Tristan Okpalaugo had choices. Tough choices. But in the end he chose to start the next chapter his football career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for two basic reasons:
1. The club’s rabid fan base and;
2. Head coach Mike O’Shea.
We’ll get to the fan base thing in a bit. But first, a story about his unique relationship with O’Shea… including the time Okpalaugo says the Bomber coach saved his mom’s life.
Wait… what?
“Yes, (Coach O’Shea) saved my mom’s life.”
“We were in Vancouver for the 2014 Grey Cup (Okpalaugo was there as the East Division’s Most Outstanding Rookie) and I talked to him a little bit after a dinner. As we were leaving, I guess a car either ran a red light or we weren’t paying attention, but my mom stepped into the street and he grabbed her just before a car came flying by. He saved her,” said Okpalaugo in a phone interview with bluebombers.com.
“We got to talk a little bit in Vancouver and he seemed like a good guy. I’ve also called around a bit before making this decision and I know from talking to players that he’s a big reason for the turnaround there.”
Okpalaugo has been on the Bombers radar for a few seasons. After going undrafted out of Fresno State, the 6-6, 250-pound defensive end had stints with the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings before signing with the Argonauts in 2014.
His rookie CFL season was a spectacular one as he led the Argos with 12 sacks while adding 38 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. He was the winner of the Frank M. Gibson Trophy as the East Division’s Most Outstanding Rookie. A year later he again led the Argos with 10 sacks and parlayed that into a shot with the Arizona Cardinals last season. He was waived/injured by the Cardinals in September and has been itching to play since.
He did his homework before making his decision, touching base with current and past Bombers like Alex Suber, Euclid Cummings and Jamaal Westerman and former defensive coach – an ex-Fresno State assistant coach – Will Plemons to get a feel for the Bombers and Winnipeg.
Okpalaugo’s addition is potentially massive for the Bombers – “I know it sounds cliché, but we got our guy,” said GM Kyle Walters – as they have been searching for an end to compliment Westerman for a couple of seasons. His signing also signals the continuing makeover of the defensive front with Keith Shologan’s release and Cummings likely to test the free agent market next week.
It’s been awhile since Okpalaugo has played a game, though, and having it taken away by injury last year sent him to the weight room to take out his aggression.
“It was tough to sit out,” he said. “That was a hard year. I know that I’m definitely better now. I worked extra hard to get better.”
And now back to the fan base and why that was important to Okpalaugo. Players often rave about the fan support – it’s good PR, after all – but in his case, there’s a real desire to play in front of a rabid crowd.
“I’m excited to be a part of an organization where the fans are behind them 100 per cent.”
“I like it that they get after the defensive players when things aren’t going right… that’s where wins come from, on the defensive side of the ball,” he said.
“That support is big for me. You play for your team, but when you have a real fan base behind you, you don’t want to let them down. I’ve been to a bunch of places where the fan bases are fair-weather. In college, if you’re not winning at Fresno State then the fans don’t show and by the time November hits in Fresno there’s nobody in the stands. So that was a big deal for me.”
“I’m not just saying it and I’m excited to be headed to a football town.”
