\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
![\"RUTH](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/3910139_web1_250611-Bombers-53-Neufeld-.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
RUTH BONNEVILLE \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld (53) signed a one-year extension with the club on Sunday. The 2026 season will be Neufeld\u2019s 12th in Blue and Gold and his 15th CFL season overall.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were sitting in the offensive line room reminiscing about the season and, not an airing of grievances, but just talking about the season. The good, the bad, the ugly, the fun, all that kind of stuff.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe intent wasn\u2019t to be disrespectful and not allow dialogue with us. I think it was just how the season went, the frustration, and just how it ended it was tough to handle.\u201d<\/p>\n
The campaign ended on an extra bitter note for Neufeld as a kidney injury prevented him from playing the second half in Montreal. Neufeld was hit in the lower back by an Alouettes defender while diving for a loose ball in the opening quarter and, at the intermission, it was obvious something was wrong.<\/p>\n
\u201cHalftime I was just urinating the wrong colour, let\u2019s say, and immediately got our trainer Al (Couture) to assess everything and next thing you know that was the end of my day,\u201d said Neufeld.<\/p>\n
When the final whistle blew, the 37-year-old had zero doubts about returning for a 12th season with the Bombers and 15th overall in the CFL. The Regina product \u2014 who spent his first three seasons with his hometown Saskatchewan Roughriders and now resides in Winnipeg year-round \u2014 never imagined he\u2019d carve out a career this long.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s funny, I think about this now going into year 15 \u2014 16 with COVID \u2014 and my rookie year I was roommates with a player named Gene Makowsky who has the most games played as a Saskatchewan Roughrider. He played like 250-60 games for that organization,\u201d said Neufeld.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just remember sitting there next to him and being his roommate on the road and being like, \u2018How is this guy still playing? He\u2019s got a family. He\u2019s got kids.\u2019 And I was just a 22-year-old kid with no idea what he was getting himself into. I just told myself if I could last one year and being able to say I played professional football that would be pretty cool. Now I\u2019m going into year 15 or 16 and being on the flip side of that and seeing guys born in 2003 playing on the roster and blowing my mind there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Considering the Bombers said goodbye to their streak of five consecutive Grey Cup appearances, Neufeld figured there would be changes this off-season. One he didn\u2019t see coming, however, was starting centre Chris Kolankowski being released. Veteran Canadian Tui Eli, who\u2019s entering his sixth season, is expected to take over.<\/p>\n
Kolankowski signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last week.<\/p>\n
\u201cDefinitely surprised by it. I thought Chris has been a great player for us. He\u2019s also one of my closest friends. His daughter and my daughter are best friends so that\u2019s really tough,\u201d said Neufeld.<\/p>\n
\u201cI trust the organization, I trust Tui (Eli). He\u2019s been around with our group for a long time, and he\u2019s played great football for us, so, looking forward to him taking that next step and taking control of that centre job and going into camp and competing there.\u201d<\/p>\n
With Neufeld inked, now only one major question remains on the O-line: will left tackle Stanley Bryant be back?<\/p>\n
Bryant, who turns 40 in May, and defensive end Willie Jefferson are Winnipeg\u2019s two biggest pending free agents. Free agency opens for business on Feb. 10.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s the greatest offensive linemen ever and he\u2019s definitely craving to play. I talk with him all the time so I hope he\u2019s back,\u201d said Neufeld. \u201cI don\u2019t know the status of his contract or anything. All I can say is I hope he\u2019s back with us for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
BIG GUNS ON SPECIAL TEAMS BACK FOR \u201926<\/p>\n
It was a pretty good Monday for the Bombers\u2019 special teams unit.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n Winnipeg Blue Bombers returner Trey Vaval inked a contract extension with the club Monday along with kicker Sergio Castillo and punter Jamieson Sheahan.<\/p>\n Early in the day it was announced that both kicker Sergio Castillo and punter Jamieson Sheahan had re-signed with the club.<\/p>\n Castillo, a 35-year-old from La Joya, Texas, inked a two-year extension. Sheahan, a 28-year-old Australian, signed a one-year deal.<\/p>\n Castillo connected on 85.7 per cent of his field goal attempts (48-of-56) and 93 per cent of his converts (40-of-43) last season.<\/p>\n Sheahan finished 2025 with a punting average of 47.8 yards on 94 punts and a net of 38.4 yards. His 47.8-yard average was the second-highest in Blue Bombers history to Jon Ryan\u2019s 50.6 average in 2005.<\/p>\n Hours later, it was revealed reigning CFL Most Outstanding Rookie and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player Trey Vaval will also be back.<\/p>\n The 25-year-old returner from Blue Springs, Mo., worked out for six NFL teams but did not sign a contract down south. He had until Feb. 10 to sign an NFL contract.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad that\u2019s over. I just didn\u2019t want to keep waiting,\u201d said Vaval in an interview posted on the team\u2019s website with Bombers\u2019 senior reporter Ed Tait.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m in a better headspace to play now because my teammates want me there, my coaches want me there. That makes me happy and I can free play, I can play loose, instead of stressing out.\u201d<\/p>\n Vaval is under contract with the Bombers through 2027.<\/p>\n NEW VIDEO BOARD<\/p>\n It was also announced Monday that Princess Auto Stadium is installing a brand-new, state-of-the-art video board for the upcoming season.<\/p>\n The new display will feature over a million more pixels than the current system which will lead to clearer replays and more vibrant on-screen graphics.<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/taylorallen<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Taylor Allen Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree\/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Reporter
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n