Winnipeg Blue Bombers general manager Kyle Walters, president and CEO Wade Miller and head coach Mike O'Shea during a press conference on Friday, December 13, 2019.
There’s more grey in the beards, and perhaps the laugh lines around the eyes are a little more pronounced, but the Canadian Mafia will continue to run the Winnipeg Blue Bombers into the next decade.
The Grey Cup champion Bombers officially announced Friday contract extensions for both General Manager Kyle Walters and Head Coach Mike O’Shea, AKA the ‘Canadian Mafia.’
Walters, who had one year remaining on his contract, has been extended through 2023, while O’Shea – who was working on an expiring deal – is now on board through 2022.
And in a week where a third of the Canadian Football League announced coaching changes – Paul LaPolice in Ottawa, Scott Milanovich in Edmonton and Ryan Dinwiddie in Toronto while a fourth, the B.C. Lions, made their move earlier in the month by hiring Rick Campbell – the Bombers are insistent continuity will be key in their pursuit of other championships.
“I’ve talked and preached about (continuity) for a long time,” said Bombers President and CEO Wade Miller, while flanked by Walters and O’Shea at a press conference Friday morning. “That’s what we’ve been able to do and that both (Walters and O’Shea) want to continue here and be a part of the community is important. I’m just glad it’s worked out.”
Asked later about the Canadian Mafia moniker and the pride he draws from that, Miller added:
“There’s definitely pride. It’s the Canadian Football League and having the opportunity to work with two amazing individuals who are Canadian as well and have had amazing football careers, not only in the CFL, but post in what they do as coach and general manager, there’s pride for sure. I love it, the fact that we’re all Canadian.”
O’Shea is already the CFL’s current longest-tenured head coach, having joined the Bombers in 2014. And Walters is the second-longest tenured GM to Calgary’s John Hufnagel. To that end, it’s perhaps no coincidence that the Bombers and Stampeders are the two winningest franchises in the league over the last four years.
“I’m obviously excited and happy,” said Walters. “I told Wade I don’t really want to go anywhere. (Contract discussions) went very quickly. When Wade and I sat down I said the most important thing for me was staying in this community and continuing to build what we have and trying to keep our group together… that’s the most important thing for me, keeping this group together and continuing to grow.”
The Bombers have posted four consecutive double-digit win seasons, a first in these parts since 1984-87 and now have broken a Grey Cup drought that dated back to 1990.
The Bombers went from 3-15 to 7-11 in the first year of this regime back in 2014, then went 5-13, 11-7, 12-6, 10-8 and 11-7 this past season.
“We have a group up here that’s wired similarly,” said O’Shea, nodding toward Miller and Walters. “We have the same passion. We have different roles, but we respect each other’s roles and we’ve figured out a way to keep evolving in how we work together to make sure that we can add the ‘S’ onto this championship.
“When we sat up here in the first place (2014) we did talk about sustainability and excellence and championships. That’s been our goal every year. Unfortunately, we just haven’t been able to achieve it until this year so we’re going to keep working. We’re going to find out new ways to work harder and better ways to work, more efficient ways to work and try to get this thing going again.”
That continuity theme will trickle further down the chain of command. The Bombers’ entire scouting staff will be back – Assistant GMs Ted Goveia and Danny McManus and Director of College Scouting Ryan Rigmaiden – after both McManus and Rigmaiden pulled their names from consideration for the vacant GM job with the Montreal Alouettes.
“It’s all of us,” said Walters. “Wade hired me, then we brought in Mike and we can’t forget that Ted and Danny were part of the initial group. It’s not just the three of us, it’s the five of us who have been at this since the get-go.
“We talk about continuity and when we talk roster it’s much easier for Ted and Danny to understand what Mike is looking for in a player and as we grow as a group it’s much easier to understand what we look for out of each other.”
You can read our full chat with O’Shea from earlier Friday here, but there were some of the other items of note that come from Friday’s media availability…
On the replacement for Paul LaPolice as the team’s offensive coordinator:
O’Shea said a decision hasn’t been made yet and not certain whether the club will announce LaPolice’s replacement separately or simply unveil his whole staff for 2020 when it is finalized. O’Shea would not confirm that QB Buck Pierce would be promoted, although that seems to be the popular take. When asked if he was inclined to promote from within, O’Shea said: “As our leadership has shown, continuity is very important.”
On the QB situation, with Matt Nichols, Zach Collaros and Chris Streveler all pending free agents:
“I’ve talked to the agents and said, ‘This is a little unique situation. We’ll be in touch, but we have to get our head coach under contract, he has to get his staff under contract…’,” said Walters. “It’s much more complicated than which quarterback are we going to have back. That’s a monumental discussion which the offensive coordinator obviously needs to have a say in. So, it’s a little bit different this year with the timing being backed up, but I’ve assured all the agents we’ll have better discussions once this is sorted out.”
As to the factors that go into that decision, Walters added:
“Who helps us win the best, how does it fit under the salary cap. There are all sorts of things with the free agents and prioritizing who we want back, but obviously with the quarterback position is where it all starts. That’s going to be the price point that you have to put in and then see the dominos and how that affects the rest of the roster.
“Matt’s won a lot of games for us. Zach came in and won us a Grey Cup and was the starting quarterback. Chris did some great things for us. There are some real difficult decisions and discussions that are going to have to be made… everybody has these on their roster, but specifically at the quarterback position for us this offseason.”
On NFL interest in current Bomber players:
Willie Jefferson, Marcus Sayles and Winston Rose all had workouts with the Miami Dolphins this week and Walters revealed that Streveler now has workouts down south planned as well.
“For all those guys we tell them, ‘Of course we’d like you back. But focus on this and we’ll revisit it when you’re ready.’”
Walters did hint that a couple more signings might be announced before the Christmas break. Earlier this week the club re-signed Mercy Maston and Pat Neufeld. leaving 22 other pending free agents.
