Far From Done | Medlock Staying In Winnipeg

He was tired mentally and a worn down physically. Yes, by the end of the 2017 season Justin Medlock admitted he needed to get away from the game for a spell to think about his future, both with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and in football.

And when he ultimately came to making his decision, well, it came to him as true as a game-winning kick straight through the uprights.

The Bombers signed their gifted kicker to a new one-year contract on Thursday, striking his name from the list of pending free agents for this winter, as the 34-year-old committed to a third season in Winnipeg after publicly stating after the West Semi-Final loss to the Edmonton Eskimos that he was contemplating retirement.

“It had been a long season… it started out pretty well and there were some ups and downs during the entire season and I just needed a little break to refresh and get the mind right and just see what I really wanted to do and whether I wanted to come back or step away from the game,” said Medlock Thursday in a conference call. “Just having some time away and talking to some people – and Coach O’Shea was one of those people – I figured I’m either all in or I’m not.

“After taking some time away I just figured I wanted to come back and come back stronger, healthier, and ready for a new start.”

Medlock, now 34, connected on 56 of 70 field goal attempts this year – 80 per cent – his lowest in his six full Canadian Football League seasons. Those totals were crushed by a seven-for-13 stretch over four games in late September/early October.

But he also hit game-winning kicks in overtime in Saskatchewan and in Montreal, and connected on two in the final minute of a win over Ottawa. He has led the CFL in scoring in each of his two seasons in Winnipeg and in 2017, set a career high punting average of 43.7.

In his two years with the Bombers, Medlock has been good on 116 of 138 field goals – 84.1 per cent – and is 88 for 89 on convert attempts.

“It was pretty good that I got into a little drought, but also got myself out of it,” said Medlock. “I finished the year strong. To play my best football at the end of the year when I needed to come through, that’s a bigger tale. Obviously, I didn’t have a couple of good games there and luckily we were able to win those games… you take away one little communication miss, a regular play, it doesn’t cost our team in one incident. Going forward I’ll be a better kicker for that.

“I definitely didn’t lose any confidence. I believe I’m the best kicker in the league. And they’re going to keep trotting me out there for a 52-yarder or a 54-yarder, or a 48-yarder into the wind or when it’s 10 degrees.”

Medlock had received a job offer from a friend in the medical sales business during the season and last year became a father for the first time. Those were contributing factors in his uncertainty at season’s end, but a chat with Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea – who had also entered the medical sales business after retiring before turning to coaching – helped him come to his decision to return.

“He just gave me a bit of what his experience was like,” said Medlock. “He told me, ‘You love football. Just go out there and give it your best and try and play a little bit longer. We need you back here. I don’t think you should give it up right now.’ I got to thinking about it and I can think about working down the road. Right now, I want to play some football and do better… last year, in my opinion, was so hot and cold and if I can get back in some way… I think there were some things I did well, too. You can’t just think about the negatives. I just want to come back and try and do a little bit better next year.”

“I wanted to play, I just wanted it to be mutual. That was the biggest thing. Once we figured out it was mutual… I wanted to play for Winnipeg; that was my No. 1 team.”