Streveler remembers the wonders of Winnipeg

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This article was published 06/02/2020 (1687 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There is a familiar theme to the many memories Chris Streveler formed during his time in Winnipeg, from a 23-year-old rookie unfamiliar with the Canadian Football League to becoming a pivotal part of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Grey Cup run two years later.

It’s not so much the things he’s achieved along the way — becoming one of the few players to start in the CFL directly out of college, to capturing the hearts of a city with his brute strength and unique playing style, to helping break a long championship curse — but the people he’s met.

“My teammates, those guys are my brothers, the guys you’re out there fighting with every day and I would do anything for those guys. The coaching staff, a group of people I have the utmost respect for and love playing for. And, of course, the fans. The amount of people who have reached out to me over the last few days has been, quite honestly, overwhelming,” Streveler said in a Thursday phone interview with the Free Press from Denver.

“Looking back on it, moving to Winnipeg was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I probably didn’t appreciate it at the time, but I wouldn’t change a thing about it. I love Winnipeg, man. It’s been outstanding.”

Streveler’s football journey north of the border has come to an abrupt end, at least for now. The 25-year-old native of Crystal Lake, Ill., has signed a futures contract with the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League.

“My teammates, those guys are my brothers, the guys you’re out there fighting with every day and I would do anything for those guys.”

While many players earn deals in the NFL for their work in Canada, few have received the kind of up-front cash Streveler has been given. According to multiple reports, the Cardinals have guaranteed US$100,000 to Streveler, suggesting not only a high degree of interest, but that he’ll likely receive a long look to prove his worth.

It’s a surreal ending to what’s been a whirlwind couple of months, which was kicked off with a 33-12 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in late November that snapped a 29-year Grey Cup drought for Winnipeg.

“I mean, honestly, I couldn’t have drawn it up any better,” Streveler said. “To win a championship at the professional level, that’s something I’ve always dreamed about. Then to get these opportunities with the NFL, even to have workouts, I felt very fortunate just to have those opportunities. To actually sign with a great organization, a place I’m really excited about, is just so amazing.”

Streveler said he first started getting NFL interest before the start of the CFL playoffs. At the time, veteran starter Matt Nichols was sidelined with a season-ending shoulder injury and Streveler, now in charge of the Bombers offence, was becoming must-watch TV for his unorthodox play.

For those unfamiliar with Streveler’s style, his biggest contributions from behind centre have come from his legs. He can still throw the ball — he registered 2,698 passing yards and 19 touchdowns with the Bombers — but it’s his versatility, most notably his dual role as a running threat, that’s attracted so many NFL eyes.

Indeed, not a lot of quarterbacks can do what Streveler does. In two years in Winnipeg, Streveler racked up 1,167 rushing yards — averaging a whopping 5.7 yards per carry — and added 22 more scores.

“Looking back on it, moving to Winnipeg was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I probably didn’t appreciate it at the time, but I wouldn’t change a thing about it. I love Winnipeg, man. It’s been outstanding.”

Streveler didn’t tell many people about the NFL. Nor did the growing interest down south change the way he felt about playing through multiple injuries, including a badly injured foot that kept him out of the final regular-season game.

“That’s not really something I’ve shared with a lot of people but even though I knew playing through stuff could potentially hurt my chances with the NFL or some of these workouts, the fact is it just wasn’t the most important thing to me,” Streveler said. “I wanted to honour my teammates and be there for them, knowing we spent the last two years trying to win the Grey Cup. That was the most important thing and I felt the rest would take care of itself.”

In other words, Streveler felt if teams weren’t willing to push back a workout by a few weeks, they probably weren’t all that serious about him in the first place.

In the end, he visited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Miami Dolphins and Arizona. In fact, the Cardinals flew Streveler out in December just to tour the facilities.

Streveler was given multiple offers but decided on Arizona because he felt it was the best fit. Most important, he felt a connection with head coach Kliff Kingsbury, and was drawn to his creative mind and how he utilized his quarterbacks.

“He’s somebody that does a lot of things that I think are going to fit my skill set,” Streveler said. “It’s kind of a testament to the way that the NFL game and CFL game is changing a little bit. You’re seeing more athletic guys playing quarterback and obviously it’s helped me get these opportunities. Now I have to make the most of it.”

Something else that stuck with Streveler was the connection the Cardinals have with the Bombers and the CFL. Kingsbury played one season in Winnipeg, in 2007, and was the backup quarterback to Ryan Dinwiddie in a 23-19 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the 95th Grey Cup. Tom Clements, who was just hired by Arizona as their passing game co-ordinator and quarterbacks coach, finished his Hall of Fame career as a CFL quarterback with the Bombers, including winning the 1984 Grey Cup — the first championship for Winnipeg in 22 years.

“It’s kind of a testament to the way that the NFL game and CFL game is changing a little bit. You’re seeing more athletic guys playing quarterback and obviously it’s helped me get these opportunities. Now I have to make the most of it.”

“It’s cool to have people up there that have been a part and appreciate the CFL game because I have such an appreciation for it,” Streveler said. “The players that come from there and the level of competition, it’s great to be around people that you know have also been a part of that and appreciate it as well.”

By the time the Bombers clinched a Grey Cup title, Streveler had been relegated to backup behind Zach Collaros. However, his impact down the stretch, including in the title game, was crucial to the long-awaited championship. Streveler finished 3-for-3 passing for 39 yards and accounted for Winnipeg’s lone touchdown. He also added nine carries for 30 yards and one catch for another 13.

His celebrity hit new heights in the days after the Grey Cup win, and peaked at the championship parade. The lasting image of the post-Grey Cup festivities will forever be Streveler shirtless, wearing shorts and a cowboy hat, while draped in a brown fur coat. The coat, for those interested, has been fully repaired and Streveler is currently in the process of figuring out what to do with it.

“You make a lot of sacrifices over a season and to win a championship, it’s the best feeling in the world to share that moment with the guys you love and have gone to war with,” Streveler said. “Those are memories I’ll cherish forever.” 

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton