Chris Randle is on the line from Salt Lake City, and even separated by thousands of kilometres, there is no mistaking both the excitement and the joy in his voice.

Little wonder. You see, in addition to being named to the Canadian Football League All-Star Team on Tuesday, Randle just became a father for the first time when he and his wife Kylie welcomed Winston Isaiah Randle into this world on Monday.

That’s a heckuva couple days.

“It’s been an amazing year, honestly,” said the Winnipeg Blue Bombers cornerback. “And the last couple of days have been incredible.”

Randle is one of five Bombers named to the CFL All-Star squad, along with defensive back T.J. Heath, safety Taylor Loffler, running back Andrew Harris and left tackle Stanley Bryant. Heath, Loffler and Harris were all named to the team last season, while Bryant was honoured in 2013 and 2014 while with the Calgary Stampeders.

But the honour is a first for Randle, who was also selected as the Bombers’ Most Outstanding Defensive Player this season and named to the CFL Players’ Association All-Star Team during Grey Cup week.

The CFL All-Star Team, FYI, is selected by members of The Football Reporters of Canada and the league’s head coaches.

“It’s an honour to be acknowledged by your peers, the people who watch you, the coaches who analyze you and the reporters who watch you every day,” said Randle. “It’s a confirmation of what you’re doing and what I’m going to continue to strive to do day in and day out.”

Healthy for entire season for the first time since 2014, Randle played in all 18 games this past year, racking up five interceptions and finishing with 60 tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery and two defensive touchdowns.

Those are the black-and-white numbers that stand out for the 29-year-old veteran. What is appreciated most by the men he shares a locker room with is his leadership – an aspect of his game that he continues to nurture.

“That just comes over time and how you build relationships with people. That’s my strong suit,” said Randle. “It’s being able to relate with people on different levels, whether they are from Alabama or whether they are different nationalities or age groups… I feel like I can find a similarity where you can learn and grow from each person. Then they can learn and grow from you.

“I’ve grown a lot over the years and met a lot of people, as well.”

A pending free agent this offseason, Randle said his exit meetings with GM Kyle Walters, head coach Mike O’Shea and President and CEO Wade Miller were all positive.

“We’re good. The relationship we’ve formed over the previous years is very strong,” said Randle. “We’re in a good place right now.

“The hardest part is forming a team, building a bond where you don’t care about yourself or individual stats. It’s being able rely on each other and have that trust. We’ve got that, and that’s the hardest part to get. So to not complete the Xs and Os part of it is disappointing because I think we have the talent, we have the bond, but we didn’t finish the job by executing at the high level we showed we are capable of doing. That is difficult, knowing we had the home playoff game. But we’re taking steps in the right direction.

“I know we’ve got a lot to build upon, but to let that opportunity slip… it’s still there with me a little bit. Just give me a little bit more time and I’ll be able to move on.”

Having a new addition to the family, obviously, helps provide that perspective.

“He was born on the same day as my wife’s birthday,” said Randle. “How amazing is that?”

Randle said he did his due diligence before he and Kylie settled on the name Winston for their first born long before he came into this world. And yes, he does have an appreciation for the leadership shown by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

“That definitely played a part in it,” said Randle. “To have a name after someone like that… that’s a good sign of a leader. We know it’s a strong name. It was something we fell in love with once we heard it.

“The last couple of days… it’s an unreal, surreal feeling. It really is. There was an energy in the room when the family came. And when my wife’s grandpa came – he’s the oldest person in the family – and now we have the youngest person in the family… that was a moment that hit me the most. It was a special day.

“I was writing his name on my tape before games for the whole year and it felt like I was having him with me. And for him to be here today is pretty special.”

The day was pretty special for the other Bomber all-stars, too. T.J. Heath, for example, was in Atlanta and couldn’t help but reminisce about the road he’s travelled to this point.

Heath, you may recall, had bounced around the NFL – Jacksonville, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Cleveland, Miami, Carolina, Atlanta and New York Giants – before seemingly finding a home with Toronto last year.

And then on a day in which he picked off two passes – his birthday, no less – he found out afterward he was part of the Drew Willy trade and had been shipped to Winnipeg.

“That day was an experience for me,” said Heath Tuesday from Atlanta. “I didn’t know how the rest of my journey would go or if I would finish that season how I did or have another season like I did after that.

“I look back on everything now and how it has played out… I really have a story to tell my kids one day. I don’t think a lot of players go through a journey like this and still find success. I’m proud of that.”

“Ever since I’ve came into this league I knew this was something I wanted: to be an all star. It means a lot to me, man. It makes me want to grind even more.”

Heath suited up for all 18 games for the Bombers in 2017, recording 64 defensive tackles, one sack, and five interceptions – returning one for a touchdown. He now has seven interceptions in 24 games as a Bomber, 12 in 34 CFL games overall.

Most of all, he’s found a football home – even though he is also a pending free agent – after playing the nomad for so long.
“I kept at it because I didn’t want to give up,” he said. “I’ve never quit anything. When I left Toronto I said to myself, ‘I can’t stop just because I’ve been traded.’ I was frustrated because I had bounced around the NFL, but everything has panned out and things have fallen into place.

“Now all I’m searching for is to be back in Winnipeg and do it all over again. It’s still early… I know it’s a process. I’ll enjoy my offseason and see how things go from there.”

BLUE STARS

The Bombers placed five players on the 2017 CFL All-Star Team on Tuesday. The club also placed five players on the CFL All-Star team last season and have had five or more on the all-league squad seven times in the last 23 years. Since 1994: 2001 (8), 2002 (5), 2006 (5), 2007 (6), 2011 (5), 2016 (5) and 2017 (5).

Here’s a look at the five Bomber All-Stars:

Running back Andrew Harris: Simply sensational in 2017. Named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian after winning the rushing title with 1,035 yards and leading the league in receptions with 105, a new record for a running back.

This marks the fourth time Harris has been named a CFL All-Star and the second consecutive season as a member of the Bombers.

Left tackle Stanley Bryant: Was honoured during Grey Cup week as the CFL’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman. This is Bryant’s third appearance on the CFL All-Star Team – his first as a Bomber – after he was part of an offensive line which helped Harris win the rushing title and for the club to finish second in scoring.

Safety Taylor Loffler: So much for the dreaded sophomore jinx. Loffler was drafted 19^th overall by the Bombers in 2016 and by Week 6 last season, was starting at safety. He was the team’s top rookie and named to the CFL All-Star Team in his first year and followed that up by leading the Bombers with 75 tackles, adding one interception and three forced fumbles in 17 games.

Defensive back T.J. Heath: Also named to the All-Star team for the second straight season. Heath was part of the blockbuster trade that sent Drew Willy to Toronto last year and continued his ball-hawking ways in the Bomber secondary.

Cornerback Chris Randle: Named the Bombers’ Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2017 after scoring twice on defence, tying Heath for the team lead with five interceptions while adding 60 tackles.