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<\/p>\nDante Daniels has been a professional football player for less than two months so, heck yeah, every experience is a first and every accomplishment earns a check mark on a career to-do list for the big Winnipeg Blue Bombers tight end.<\/p>\n
First team. Check. First training camp. Check. First game. Check. First catch. Check.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Calgary game a couple weeks ago was my first one and I played against my friend Vyshonne (Janusas, a receiver who also hails from Windsor, Ont.),\u201d said Daniels in a visit with bluebombers.com after Saturday\u2019s practice at Fort Garry Lions Field. \u201cIt was one of those things where we looked at each other and said, \u2018We\u2019re both playing this sport together now as professionals but the game\u2019s starting now, let\u2019s both lock in now.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cThen afterward I said, \u2018Ok, I\u2019ve played my first game.\u2019 That was one of my goals. I\u2019ve got a thousand more to go, but that was definitely one of them. Sometimes I still get that, those \u2018pinch me\u2019 moments. I went home to visit my wife during the bye week and when I was talking to her I said it\u2019s still feels kind of crazy that I\u2019m playing professional football.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd it was when I was talking to Brady (Oliveira) when it hit me, too. He said, \u2018Yeah, you\u2019re young. Take it all in. You\u2019re a professional now, but make sure you\u2019re preparing like a pro, too.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m playing with vets now and I can\u2019t be sitting here having rookie moments or young moments. I want to step up my game and play hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The Blue Bombers traded with the Ottawa RedBlacks on the night of the Canadian Football League\u2019s Canadian Draft to select Daniels, a big 6-foot-6 tight end\/fullback type they believe can morph into an offensive weapon as a blocker and receiver.<\/p>\n
To that end, Daniels has already dropped 11 pounds \u2014 down to 261 \u2014 to help with his quickness and he\u2019s spent every day since the opening of rookie camp soaking in as much as possible. He\u2019s listening to Willie Jefferson to better understand the moves of defensive ends he\u2019ll line up across. He\u2019s leaning into the pass blocking tips from Stanley Bryant, the route-running advice from Nic Demski.<\/p>\n
And as Daniels conducted this interview on Saturday, he heard it from one of the players who has already been most influential in Oliveira.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook at this guy right here,\u201d said Oliveira, grinning at Daniels. \u201cHe\u2019s Mr. All-Star.’\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of these guys have all been really good to me,\u201d added Daniels. \u201cEverything has been amazing so far.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another first? Having his foster parents Joel and Jennifer Fillion make the trek out to Winnipeg for the home opener from Windsor. The Fillions have been so important in his life \u2014 you can read that story from earlier this year here<\/a> \u2014 and having them at Princess Auto Stadium for the game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats was powerful.<\/p>\n Jennifer and Joel Fillion with Dante; photo courtesy The Fillion family<\/p>\n \u201cThey surprised me. At the beginning of the year they said they weren\u2019t going to be able to make it out for the first home game and within the week they told me they were coming,\u201d said Daniels. \u201cIt was pretty awesome to see them there. I got some pictures with them, too.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was really emotional for me \u2014 and for my foster parents \u2014 to see me out there. It sucks that we lost but we\u2019ll come back stronger than ever.<\/p>\n \u201cMy foster dad was born out here and it turns out I\u2019ve got a lot of family out here I didn\u2019t know about. I got to meet a lot of them so that was pretty cool. Oliver Filion is my uncle and he does a hot dog stand on Bomber game days and used to run with the flags and stuff. It was awesome to talk to him.<\/p>\n \u201cThey loved it so much but the next game they\u2019re going to is July 5th in Hamilton so, against the Tiger-Cats again. They\u2019ll have watched two games against Hamilton by then so hopefully we can beat them that time.<\/p>\n \u201cThat first home game\u2026 I mean, rain, shine, snow, anything\u2026 the fans came out and showed their support and were there right to the very end. I\u2019m thankful for that. It was awesome to play in front of them. It was electric and it felt like when I was at NC State \u2014 loud, passionate, emotional. Just an amazing experience.\u201d<\/p>\n OUCH REPORT: The Blue Bombers are back to work after the bye week and on Saturday they were without centre Tyler Elsbury, who was away for personal reasons but is expected back soon.<\/p>\n Injury Report: Saturday, June 20, 2026#ForTheW<\/a> | @DoctorsManitoba<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/S6OAa6haLi<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) June 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n THE COACH SAYS: Head coach Mike O\u2019Shea\u2019s media session following practice on Saturday:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-20-at-3.47.18\u202fPM-1206x1600.jpg\")
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