Clarence Denmark | Back Home

If he had other free agent options, Clarence Denmark didn’t even want to hear about them.

He had one goal and one destination in mind this week: To return to Winnipeg and the Blue Bombers for a seventh Canadian Football League season.

And so, when his agent called Friday morning to update the status of contract talks with the club, the veteran receiver quickly put pen to paper on a new deal that GM Kyle Walters promised would be waiting after he had the chance to test the free agent market.

“That’s big,” said Denmark of the standing offer during a media conference call. “I just want to thank the organization. I want to thank the fans… it’s been a crazy last few days and I really felt the love. I sent a tweet out thanking all the fans and I just can’t thank them enough.”

“Just to be wanted… that’s all you really want as a player, to be somewhere that people want you there.”

Just want to thank all the #bomber fans. I felt the love over the last few weeks and I am truly thankful to be a part of this great team.

— Clarence Denmark (@OnAnotherOne) February 17, 2017

So much love and support just for doing your job… Gotta love this game #cfl #football

— Clarence Denmark (@OnAnotherOne) February 17, 2017

The man knows of what he speaks, for he lived both extremes a year ago. He was kicked to the curb by the Bombers last March after the additions of Weston Dressler and Ryan Smith and resurfaced in Saskatchewan before the Roughriders cut him at the end of training camp.

And then in late July, not long after the Bomber receiver corps had been hammered by injuries, he returned and began writing one of the more compelling stories of the season. He had seven catches for 69 yards and touchdown in his first game and followed that up with seven more receptions for 195 yards and two more scores a week later.

By season’s end, he had not only led the club in touchdowns with eight, but set a career best in doing so and finished with 59 receptions for 705 yards.

In just 10 games.

“Last year… (his release in March) came out of nowhere,” he said. “It was a huge surprise to me and it changed the way I was preparing to get ready to go back to Canada and not even knowing if I was going to be on a team. That was scary for me. Obviously, it was different just being with another team that I didn’t want to be with… I wanted to be with Winnipeg my whole career and play there my whole career.

“This year I’m just happy, man. Like I said, it’s just great to be wanted.”

The soft-spoken 31-year-old joins a receiving corps that now features returning imports like Dressler, Smith, Darvin Adams and Gerrard Sheppard, but former Montreal Alouette Kenny Stafford, ex-Roughrider Ryan Lankford, and the usual collection of fresh faces.

But Dressler, Adams, Smith and Sheppard all missed games last year due to injury and Denmark did not miss a single snap through 2013-15.

“There are certain players you simply have to figure out a way to make it work contractually. Clarence is one of those players,” said Walters in a statement.

“He is the definition of a pro both on and off the field and his production speaks for itself. He’s a leader by example, and we are very pleased to have him return to our organization.”

“However I can fit in, that’s what I want to do,” added Denmark. “That’s always been my attitude since I came there. Last year I did just that. I didn’t want to do anything but fit in with the guys and be one of the guys on the team.”

Denmark’s comeback and the numbers he posted also launched him into the club’s all-time receiving yardage Top 10. With 4,870 career yards, he ranks ninth all time behind Milt Stegall (15,153), James Murphy (9,036), Joe Poplawski (8,341), Terrence Edwards (7,200), Rick House (6,266), Perry Tuttle (5,817), Ernie Pitts (5,525) and Jeff Boyd (5,110).

That’s pretty select company.

In the end, Denmark said returning to the Bombers wasn’t just about feeling wanted again. It was about not wanting to miss out after the franchise made an about-face last year.

“That’s what I was thinking,” he said with a chuckle. “Man, it would be so bad if I’m not a part of the team when they get that ring and we were really, really close last year. That (playoff) loss is very painful because, obviously everybody can see that that was a game we were supposed to have won.”

“Moving forward it’s exciting because of all the talent and just having guys back. It’s our game to lose.”