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<\/p>\nThe Winnipeg Blue Bombers have found some help for an injury-riddled air defence in former Canadian Football League All-Star cornerback Demerio Houston.<\/p>\n
The addition of Houston, however, has not come without some blowback from outside the organization. The 28-year-old was charged with misdemeanour domestic violence after an argument with his wife last November and the Calgary Stampeders had been instructed by the league to release him in February. In March, the charges \u2014 which Houston publicly denied \u2014 were dismissed in court with his public defender adding they would be expunged from his record.<\/p>\n
Houston met with the media following practice on Monday and said he had followed the CFL\u2019s gender-based violence policy through interviews, meeting with therapists and counselling. Asked what he had learned from the experience to become a better man, he said: \u201cJust be there for my family. I had some requirements through the CFL I had to go through. Everything is completed and done with.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Houston, who played with the Blue Bombers from 2021-23 and last year led the Stamps in interceptions and defensive tackles, said he did wonder if the charges \u2014 although dropped \u2014 would keep him from playing again.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt definitely was in the back of my mind, especially getting late into the season,\u201d he said. \u201cBut God had another plan for me and I\u2019m just grateful that I\u2019m here for another opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026 Everything\u2019s clear. I\u2019m just worried about playing football. Winnipeg is a great place with a great culture, and everybody here knows me. They know my character so to have a second chance with this team, I\u2019m just grateful for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blue Bombers head coach Mike O\u2019Shea said the team relied on the CFL for its work in investigating the charges against Houston and then, after his counselling, clearing him to play again.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe CFL does a damn good job of doing their investigations,\u201d said O\u2019Shea. \u201cSo, not just Demerio but over the course of time if our scouting department likes a guy and there\u2019s been something in the past, we submit it to the league, and they say yay or nay. Every team works with the league in terms of making sure they protect the brand and all that other stuff.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, as far as we\u2019re concerned, everything was dropped, and the league probably went further than that. They\u2019re pretty thorough. We would certainly trust them. I\u2019m not saying there aren\u2019t conversations, but I don\u2019t know what more you\u2019re going to find.\u201d<\/p>\n
O\u2019Shea said the need for help in the secondary \u2014 Jamal Parker, Jr. and Terrell Bonds are both on the injured list \u2014 did not mean the club overlooked the allegations against Houston.<\/p>\n
\u201cNeed will never trump integrity,\u201d he said. \u201cNever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked if he was worried about the public perception given the organization\u2019s family-first reputation, O\u2019Shea added:<\/p>\n
\u201cI would always be concerned about being in the community and making sure we\u2019re good citizens in the community. I also believe that in the court\u2019s eyes that there\u2019s nothing there to go further with to the point that this information is going to be expunged from a record then I would say that\u2019s even one step further.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this organization we deal with humans and we also deal with humans that make mistakes and work hard to be better.\u201d<\/p>\n
FYI: The Blue Bombers didn\u2019t just bolster their secondary with Houston, they also brought back Russell Dandy on the weekend. He had been among the team\u2019s final cuts during camp.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe always liked the way he competed,\u201d said O\u2019Shea of Dandy. \u201cGood, strong, hard on the ball tackler, aggressive. The end of camp shakes out and you\u2019re only allowed so many people and it\u2019s unfortunate because we do like the way Russ plays the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo when you have this need and spots to fill, you go to the guys you know can do things for you. His understanding of what we do is going to be at a higher level than if we bring in somebody who has never been in here.\u201d<\/p>\n
For what it\u2019s worth, the starting defence featured Trey Vaval and Dexter Lawson, Jr. \u2014 the starters for last game \u2014 still at the same spots.<\/p>\n
OUCH REPORT: Some encouraging signs from sick bay with receiver Dalton Schoen and RB\/KR Peyton Logan both in full gear and practising this week.<\/p>\n
Injury report<\/p>\n
Injury Report: August 18, 2025#ForTheW<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/D3WicM1kzA<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) August 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n O\u2019Shea when asked for a status report on the duo:<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re both practising. We\u2019ll see that ends up \u2014 I don\u2019t know how the roster is going to shake down to see where they end up. I think Dalton probably needs a little more time but he looked good out there today running around.\u201d<\/p>\n