman more times than Bryant, having been saluted on nine occasions (1986-87, 1989-94, 1996).<\/p>\n

Bryant says: \u201cIt\u2019s always an honour, but I couldn\u2019t do it without the guys that are in the room with me: Chris K (Kolankowski), Paddy (Neufeld), Gabe (Wallace), Kendall (Randolph).<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026 you see Tom Brady; he played until he was like 50. LeBron (James) is probably going to play until he\u2019s 50. I\u2019m not comparing myself to those guys but, for me, it\u2019s just a mindset. I know what I\u2019m capable of doing, what I still can do. I\u2019m just trying to strive for greatness and continue to be the best I can be on the field and try to make other guys better.\u201d<\/p>\n

MOST OUTSTANDING ROOKIE\/MOST OUTSTANDING SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER
\nTrey Vaval*<\/p>\n

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Position: kick returner\/cornerback<\/p>\n

His 2025 numbers: Heading into the final week of the schedule before the playoffs, Vaval leads the CFL in punt return yards (957) and ranks fifth in kickoff return yards (918, on 37 returns). He also leads the CFL in missed field goal return yards with 391, having established a new Blue Bombers record, eclipsing Albert Johnson III\u2019s total of 277, set in 2000.<\/p>\n

Vaval leads the CFL with four kick-return touchdowns this season \u2013 two on kickoff returns and one via punt and missed field goal returns. His 128-yard missed field goal return vs. Ottawa in September was the longest in club history and in the same contest established a new CFL single-game record with 199 yards on missed field goal returns.<\/p>\n

Vaval also made four starts at cornerback this season and has registered 21 defensive tackles, adding four more on special teams, while intercepting his first career pass against Montreal on August 21st.<\/p>\n

FYI: The CFL first started awarding the Most Outstanding Rookie in 1972. Vaval joins a select group of Blue Bomber top rookies who were double award winners in their first year with the team. The others: Steve Beaird (Outstanding and Rookie, 1975), Joe Poplawski (Canadian and Rookie, 1978), Willard Reaves (Outstanding and Rookie, 1983), Albert Johnson III (Special Teams and Rookie, 2000), Charles Roberts (Special Teams and Rookie, 2001), Gavin Walls (Defence and Rookie, 2005) and Lirim Hajrullahu (Canadian, Rookie and Special Teams, 2014).<\/p>\n

Vaval says: \u201cI couldn\u2019t do it without my teammates, so shout-out to them. They\u2019re the reason it happened. I didn\u2019t really have any expectations coming in \u2014 I was just trying to be the best player for my teammates.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026 A year ago, I was on the couch not playing. So, it is surreal \u2014 I\u2019m not even talking about the award, just being here in general and playing. There are dudes that are not playing that are on the couch or injured like Dalton Schoen. He wishes he would be playing right now. The awards are cool and all but just playing the game and being here with my teammates means more to me than anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

A look at the team-by-team nominees for the CFL\u2019s Most Outstanding Player Awards:<\/p>\n

CFL clubs announce team award winners<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n