Darryl Sampson Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1995. Photo John Bradley
During Black History Month this February, we once again salute some of the players who have played significant roles in the Blue Bombers’ long history.
Today: Darryl Sampson; defensive back: 1986-95
There were 15 names called out before the Winnipeg Blue Bombers selected Darryl Sampson in the second round of the 1986 Canadian Football League Draft.
That list included Kent Warnock, first overall by the Calgary Stampeders and and ultimately a Grey Cup champion in 1992.
It included Rueben Mayes, selected second overall by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who never played a down in Canada after starring in the NFL with New Orleans and Seattle.
And the Blue Bombers first pick in ’86, seventh overall, was a defensive lineman named Brian Belway — who never played a down for the club.
All of this is to say that Sampson — a product of Trinidad who played his college ball at York University — turned out to be a shrewd selection by the club that spring.
Sampson was a ratio breaker during his days, playing defensive halfback at a position that had long been dominated by Americans and over the course of his days in a Blue Bombers uniform he was as reliable as he was durable.
A CFL All-Star in 1993 and a member of two Grey Cup championship teams, in 1988 and 1990, Sampson was often over-shadowed among the team’s talented defensive stalwarts like Tyrone Jones, James West, Greg Battle, Rod Hill and Less Browne. But his contributions were long lauded by teammates and coaches.
Sampson led the Blue Bombers in interceptions in 1993 with six and retired with the second-most tackles in franchise history to Greg Battle (and surpassed last year by Adam Bighill).
A solid teammate and citizen — he won the club’s prestigious Ed Kotowich ‘Good Guy’ Award in 1992, Sampson became a coach after playing his final season in Hamilton 1996 with his alma mater, York, and was then a Blue Bombers assistant under Dave Ritchie in 2001 and 2002.
Sampson is currently a financial coach in Toronto and an author, having recently published ‘The Football Poet: Poetry of a Life’s Journey.’
He was inducted into the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame in 2004.
Black History Month Archives:
