![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DeShaan-Dixon-9027184-Large.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe Winnipeg Blue Bombers had just put the finishing touches on Day 2 of rookie camp and there was De\u2019Shaan Dixon surveying the field at Princess Auto Stadium, taking a moment to soak in and fully appreciate the scene.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is like a full circle moment for me, just being able to put pads on after not having played games since 2023,\u201d Dixon began. \u201cSo, because of that I\u2019m forever grateful for Winnipeg having me here and to now be in here in camp, I get emotional just being here.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so happy. A year ago, I definitely didn\u2019t know what I would be doing. I really feel comfortable and at home here.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Now, to fully comprehend Dixon\u2019s appreciation of this shot with the Blue Bombers it\u2019s necessary to rewind and visit the stops along his road travelled.<\/p>\n
A 6-4, 262-pound defensive end, Dixon was a star during his days at Norfolk State (2017-21) and after a senior season which saw him earn All-MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) honours after leading the conference in sacks with nine and adding 12.5 tackles for a loss, he parlayed that into a shot with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent.<\/p>\n
He cracked the Jags roster in 2022 and suited up for three games as a rookie. It was in August of 2024 that Dixon suffered a torn ACL, the injury only further punctuated by this comment from then head coach Doug Pederson: \u201cHe was having a good camp, too. It\u2019s unfortunate, hate it for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
What happened next was a long, arduous trek just to get healthy again, let alone another opportunity. He worked at a Planet Fitness in the Newport News area, coached elementary-aged kids in basketball and football and was certainly present around the Norfolk State football practices.<\/p>\n
Still, the game had suddenly been taken away from him and that ain\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was a rough time,\u201d Dixon admitted. \u201cNot just physically, but mentally as well. I went through a lot of stuff last year and then it was about bouncing back. I always wanted to play football; it\u2019s always been my first love.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was trying to find my purpose again. I knew I would still have football; I just didn\u2019t know when.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018When\u2019 turned out to be last fall during the practice roster expansion when the Blue Bombers brought Dixon to Winnipeg. And while he didn\u2019t see any game action, he certainly made a favourable impression.<\/p>\n
This from head coach Mike O\u2019Shea:<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can rewind the practice tape from back then and watch that guy at that size running by people all over the field and playing special teams and it\u2019s just hard to imagine a guy at that size moving that well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Watch Dixon at work and there\u2019s an obvious joy that comes from his every movement on the field. His game is a mix of explosiveness and strength. And there\u2019s an obvious passion at play, too, because this is the opportunity Dixon craved all during his rehab and the uncertainty that comes with it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBack when I was coaching and watching those kids practice it made me think, \u2018I can\u2019t be done yet. I really can\u2019t be done yet,’\u201d he said. \u201cSo, when Winnipeg gave me this opportunity, I knew this was my chance to show them I\u2019ve still got juice left, show them that my injury is not holding me back, show them I\u2019ve still got a lot left in me. I know I\u2019ve got the fire in me.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DeShaan-Dixon-9027182-Large.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t proven myself to anyone yet. So, this is my opportunity. If God gives me this last chance, I\u2019m going to take full advantage of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Blue Bombers do have some room on their defensive line, even with the addition of long-time CFL veteran Jake Ceresna. Dixon will be in a fight with Kydran Jenkins, who played so well in his regular season debut last October, and does have the size and skillset to play both end and tackle.<\/p>\n
His biggest strength, outside of the obvious physical gifts, might just be this: he\u2019s hungry, starving even, after having the game snatched away from him for a couple of years.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlaying football, especially at a level like this, is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You can\u2019t let those opportunities pass,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen I was working\u2026 it\u2019s just not the same as it is when you\u2019re around teammates or putting the pads on and heading out to the field. It\u2019s hard to explain. It\u2019s just a whole different feeling. I don\u2019t want to have those moments where it\u2019s, \u2018I wish I had done this; I wish I had done that.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever my body has got left, let\u2019s leave it all on the field. After that we\u2019ll do the \u2018what\u2019s next?\u2019 question. Right now, I\u2019m in the present and living in the moment and embracing every day here.\u201d<\/p>\n
NEXT: Blue Bombers rookie camp wraps up Friday at Princess Auto Stadium with the session scheduled to run from 10:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. All practices are open to the public.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Winnipeg Blue Bombers had just put the finishing touches on Day 2 of rookie camp and there…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":654979,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[437],"tags":[49,48,521,522,520,82],"class_list":["post-654978","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cfl","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-canadian-football-league","tag-canadianfootballleague","tag-cfl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/654978","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=654978"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/654978\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/654979"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=654978"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=654978"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=654978"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}