Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O\u2019Shea has dealt with an unusual off-season to this point, but he is adamant that the team is not looking at a rebuild. <\/p>\n
O\u2019Shea spoke to TSN\u2019s Farhan Lalji at the CFL\u2019s Winter Meetings in Calgary on Wednesday about the 2025 season and the team\u2019s outlook moving forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the first time I\u2019ve been asked [about a rebuild], and I would believe you would work really hard to never be in a rebuild,\u201d O\u2019Shea said. \u201cI think in pro sports there\u2019s always some change, but I think you work really hard to limit the amount of change you have to go through.\u201d<\/p>\n
O\u2019Shea has turned the Blue Bombers into one of the CFL\u2019s premier franchises in the CFL since taking over as head coach ahead of the 2014 campaign. <\/p>\n
In 11 seasons with O\u2019Shea at the helm, the Bombers have a .603 winning percentage and two Grey Cup titles. The Blue Bombers appeared in five consecutive Grey Cups from 2019-24, winning in 2019 and 2021.<\/p>\n
This past season marked the first time they did not advance to the Grey Cup since 2018 after losing to the Montreal Alouettes in the Eastern Semi-Finals.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe off-season\u2019s been a little bit different, started a bit sooner, got to spend a little bit more time trying to figure things out,\u201d O\u2019Shea said. <\/p>\n
The loss in the semifinals may have provided the team a chance for extra self-reflection, but O\u2019Shea noted that every off-season is a chance to evaluate and improve.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s every year, after Grey Cup wins, Grey Cup losses, it\u2019s the process of validating your process,\u201d said O\u2019Shea. \u201cThat\u2019s what you have to do every year. There\u2019s things we\u2019ve landed on a decade ago that we haven\u2019t changed, and I think some of those things are still the right course. You do it constantly.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are two challenges O\u2019Shea is facing moving forward: an aging roster, and a quarterback in Zach Collaros whose production has dwindled in consecutive campaigns.<\/p>\n
\u201c[I have] 100 per cent faith in the group we have,\u201d O\u2019Shea said. \u201cAnd that core every year changes … It fluctuates a little bit, and some younger guys move into that core, some guys leave, but very confident. I was confident in that group last year too, and it didn\u2019t work out, but I was very confident in that group last year that we could win a championship.\u201d<\/p>\n
Collaros has been the starting quarterback in Winnipeg since the 2021 season, and after throwing for 30 touchdowns per season from 2021-23, he has thrown for only 34 touchdowns against 31 interceptions over the past two seasons.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Shea isn\u2019t worried about questions surrounding Collaros\u2019 diminishing arm strength entering his age-38 season.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a phenomenal leader, he\u2019s a fiery competitor, people follow him,\u201d O\u2019Shea said. \u201cThe physical side of it, I don\u2019t really take note of it. His work ethic is second to none, his leadership is unparalleled in terms of his authentic leadership style. Am I trying to quantify whether his deep ball is 64 yards or 61 yards? No, I don\u2019t really pay attention to that stuff, because what it takes to lead a football team from that position, he has it in spades.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Blue Bombers made a change at offensive coordinator in December, hiring Tommy Condell from the Ottawa Redblacks to replace Jason Hogan, who was demoted to running backs coach, after the offence finished eighth in passing yardage in 2025 and worst in the league in 2024.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the hope [that Condell can help maximize Collaros\u2019 production], and I believe that\u2019s what\u2019s going to be the outcome,\u201d O\u2019Shea said. \u201cI think Zach can work with a lot of different people, and I also think Tommy can coach a lot of different quarterbacks. The fact that they have a relationship from their days [working together] in Hamilton and they had a lot of success there is an absolute bonus.\u201d<\/p>\n
One potential question O\u2019Shea will be faced with working alongside Condell: the veteran coordinator has a reputation for focusing on the passing game, while the Bombers have established dominance recently (finished top three in rushing yardage in five consecutive seasons) relying on a top-tier rushing attack and former CFL Most Outstanding Player Brady Oliveira.<\/p>\n
The Redblacks finished second in passing in 2024, but the team\u2019s offence was slowed by injuries at the quarterback spot in 2025 after four different players made starts at the position.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Tommy\u2019s really adaptable, he\u2019s going to be an easy guy to work with and just with guys that have been in the league a long time, players move from one team to the next, I have faith that Tommy knows what we\u2019re all about,\u201d O\u2019Shea said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s a highly qualified coordinator that\u2019s going to look at his roster, he\u2019s going to look at what it\u2019s going to take to win that week. If I were to talk about what I believe we\u2019re about, then over the course of time it\u2019s been about having the ability to, on a quarter-by-quarter, game-by-game basis, figure out what it\u2019s going to take to win that series, that quarter, that game, and make sure we\u2019re trending in that direction. Tommy\u2019s going to do whatever it\u2019s going to take to win and it just so happens that we have the best [running] back in the league. He\u2019ll figure out how to use him.\u201d<\/p>\n