Man on a mission: Bighill signs two-year extension with Bombers

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This article was published 28/11/2022 (757 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have locked up another one of their pillars.

The club announced Tuesday morning linebacker Adam Bighill will not become a free agent in February as he’s agreed to a two-year contract extension.

The move comes days after the Bombers re-signed defensive end Willie Jeferson to a one-year deal.

“There’s so many good things happening here in Winnipeg. Chasing a potentially higher contract in free agency really isn’t worth the risk of not being in a good situation,” Bighill, who initially joined the Bombers in 2018 as a free agent, told reporters in a Zoom call.

“I know what I have here in Winnipeg. I know the guys in the room. I know some of the guys are already locked up on long-term deals. I know the coaching staff and there’s a lot of comfortability there.”

He’s a 34-year-old heading into his 12th professional season, but Bighill wanted to sign on for two years as he has no plans to retire in the near future. His new deal includes some guaranteed money in the second year of his extension.

“I can’t see it. But you’ve got to be ready for (retirement) when it could happen. It’s weird to talk about. I don’t think I’ll ever think about it until it has to happen or has to come to that,” said Bighill, who had 72 tackles, two sacks, and an interception in 2022.

Bighill, who lives in Winnipeg year round with his wife Kristina and their three children, elevated the Bombers to contender status when he first arrived. In four seasons in blue and gold, Bighill has won two Grey Cups, two Most Outstanding Defensive Player awards, has been named a CFL all-star twice, and is a three-time West Division all-star.

Even though the Bombers are fresh off of losing the Grey Cup to the Toronto Argonauts in heartbreaking fashion in Regina, there’s arguably not much left for Bighill, who also works as an investment advisor, to accomplish. Yet, shortly after the Bombers announced the signing, Bighill tweeted ‘Unfinished business!’

Bighill also revealed in Tuesday’s call that he broke a bone in his left hand towards the end of the Grey Cup. He said the injury won’t require surgery.

“This is about me still wanting to compete at a very high level and still feeling like I can help this team win at a very high level. I talked to a lot of my teammates over the last week and a lot of the questions I asked them were, ‘Did I make your job easier? Did I make you feel like we had a better chance of winning with what I was doing? What did I bring to the table that you thought was great?’ I got a lot of good feedback,” said Bighill.

“It was just to make sure I’m bringing to the level of details and the extra stuff for my teammates that I think is important. I do believe I’m bringing those things, but that’s why I asked them, just to make sure and sure enough the guys in the room had great things to say — the guys I respect to get their opinion — and it just validates once again why I do what I do in being able to help the guys in our locker room be the best they can be. That is definitely a personal mission of mine, no matter what happens with anything else.”

With offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld, Jefferson, and now Bighill re-signed, the Bombers have cut their list of pending free agents down to 23. Key players such as left tackle Stanley Bryant, right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick, receiver Nic Demski, and defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat are among those without contracts. The most important piece without a deal would be head coach Mike O’Shea.

“I guess you could say anything could happen. But I mean, fairly confident just in some of the conversations that I’ve had. I don’t want to speak for him or how he needs to take care of his business, but my commitment, I’m sure Zach (Collaros’s) commitment, and others’ commitment has all been predicated on some form of comfortability that Osh is going to be here,” said Bighill.

“Like I said, anything can happen. You don’t want to put the cart before the horse but I’m anticipating playing for Mike O’Shea.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31