Living out of a suitcase in a hotel near the stadium is hardly the most exciting portrayal of life in pro football, but Miles Fox wouldn’t trade where he’s at right now for the world.
“It’s been crazy, but I wouldn’t change anything,” said the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive tackle after practice on Monday. “I got calls from a couple other teams, but Winnipeg was where I wanted to go, for sure. It’s definitely been a whirlwind but that comes with pro football, and you’ve got to be ready at all times.
“But as soon as me and Brad (Muhammad) walked into the locker room for the first time, Yoshi (Jermarcus Hardrick) was already talking trash to us like he had known us the whole year and we hadn’t even met him yet. Everyone just holds each other accountable here in terms of lifting, on the field, off the field.
“When anyone asks me if I like it here, I just say yes, because the culture is different.”
Cut by the B.C. Lions earlier this month, Fox first stepped on the field for the Blue Bombers last week and was then in the lineup for last Friday’s win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders. So, over the course of a week he had left Vancouver for his offseason home in Charlotte, North Carolina, raced to Winnipeg to join up with the Blue Bombers and then was on the team charter to Regina.
His workload against the Riders was limited, but he did flash the skills as a pile moving defensive tackle with the quick feet the coaching staff here noticed in watching film of the Lions’ preseason game.
There’s also a bigger story here that underscores Fox’s appreciation for where he’s at in this moment: Fox began his collegiate career at Old Dominion, and in his senior season played through a turf toe injury that led to ligament damage and then a plantar plate injury in his foot that needed surgery.
He moved on to Wake Forest in the transfer portal, but three days after being cleared to return from the plantar surgery, he ruptured an Achilles that cost him all of 2019. He finally made his return in 2020 – and sacked Clemson star Trevor Lawrence in his first game back – and was nominated for the Piccolo Award as the ACC’s Comeback Player of the Year.
“I almost quit after the Achilles,” said Fox. “My mom said, ‘Don’t be stupid. You didn’t come this far to quit.’ I’m glad she told me that because I came back and had a really good year.”
Fox draws a great deal of inspiration from his mom Cheryl, from his faith, and from his younger brother Jackson, who has autism. And it’s their influence that is also part of why the 26-year-old Decatur, Georgia product has such a worldly perspective.
“Ever since I was born, my mom has called me her ‘Miracle Baby’ because when I was born, I wasn’t breathing,” said Fox. “I came out sunny-side up and I got stuck. My mom was pushing me for two hours and by the time I was born I was blue and my Apgar score (performed on a baby within five minutes after birth) was one on a scale of 10 and the doctor said I wasn’t going to make it. They eventually got me breathing. Ever since then she said I was destined for great things.
“I go in every day grateful for where I am because I know my brother wishes he could be where I am and not everyone gets to be in this position. I’m grateful for my injuries as well because I know what it’s like to lose football. I feel like I’ve got a second chance, in a way.
“That’s one thing I’ve been working on the last few years – being grateful, being appreciative of everything I have because you never know when it’s going to end. I didn’t know that the Achilles injury was going to take me out in 2019, for example. After that I’ve just gone at things with a different mindset.
“I can be hard on myself and sometimes think that I’m not doing enough,” Fox added. “But I do know I’ve come a long way and I’m proud of my journey. But I know there’s a lot more I can do and that’s why I attack every day to get better.”
The Blue Bombers were back on the field Monday for the first practice session since last Friday’s 45-27 victory over the Roughriders. Here are some other notes and quotes in this week’s NEED TO KNOW…
ROLLING, ROLLING:
Winnipeg’s offence has been deadly through the first two weeks as the Blue Bombers have rolled up 87 points through two games. Thing is, ask anyone in that huddle and they’ll insist there is still more to give.
“We’ve executed at a fairly high level. There have been plays that we’ve left out there that we have to continue to get better at,” said quarterback Zach Collaros. “It’s still a work in progress. It’s Week 2, right? But any time you win games and score points, it’s fun.”
Asked how much better the offence could be – the unit is still without Kenny Lawler, after all – Collaros added:
“I think we can get significantly better. Again, it’s early in the season. I think I can play a whole lot better. I got away with an interception in the fourth quarter, there’s some decisions on where to go with the football, holding on to the ball too long… all those different things from my perspective. The receivers, I’m sure, would say the same thing whether it’s basic assignment, alignment things, how they ran their route versus certain coverage… there are things you can always build upon.
“Those games where you felt like it was a perfect game, there are always things you can nitpick. But we have a lot of room to grow, and we’re excited about it.”
OUCH UPDATE:
Not practising on Monday were WR Dalton Schoen while RB Brady Oliveira was in gear and began the session but was not involved in any of the reps with the starting offence. Johnny Augustine took his place with the starters, while Brendan O’Leary-Orange worked in Schoen’s place. Also not practising were CB Demerio Houston and Dime Alden Darby Jr., with Brad Muhammad and Redha Kramdi in their spots.
CB Winston Rose, DE Thiadric Hansen, FB Mike Miller, DE Jackson Jeffcoat, LB Kyrie Wilson, DB Jamal Parker and FB Konner Burtenshaw – all on the six-game injured list – were at the session but not practising, as were DT Cam Lawson and OL Tui Eli, both of whom are on the one-game injured list.
VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE:
Worth noting today are some quotes from the Roughriders about the Bombers:
From quarterback Trevor Harris: “Zach Collaros is one heck of a football player and I think everybody knows that. But when you play this position and watch him do what he does, he’s special.”
And from Riders head coach Craig Dickenson: “Everybody’s trying to beat Winnipeg. They’re just a well-oiled machine. They’re sound in all three phases. They’re well-coached, they’re well-managed, and it’s a bunch of talented players. If you look at the top 10 CFL players, according to TSN, they’ve got six of them, so they’re loaded.”
