While this seems like a no-brainer, it definitely was not a forgone conclusion especially how Harris and the Bombers parted ways.

Harris was not happy with with the way he was treated by the Bombers in the offseason leading up to the CFL 2022 season. Harris said that he felt insulted and unwanted.

Remember, before leaving Winnipeg, Harris was a two-time, back-to-back, Grey Cup champion, with Winnipeg. He had said he wanted to come to Winnipeg to win Grey Cups…and he did. In 2019 he won both the MVP and Most Valuable Canadian (the first time a player had done so).

News broke on Friday April 5 that Andrew Harris will sign a 1 day deal, later this month, with Winnipeg to retire as a Bombers.

In fact the Bombers posted a nearly 1 hour interview with Harris on Friday.

For me, this is a classy move both on the part of Harris, and the Bombers organization. It would have been easy for either party to want to stick it to the other and not agree to these terms.

Yet, we know that is not the type of organization the Bombers are. I can also personally attest to the fact that Harris is not that type of person.

A couple of years ago I reached out to Harris to see if he would sign a few of my Bomber’s memorabilia…including 2 Harris jerseys. We pulled up to the stadium as planned, and I had an embarrassing amount of things for his to sign. Numerous times I gave him and out saying that if he had to leave he did not need to sign it all. His words, “Keep pulling the stuff out…I will sign it all!”

Of course my 2 young kids, and wife, who were with me thought it was a fabulous time and really showed the character of a professional athlete who could have brushed us off. He even shared some Christmas baking with my kids that he had just received from a dignitary.

Harris could have retired with the Lions (he is going back to BC to coach for the CJHL Vancouver Island Raiders). He could have retired with Toronto. But he said it seemed right to retire as a Bomber…and I agree.

Sure, they parted ways and it was not pretty. But is is not like he “Darian Durant-ed” the Bombers. Where after agreeing to terms with the Bombers… Durant decided not t play another snap. All of that after he took a $70,000 signing Bonus from the Bombers which he had no intent on paying back.

For the Bombers and their fans that actually worked out quite nicely as it lead to the acquisition of Zach Collaros!

Yet, I have to believe that if Durant ever came to the Bombers asking them to trade him to Saskatchewan so that he could retire a Roughrider…they would probably tell him to pound sand.

And you have to believe that cuts deep with Durant as he said, “”If you cut me open, I am sure that I would bleed green. Saskatchewan and Regina will always be home.”

For the Bombers organization, their fans, it has to be far easier to look past a failed negotiation and do the right thing to have Harris retire a Bomber. For Harris, it speaks volumes that he too could look past failed expectation in the 2022 offseason and bring it home!

So if you ask me, it is just right and fitting that Andrew Harris retires as a Bomber!

Did you ever doubt that Harris would retire as a Bomber? Let me know in the comment section wherever you are reading this.

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