The Winnipeg Blue Bombers open their 2026 regular season Friday in Calgary, and if you listened to head coach Mike O'Shea and new cornerback Jonathan Moxey speak on Tuesday, the mood in that building is exactly what you'd want heading into Week 1. Confident. Grounded. Ready.
Moxey Arrives With a Point to Prove
Jonathan Moxey is entering his seventh CFL season, and he didn't hide how much this opportunity means to him. The high-profile free agent signing lands in Winnipeg and immediately gets a reunion game — his first regular-season action as a Bomber comes against his former team in Calgary.
"It's crazy. First 2 against 2 previous teams. First one in Calgary, next one against Hamilton. It's going to be exciting to see a lot of old friends, a lot of people that I would love to see, but it's a competition at the end of the day. It's going to be a battle, so they know they're going to get the best out of me." — Jonathan Moxey
Moxey talked about what he wants to bring to the Blue Bombers' secondary — tenacity, veteran presence, versatility. But the thing that stuck out most was how genuinely bought-in he sounds to what Jordan Younger is building on defense.
"Potential is through the roof. We got a lot of different types of players. Whenever you have that type of versatility, it's fun to be a defensive coordinator. He trusts us to make things happen. We're communicating well. Sky's the limit." — Jonathan Moxey
That's not a guy just saying the right things. That's a player who came in, looked around, and liked what he saw.
O'Shea Loves the Experience, Not the Hype
O'Shea was his usual measured self, but you could feel the quiet confidence underneath it. When asked about the team's aggressive offseason — headlined by a group of five high-profile free agents that includes Tim White, Broxton, Serezhnya, Moxey, and Tommy Neale — O'Shea wasn't about to start beating his chest.
"I would think that nobody's really paying attention. I'm not pouring over what other clubs are doing. I'm more worried about what we're going to do." — Mike O'Shea
That's peak O'Shea. The club went out and had arguably one of the most active free agency periods in the league, and he's out here acting like it barely registered. Four of those five new additions are well over 30 years old, and when asked whether loading up on veteran players was a deliberate philosophy, O'Shea didn't overthink it.
"When guys are at the top of their game, it's usually a little later in their career when they've gathered a bunch of experience and on a game-by-game basis can go out there and show that they can use that information to help their teams win football games. I would have never even thought of their age until you brought it up. They're just good players." — Mike O'Shea
Fitting In Fast
One thing O'Shea did acknowledge — and you could tell it genuinely impressed him — was how quickly the new group assimilated into the locker room. In a team loaded with veterans and championship pedigree, that transition isn't always seamless. But he liked what he saw in camp.
"What stands out is how quickly they fit in. Once again, we expect that, and then to see it happen is pretty cool." — Mike O'Shea
Moxey echoed exactly that from the player's side, pointing to the culture already in place as a big reason he wanted to be here.
"It's a lot of veterans on this team, guys who have been there before, deep playoff runs, great cup champions here. I feel like I'm a champion as well from my college days. I'm just looking to become a part of an organization that knows how to get it done from top down." — Jonathan Moxey
The Test Awaits in Calgary
O'Shea wasn't shy about acknowledging the challenge Friday brings. Calgary's defensive line is going to be a problem, especially with Hutchings back in the fold.
"They're really good. Certainly will be a tough test. With the addition back of Hutchings, he was very tough to stop last year and now he's back. They do have very good talent across the board." — Mike O'Shea
Winnipeg also has some internal optimism building around offensive lineman Tyler Elsbury, a big, physical presence out of the University of Iowa who O'Shea believes can contribute at both center and guard. Iowa's brand of football — tough, physical, program-first — is exactly the type O'Shea gravitates toward.
The Blue Bombers open the 2026 season on the road Friday night in Calgary. If the energy in that press conference room is any indication, this group has no interest in easing into the year.
Watch the Full Videos
Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Jonathan Moxey | June 3
Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Coach O'Shea | June 3