WINNIPEG, MB. – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have announced that the club has agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension with all-star defensive player Deatrick Nichols through 2023. Nichols was already under contract for the 2022 season.
Nichols is a five-foot-nine 188 pound defensive back out of the University of South Florida(USF). During his amateur career at USF Nichols appeared in 50 games totaling 175 tackles, 11 interceptions, 35 pass deflections, 3 forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one touchdown. This has lauded him to be named first-team all in conferences in 2015 and 2016. He was named second-team all-conference in 2016 and the team’s most improved player in 2015.
After the completion of his career at UCF, Nichols entered his name in the 2018 NFL Draft. He would go on to sign with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent. He would make his NFL debut on special teams against the Los Angeles Rams. Total for his rookie season Nichols appeared in two games, exclusively on special teams.
Nichols would go on to be drafted by the House Roughneck in the 2020 XFL Draft. As a Roughneck, Nichols recorded 24 tackles, one sack, six passes defended, and led the league in interception with three. Nichols would go on to have a short stint with the New Orleans Saints and the Miami Dolphins before signing a deal with the Blue Bombers in 2021.
In his only season dressed in blue and gold, Nichols appeared in 15 games including three playoff games. During that time he had 48 defensive tackles, one sack, and three interceptions.
“Change is part of the game. And that’s life, really,” Nichols said. “Not everything is going to be sunshine. The way I look at it, it was a great opportunity to play in the XFL, to play in the NFL. Now I’m in the CFL and it’s already been a great experience. Just being able to play… it’s such a great opportunity.
“I always knew about the CFL and everything and when the chance came, I was ready to do something different. I’m not scared to take risks and try something different. As long as it makes sense to me, I’m fine with it and playing football in Canada sounded good to me, so I signed myself up for it.
“You can always learn and always work on doing things better. I’m always asking the coaches how I’m doing and they’re always giving me information and that was big for me all season. Sometimes you just have to trust the process and keep going with it.”
