Reggie White Jr; photo by Minas Panagiotakis CFL.ca
Reggie White Jr has seen and experienced enough in professional football over the years to understand the importance of embracing change and the value in overcoming adversity.
The overcoming adversity part?
Well, he’s certainly had more than his share of that over the last two-three years in the Canadian Football League, including an absolutely devastating knee injury — and the often-tortuous rehab which followed — that erased a full season of his career.
And the embracing change part?
He’s already living that, having recently signed a free agent contract with the Blue Bombers after spending the last four years with the Montreal Alouettes.
Still, to properly appreciate where White Jr is now in his career let’s start with the here and now and work backwards…
First things first, let’s make this clear: White Jr — still just 28 — is 100 percent healthy now, the knee injury having long since faded into the rear-view mirror. His numbers from last year don’t jump out — 24 catches for 355 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games — but the 2024 season wasn’t just about the numbers, it was about what he had to overcome to just get back on the field.
So, how do we describe the player Blue Bombers fans will see this year? For that, we went straight to the source…
“I’m a big-body receiver with a big catch radius,” explained White Jr. in a recent chat with bluebombers.com from his offseason base in Baltimore, MD. “I pride myself on making the tough catches, on going across the middle and taking the hit.
“I want to help us move the chains because that’s what hurts a defence when you’re converting those second-and-long situations. I can be a reliable target.”
As much as the Als must have loved the feel-good aspect of his comeback last year, they also opted to move on following the season. White Jr. said three teams were serious players in chasing his services and when the Blue Bombers called “it was really a no brainer for me. I can go there and compete for a starting job and that’s all I need at this stage of my career.
“I’ve had a couple setbacks but I’m ready to go now. I’m excited to get up there, compete with the guys, build some bonds with my new teammates and win. Really, what’s most important is winning.”
That’s the kind of perspective that can be shaped through experience and, in White Jr’s case, also through tough times like his knee injury. That moment was so impactful for so many reasons he can recall the details as if they just happened this morning.
“October 10th, 2022… the Thanksgiving game,” White Jr. recalled. “Second play of the game I was catching an out-route. Routine catch. But I hyper-extended my knee pretty bad. I didn’t know initially how bad it was. After I fell, I was trying to get up but couldn’t. It wasn’t really hurting; it was just numb. I told the trainer I was going to walk it off and I actually walked to the locker room. But once I took that first step, I knew it was a little weird.”
The diagnosis was horrible — White Jr. had torn three of the five ligaments in his knee. There was the shock of that news, and then the fear of the unknown suddenly staring him in the face.
“I cried my eyes out at the doctor’s office once I got the news — surgery in two weeks, eight-to-12-month rehab,” said White Jr. “I mean, that was my first time ever getting hurt. Plus, the doctor told me there was a chance I wasn’t going to play again. I used that as motivation. There were no hard feelings, but I put that in the back of my mind to prove the doctor wrong.
“Still there were definitely some dark days. Some days it felt good, other days it felt like there was no improvement at all. I’m thankful for my family always being there. I’m also thankful to the Alouettes for allowing me to rehab. Sometimes in situations like that teams just give up on you and they didn’t on me. I’m grateful for that.
“They say everything happens for a reason,” he added. “I had surgery and then two weeks after that I had my son (Reggie White III or ‘Tre’). God always has the final say and he allowed me to see the birth of my son. He just wanted me to be there to see that.”
After missing the entire 2023 season White Jr wanted desperately to get back to his 2022 form when he had 53 catches for 722 yards and a pair of TDs prior to his injury.
But that return was hardly without its obstacles and roadblocks. Recovering physically is one thing. Trusting the injury is healed and rediscovering confidence is another altogether.
“That was the big thing — getting my confidence back,” he said. “Going into camp I was thinking about how I hadn’t played in a year. I was nervous and had to get all the jitters out while getting back to playing football. I’ll admit that first week was pretty rough.
“But then I started making plays again and it got out of my head. It was like, ‘Everything’s fine. You’re making plays. You’ve got your groove back.’ It took some time. But when I got it back it was just about playing the game again. That was a sigh of relief.”
White Jr.’s return to the field a year ago was ripped straight from the script of a Disney movie as he pulled in four passes for 61 yards and a pair of scores in a win over Hamilton last June.
“That was like a dream come true, man,” he said. “It was something like 300 days since my last game. My family was there, too, so it was a great moment. The work, the rehab, it all paid off. Everything I went through, it was all worth it in that moment.
“You know, sometimes you really don’t know how much you love the game until you can’t play it. Watching it… I was watching games on TV and all I could think about was, ‘I just want to be out there with the guys.’ Game days were always the toughest. I missed the little things like doing handshakes in the pre-game warm-up. That took a toll on me. So getting back was special.”
The Blue Bombers did their homework on White Jr. before signing him to a deal earlier this month, leaning on new Senior Director of Player Personnel Eric Deslauriers — who spent the last several seasons with the Alouettes as a player and personnel man — for some intel.
White Jr., meanwhile, did the same. And he knows this much: he wants more of the vibe at Princess Auto Stadium.
“With Winnipeg you know what you’re getting. If it’s not THE best organization in the CFL it’s one of the best,” he said. “Every time we played there everything was on point — the crowd, the game, the lights, the show. That’s an atmosphere I want to be a part of. They’ve got great coaches there and a great administration, too.
“I love playing there and actually scored my first touchdown there, so it’s always had a special place in my heart. Everything comes full circle. I’m excited for it.”
More notes and quotes in this week’s edition of 1st & 10…
TWO MORE ON BOARD: The Blue Bombers announced the signings of two defensive backs on Friday in Enock Makonzo, a former first-round pick of the Edmonton Elks in the CFL Draft and American Javaris Davis.
Makonzo could be a player to keep an eye on during training camp. The Blue Bombers use Canadian Redha Kramdi at the dime spot — one of the positions Makonzo has played — and before he was hurt last season the Lachine, QC product had showed some flashes, particularly in his rookie season when he made 10 starts.
Other transaction news: the Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced the signing of veteran running back Johnny Augustine on Friday, who had spent the last six years here with the Blue Bombers. For those of you trying to keep track — new Ticats GM Ted Goveia and director of player personnel Cyril Penn, both ex of the Blue Bombers — have now added the following this offseason, all of whom have ties to Winnipeg: WR Kenny Lawler, OL Liam Dobson, WR Drew Wolitarsky, DT Miles Fox, DE TyJuan Garbutt, LB Brian Cole II, DE Owen Hubert, WR Jeremy Murphy, RB Chris Smith and WR Josh Johnson.
A SALUTE TO SERGIO: Blue Bombers kicker Sergio Castillo has been invited to take part in the CFL’s Mentorship Program. Check out the details here:
GOOD LUCK, LUCKY: Receiver/returner Lucky Whitehead recently announced his retirement from the CFL after a solid career with both the Blue Bombers and B.C. Lions. He’s also got a new gig in the game, so a virtual fist bump from this perch to the popular vet.
We are excited to welcome Lucky Whitehead @Luck2fastt to the Saint Michael Family. Coach Whitehead has walked the walk and is an outstanding example of dedication, perseverance and belief. Lucky attended Junior College, earned a D1 scholarship. He is a former professional… pic.twitter.com/gWMG5jqU4e
— Saint Michael Catholic Warrior Football (@warriorfbsmhs) February 20, 2025
