A ‘special connection’: Blue Bombers Matt Nichols, Adarius Bowman revive chemistry By: Jason Bell Posted: 5:54 PM CDT Monday, Jun. 4, 2018

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This article was published 03/06/2018 (2300 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s no masking quarterback Matt Nichols’ enthusiasm when it comes to the addition of slotback Adarius Bowman to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ receiving corps.

“He adds another dynamic to this offence that we haven’t had the last couple of years. It’s something else other teams have to worry about, and gives me a chance to take some more shots down the field with one-on-one scenarios,” Winnipeg’s No. 1 slinger was saying earlier this week.

“It’s nice to have another threat where even though he’s covered technically, he’s not covered if you put it in the right place. Overall, he’s going to make this offence better and I love having him here.”

Covered but not covered? That statement speaks to Bowman’s towering frame — he’s 6-3 and 217 pounds — his ability to go way up to haul in balls that might otherwise sail harmlessly away, and a glitzy track record of making big plays downfield.

He’s a three-time CFL all-star (2014-16), although last season with the Edmonton Eskimos he battled through several injuries and was limited to 12 games, recording 534 receiving yards on 45 catches and five touchdowns.

Bowman returns to the Bombers for a second stint — he played for Winnipeg in 2009 and 2010 — after spending the past seven years with the Eskimos. The western rivals released him Feb. 5, just before he was due to receive a reported $140,000 signing bonus.

Nichols and Bowman were teammates in the Alberta capital, and some of the old chemistry is already being rekindled at training camp.

Last Friday, the duo hooked up midway through the first quarter on a 15-yard touchdown strike as the Bombers pulled into a 7-7 tie with the Eskimos at Investors Group Field. The hosts would eventual lock down a 33-13 pre-season victory.

“He fit right in with all the guys here. I’ve known him from my time in Edmonton, so I think right away we were on the same page,” offered Nichols, a former Esks QB. “Getting to work together a couple of weeks in practice and then to test drive it in a game scenario was awesome.

“We connected a couple of times, and were an inch away from another big one a little bit later in the game. Overall, it was great.”

Winnipeg’s next pre-season test is Friday when the club visits Vancouver to battle the B.C. Lions. Bowman is working through a minor injury and didn’t participate in drills Sunday or Monday but expects to return to the field later this week.

Bowman said the opportunity to reunite with one of his favourite pivots was a main factor in his decision to forego what was rumoured to be more lucrative offers from other CFL clubs and return to Manitoba.

“In 2011, even back then I remember thinking, ‘This guy’s so good,’ Matty, he was behind Ricky Ray and was battling with Mike (Reilly) back then,” he said. “In terms of the leadership and personality, I always saw it in him. I’ve always known Matty was a fighter and a leader, and watching him the past two years blossom the way he has, it really went into my decision.

“I remember even calling him and telling him about my situation, and we both got excited and he’s like, “We need to do this!’ We definitely have a special connection.”

Bowman, 32, a product of Chattanooga, Tenn., is in his 11th CFL season after a brilliant college career at Oklahoma State.

He said the competitive fire still rages within, and the flames have been stoked by a return to an organization he holds in high esteem, in a city he still loves.

“It’s so exciting for me. To have a great career up to this point but to add this piece back to the story, it’s like a dream come true,” said Bowman. “This has always been a special place for me. Life goes by a little bit and you get another chance to return and complete something, it’s amazing.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell

Jason Bell
Sports editor

Jason Bell wanted to be a lawyer when he was a kid. The movie The Paper Chase got him hooked on the idea of law school and, possibly, falling in love with someone exactly like Lindsay Wagner (before she went all bionic).

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